Fishing with Rod Discussion Forum
Fishing in British Columbia => General Discussion => Topic started by: cutthroat22 on September 20, 2011, 02:31:45 PM
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On another fishing site there is a post of someone catching 20 bass in Deer Lake.
Has anyone here caught a bass in Deer Lake?
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Really? I doubt it, but that would be cool. That lake, Burnaby Lake, and Still Creek would be good for bass, imo. They're dirty, polluted, warm, weedy, and ideal for bass. They're already full of carp anyways, which is an invasive species. We have a million clean lakes and rivers around BC that are perfect for trout and should not have bass. The dirty, polluted urban ones should be full of bass, so that people can catch them easily, and enjoy doing so. I saw some small fish that looked like sunfish, or could be bass hanging around the lily pads on the north side of the lake. Then there were some fish leaping out of the water near the middle of the lake, don't know what they were.
I understand that the Burnaby lake system is a salmon habitat. But all that effort for a few dozen salmon returning seems like a waste of time and effort. It's a bit of a lost cause. Yea yea, I know people are going to disagree. I like to fish for trout or bass. Of course I do prefer trout, but they're harder to find, and I'm not interested in fishing for farmed stocked rainbows. I only like to fish for wild trout - they fight and are aggressive!
All that would be needed is to have a fish fence so that the bass can't leave. There are two creeks in and out of deer lake. Apparently the Rainbow Trout that are stocked in Deer Lake, swim into the creek and end up in Burnaby Lake each summer. Those that end up in Burnaby Lake, end up supposedly dying, due to the water being too warm. I always wanted to share this finding about Burnaby Lake: http://www.burnaby.ca/cityhall/departments/engnrn/engnrn_whtshp/engnrn_whtshp_brnbyl/engnrn_whtshp_brnbyl_envassfish/engnrn_whtshp_brnbyl_envassfish_fish.html#33
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I just found that post you were talking about, cutthroat. He even has a picture. I hope he's not making it up, I doubt it. Kind of excited.
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Ive seen the post when it first appeared... wouldnt be surprised if some @$$#@*% was dumping them there also... havent been to deer lake in years... now im thinking about going....
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Here's another perspective on that.
I think that we need to work hard to improve Burnaby Lake and its tributaries and that means making an effort to control invasive species and further habitat destruction and be aware that a lot of folks put in a major effort to work with the fragile stocks that are still there.
To call a river a "lost cause" , in my opinion, is not the way to think. I also think we need to be aware of the loss that has already occurred and yes, there are numerous invasive species in that waterway. But maybe be thinking "what can I do?". I know several groups who seen considerable rewards for tireless work on some of the tributaries and many educational groups release salmon into the tributaries of Burnaby Lake (My class releases fry every year). I have seen enough positives to indicate that it is not a lost cause.
My two cents
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All that would be needed is to have a fish fence so that the bass can't leave. There are two creeks in and out of deer lake. Apparently the Rainbow Trout that are stocked in Deer Lake, swim into the creek and end up in Burnaby Lake each summer. Those that end up in Burnaby Lake, end up supposedly dying, due to the water being too warm. I always wanted to share this finding about Burnaby Lake: http://www.burnaby.ca/cityhall/departments/engnrn/engnrn_whtshp/engnrn_whtshp_brnbyl/engnrn_whtshp_brnbyl_envassfish/engnrn_whtshp_brnbyl_envassfish_fish.html#33
Unfortunately the "fish fence" would not work as smaller fry would be able to escape (unlike the trout, the bass would have no problem reproducing in the lake, so there would be all stages of the life cycle including very small fry) and therefore make there way into the Burnaby Lake-Brunette system as well.
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Well if we're gonna put bass in there, we might as well throw a couple of pike in there too.
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It's so strange that people would ACTUALLY go to the trouble of moving fish from one lake to another. How are these people never seen? I guess they do it at night. Are these just regular individuals? Or is this funded somehow? And where would they get a good number of juvenille bass from anyway?
BTW...here's something interesting. I went to Albert Dyck Lake yesterday morning for the 2nd time. I didn't see a single fish. Didn't even get a single bite. Which is WEIRD!! Either it's fished out, or the fish have been fished out, and then re-homed??
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Catching 20 would imply there is a significant bass population.
I would wager that bass would thrive in Deer Lake/Burnaby Lake. Warm waters, tons of cover as well as inlet/outlets.
Curious if they are recently planted or have been in for a while.
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I'm curious too. I've never fished Deer Lake before. But I'm sure it would have been mentioned somewhere online if the bass have been there awhile. I wonder if they're in Burnaby Lake too?
I don't know much about how well bass repopulate. Can a few bass populate a lake pretty quickly? Do they grow fast? The thing is that the local bass holes in the lower mainland don't really have a lot of bass in each location. Some do though. But a lot of them seem to only have a modest population (fish trap creek, now Albert Dyck Lake, Minnekhada, TWU, Mill Lake). And I'm pretty sure that they are usually caught and released, as the water quality in most of these places are gross.
I'm amazed that places that Como Lake and Lafarge lake are stocked with Trout. The water isn't very cold, and it's dirty. I guess it's just a matter of convenience - being urban.
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I live near Deer Lake and haven't seen or heard of any bass caught. Trout and BIG carp yes, but not bass.
I think it is all a plot to shift the masses away from the Vedder. :D
You want real bass locations in the LML?
Here you go:
Mill Lake - Abbotsford B.C. - Largemouth Bass
Hatzic Lake - Mission B.C. - Largemouth Bass
Chadsey Lake - Abbotsford, B.C. - Largemouth Bass
Sturgeon Slough - Pitt Meadows, B.C. - Largemouth Bass
Judson Lake - Abbotsford, B.C. - Largemouth Bass
Pepin Creek - Abbotsford, B.C. - Largemouth Bass
N. Alouette River - Pitt Meadows, B.C. - Largemouth Bass
Fish Trap Creek - Abbotsford, B.C. - Largemouth Bass
Glochester Ponds - Aldergrove, B.C. - Largemouth Bass
West Creek - Langley, B.C. - Largemouth Bass
Salmon River - Fort Langley, B.C. - Largemouth Bass
Albert Dyck Park - Abbotsford, B.C. - Largemouth Bass
Enjoy!
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Catching 20 would imply there is a significant bass population.
I would wager that bass would thrive in Deer Lake/Burnaby Lake. Warm waters, tons of cover as well as inlet/outlets.
Curious if they are recently planted or have been in for a while.
My guess would be planted, i started fishing those areas in the mid 90's when i first moved to bc from the east, 2002-2003 is when i started catching SM bass in the brunette, i was very surprised..now they seem to be spreading... Someone's doing it...
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ok jsut to let everyone know fisheries put LARGEMOUTH not smallmouth bass in burnaby lak in the 20's and then realized they where retarded in doing so and killed them off ive heard of bass in the burnette but not in burnaby lake any one care to share what forum they read this on please and thank you
and as many of you can tell i love to bass fish but i would never condone anyone moving fish and if i ever saw anyone doing this i would call the rapp line with out even thinking
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Noxscape is right. The fisheries stocked Burnaby Lake back in the day. And no one has caught a bass anytime in the last 30 years in Burnaby Lake. The ones in the Brunette River were Smallmouth Bass. Well guys, I will go and fish Deer Lake for bass either tomorrow or the next day. I will let you know. I will use my irresistible Worm and bobber. If there's bass, I will catch them. I was riding my bike this evening along the Debouville Slough in Poco. Stopped by this little beach to look at the water, and saw two nice bass scurry off away from the embankment. The water was so nice and clear looking and not more than 3 or 4 feet deep. I'm sooo itchiing to try that slough tomorrow. I was at Fish Trap Creek with the same set up yesterday (worm and bobber), and caught a bass on every cast. They were all small though.
Noxscape, here are the links to the discussion about bass in Deer Lake: http://www.*****.com/forums/threads/19966-Is-this-a-Largemouth-Bass &
http://www.*****.com/forums/group.php?discussionid=716&pp=10&page=2&do=discuss
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Ok well, I guess I can't post links here. It's on the bcfishingreport dot com website. Noxscape, what the heck happened to Albert Dyck Lake??
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I live near Deer Lake and haven't seen or heard of any bass caught. Trout and BIG carp yes, but not bass.
I think it is all a plot to shift the masses away from the Vedder. :D
Enjoy!
This is what makes catching 20 a big deal.
Buckets of bass have been tossed in the lake or else it's April 1st.
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Really? I doubt it, but that would be cool. That lake, Burnaby Lake, and Still Creek would be good for bass, imo. They're dirty, polluted, warm, weedy, and ideal for bass. They're already full of carp anyways, which is an invasive species. We have a million clean lakes and rivers around BC that are perfect for trout and should not have bass. The dirty, polluted urban ones should be full of bass, so that people can catch them easily, and enjoy doing so. I saw some small fish that looked like sunfish, or could be bass hanging around the lily pads on the north side of the lake. Then there were some fish leaping out of the water near the middle of the lake, don't know what they were.
I understand that the Burnaby lake system is a salmon habitat. But all that effort for a few dozen salmon returning seems like a waste of time and effort. It's a bit of a lost cause. Yea yea, I know people are going to disagree. I like to fish for trout or bass. Of course I do prefer trout, but they're harder to find, and I'm not interested in fishing for farmed stocked rainbows. I only like to fish for wild trout - they fight and are aggressive!
All that would be needed is to have a fish fence so that the bass can't leave. There are two creeks in and out of deer lake. Apparently the Rainbow Trout that are stocked in Deer Lake, swim into the creek and end up in Burnaby Lake each summer. Those that end up in Burnaby Lake, end up supposedly dying, due to the water being too warm. I always wanted to share this finding about Burnaby Lake: http://www.burnaby.ca/cityhall/departments/engnrn/engnrn_whtshp/engnrn_whtshp_brnbyl/engnrn_whtshp_brnbyl_envassfish/engnrn_whtshp_brnbyl_envassfish_fish.html#33
hey sam check your hotmail, youve got mail!
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Sam, can't wait for your confirmation on bass existance there,
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I have fished Deer lake a fair amount as it is quite close to home and I have only caught stocked rainbow trout, never any Bass. I have seen huge carp flopping around on the surface many times. Also I have found the surroundings to be far more pleasant than most of the other urban ponds, due to it's size and the absence of roads around it and the parklike setting. It is very easy to launch prams or car toppers and is very tube fishable also. In the spring and fall when the air temps are cool, you will almost be alone out there. It would sure be great to see some efforts made to enhance the viability of the fishery.
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sam im sorry to burst your bubble but i can bet the house those fish in the burnette are largemouth and not smallmouth there are no smallmouth in the lower mainland
unless you can show a pic that it is a smallie
andy
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Ok well, I guess I can't post links here. It's on the bcfishingreport dot com website. Noxscape, what the heck happened to Albert Dyck Lake??
Click the hyperlink button and then paste the url between the brackets [url]paste the url here[url] like you would a photo url.
All rivers connect to the Fraser now have a potential for bass (Langley Environmental Partners Society has trapped bass in Salmon River in Langley on occasion), but the ones in Deer Lake would be more recent transplants.
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Bass do prefer warmer, and possibly muddier water. For example, all the bass around the Pitt Lake Marsh and sloughs, usually seem to stay there. They have access to the Pitt River and Pitt Lake, but as those are colder and clearer waters with less cover - they seem to not be interested in leaving their home. Sort of like people from the suburbs or the country. They all have access to downtown, but do they want to live there? No.
Andy: I completely agree with you about Largemouth Bass being the only bass in the Lower Mainland. That's all I've ever seen as well. I was just quoting what I've read on the internet about Smallmouth bass in the Brunette River. And it seems that there are no more bass in the Brunette River anyway.
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I will definitely post my findings and photos about fishing in Deer Lake, when I give it a try. I would have gone today, had it not been raining! The next decent day - I will go.
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Confirmed - There are largemouth in Deer Lake.
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you got pics
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No pics. I only fished for 15 mins and I had a 6 incher on. He wiggled off when I tried to lift him to the dock. It definitely was a bass.
Will try again on a nice day.
I think these fish will thrive in this lake. I hope I am wrong!
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which dock did you fish off of? There are two at Deer Lake.
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So maybe all the Albert Dyck Lake bass have been moved to Deer Lake.
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where is this deer lake i might have to venture out and try is out one day soon
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where is this deer lake i might have to venture out and try is out one day soon
It is off Canada Way near Kensington where the Burnaby Heritage Village site is and there are various access points, none terribly easy to explain if you have never been there, but I am sure a google map search will get you there.
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Without a pic, I consider it bogus.
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i agree with you on that one damien to many rumours about where there is bass and never any proof if the next person who catches a bass there can actually post a pic it would be greatly appreciated
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I will definitely post a picture as soon as I can get out there.
Andy, take highway 1 westbound into Burnaby. Take the Kensington St/Canada Way exit. You'll come to a light at the end of the highway off ramp. Turn left. And then stay on the road, and it veers left (which is Canada Way). Turn right at the very next light - which is Sperling Ave (like 2 blocks away). Go straight down that road, a few blocks, and there you are at Deer Lake.
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Who would make up catching Bass at Deer Lake? Deer lake is nothing special for one thing, secondly, there is nothing to gain by doing that.
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i know ther eis nothing gained by making it up but over the years there have bieng lots of rumours of bass in other lakes that tunred up to be hoaxes aka kawkwa
please do post pics of the next one you catch in there please
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I see...man Andy, there are some real losers out there. Well, I hate bull crap, and Burnaby is my home - it's where I grew up and lived for 26 years. I'm glad to have bass there. And I will post photos for sure, with the background and everything. In fact, I'll even film a video of me reeling one in and post it.
Have you tried fishing Albert Dyck Lake recently?
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I get the pic thing but don't really care if anyone believes me. I'm sure a pic will be posted soon enough though.
There are bass in Deer Lake.
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I dont doubt him, they've been caught in other waterways in the area, i suppose it was only a matter of time before they were dumped there also,, id check burnaby lake too... from what i heard all the fish caught are small so would mean a recent transplant... >:( the area is struggling as is, now this :'( >:(
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Fished deer lake for the last six years every spring for carp,its still a bit cold for bass then so havnt seen much activity at all until this year.
Went there with my carp fishing rod for a quit eveningon the lake,brought my fly rod with me too,had no luck for carp that time.
Just before i was leaving,something started splashing on the edge of the weed bed one after a nother,I throw on a black micro leach on, and two casts in a row hook two bass, small, but i was very surprised,couse like everyone else on here, prior to this i never belived that thre is any in there.
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So there is a decent population of them.
Must have been dumped by the bucketload recently imo.
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lol sweet
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Get the rotenone out...
Still no pics though..
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rotenone there the pig headedness i was waiting on for this subject :(
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Deer Lake is pretty messed up.......I think we took the last stocked BrownTrout out of Deer lake back in '73. There's no suitable trout spawning areas in the lake so they never took hold.
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There's no suitable trout spawning areas in the lake so they never took hold.
Thats not quite right, there is a stream on the side of where the old okalla prison used to be by the second beach on the other side of the lake, ive observed large rainbow trout spawning there in the late 90's i used to camp out there with friends and fish for carp at night, you could hear them running up the stream at night... probably not anymore though :( but thats rainbows... i never knew there were once brown trout in there.
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Did someone from the "fishing shops" try fishing there in the last week?
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They should stock trout lake and deer lake with bass. maybe it will change peoples perspective on the bass fishery in bc
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there are so many unfound bass lakes in this province still and people just dont understand how good the bass fshing in this prvince really is and there is no way it can be stopped anymore sorry to say that
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Get the rotenone out...
Still no pics though..
Get the rotenone out...
Still no pics though..
What are you guys talking about? What is rotenone? I'm sure I'm not missing anything...English was always my strongest subject in highschool & university. lol
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its a poison that kills everyting in a lake but its not use din bc anymore so it wont be happenning
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oh i see...thanks Andy. Yeah, I highly doubt they'd use it there and risk killing off other fish and birds.
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(http://i632.photobucket.com/albums/uu44/cutthroat2222/DSC01003.jpg)
Here is a pic of a small largemouth caught today.
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hhhmmm that dock sure looks like the one at mill lake in abby ;) :D ;D
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You went fishing there today, in that weather we had today?? What a trooper.
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hhhmmm that dock sure looks like the one at mill lake in abby ;) :D ;D
Yeah...and so do those weeds...oh yeah... they probably are the same weeds in Deer lake.
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the photo is like the other photo from the other website. It doesn't show the background - but who cares. It's such a small bass - so pretty sure it's Deer Lake as stated. I don't think anyone catches bass off the dock at Mill Lake.
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So tell me, Andy, is the mouth protruding beyond the eye a good sign that this is a large mouth as opposed to a small mouth where the mouth does not extend beyond the eye? or is another way to tell the two apart?
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you can tell by the coloring of the fish alone. Regardless of mouth extension, that is a largemouth.
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you can tell by the coloring of the fish alone. Regardless of mouth extension, that is a largemouth.
Oh, okay, so what colour is a smallmouth?
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smallmouth has these vertical stripes - like a perch.
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just google smallmouth bass and you'll see. On the left of the screen, select images.
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just google smallmouth bass and you'll see. On the left of the screen, select images.
LOL...yeah, I did that, and colouring seems, to me at least, to be VERY similar. I guess you can say that largemouth tend to be greener and smallmouth tend to be browner? The smallmouth has more vertical barring. However, the mouth seems to be the best indicator. Thanks anyway, Andy, but I guess your expertise was not needed after all. There are more bass aficionados that I thought.
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Yup, largemouths are definitely pretty green and have larger mouths. I have caught many. And Andy has said that there are no Smallmouths in the Lower Mainland. And I concur. Smallmouths tend to be slimmer as well.
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so are there bass in the lake or not? ???
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smallie are also a more vecouise eater then largies and as much as i love to fish for them im happy they are not in the lower rain land and sorry i took so long to respond i was at work lol :P
but yeh the mouth is a big given on identy and as is colour smallies are more brownish and largies are greenish also the bars on there sides are different and is some times smallies have red eyes
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how do i put a pic in here
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Smallie colour varies greatly in different waters.
Mesotrophic, Oligotrophic & Eutrophic lakes as well as different rivers/streams produce fish of quite startling shades-from pale grey to dark brown with distinct greens in between.
The chameleon effect of Smallies is quite well known-hold one in a dark fish well for a while and see the change.
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(http://ca.wrs.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0S0zuxJYIFO0CoAvnL2FAx./SIG=12fs7mtmd/EXP=1317130441/**http%3a//farm1.static.flickr.com/161/358679053_30ff5ab336.jpg)
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The barring of smallies and their jaws are the best way to tell.
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QaaMpwPxuxE/SqvtNsOoYEI/AAAAAAAAAQw/q2QwCxPVDa4/s320/IMG_1495.jpg)
Smallie - Right
Largie - Left
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lol thanks damien lol
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Surprised there were no complaints about holding it out of the water. :D
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This is a cool video: [url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juFC4ldRzk4&feature=related[url]
A lot of people keep Bass as pets in the States. I didn't know that! There's a whole bunch of videos of people's pet bass, and them being fed. Man, they really do eat! I would love to have a huge aquarium and have a few bass.
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can you find smallmouth bass and largemouth bass in the same lake? or do they live in different habitats?
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::) ::)
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you can find them in the same lake but in different parts of it the smallies like the deeper colder parts of the lakes where the largie liek the shallower warmer parst
vaseaux and ossoyoos have both large and smallmouth in them
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Very interesting to hear about bass in Deer Lake. Not so excited about someone introducing foreign species to where they dont belong, but now that they're there anyways... I used to do yearly smallmouth trips to St Mary's lake and still got my bass gear but its just collecting dust.
Incidentally, I was out on the pontoon boat on Deer Lake this summer just fooling around, and that lake is WEEDY. I mean chock full of weeds unless you are out in the middle. Looking forward to maybe getting into some largemouth surface action if the fish ever get big enough.
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That's the spirit! lol This has been quite the thread.
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Surprised there were no complaints about holding it out of the water
lololol
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Surprised there were no complaints about holding it out of the water
By all means... hold it out of the water. The longer the better.
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Here's a pic. First one this year caught on a k3 or k2 kwikfish
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7226/7360905302_4b789efe70.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/24636158@N05/7360905302/)
It had the hook down it's mouth so when I pulled it out I tore something thus all the blood
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what's with all the blood?
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I hope you don't handle native fish the same way.
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Beautiful picture of a bass treated properly. ;D Rotenone does not kill birds and it has been used in the last couple of years to kill off bass in lakes. Two thumbs up for the effort by MOE.
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wow there is actually some live fish in deer lake!i live close by dont see too many fisherman down there but the ones i do see dont seem to be catching anything at all.only heard of one person actually catching a trout from there while targetting carp.
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What you guy gonna fish for When all the trout hatchery close do to lack of funds and
There are no more trout nice way to treat a fish that can handle what ever the environment cans throw at it tsk tsk
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Compaired to trout Bass are crap fish, get rid of them along with the blue gills, crappies, snakeheads and shiners.... Prosecute the morons who are releasing them into our lakes.
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Who's to say what is "crap" fish! Fish are fish, regardless they're all creatures of this planet. Just because Bass are tougher, and can thrive anywhere, makes them crap? So people who are tougher are crap? That's how stupid it sounds. Picking and choosing which fish are or aren't crap, is just as ignorant as saying such and such race is crap when compared to another race of people. Fish are fish, period. If it's about sport fishing, then how the hell is bass crap?
I'd sure rather catch wild bass than stupid farmed trout, that don't fight and are small, and aren't good for eating anyways. Just because something is invasive doesn't mean it's crap. Northern Pikeminnows are "crap", but just because they're native here, people turn a blind eye to their destruction? Not to mention how annoying they are as a constant bycatch almost anywhere you fish around here? There is a reason why pikeminnows have been hunted with a bounty reward from the Govn't in places like the Columbia River. They are a huge reason why Salmon and Steelhead populations are lower than they should be.
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Well then just leave them where they belong..... Don't introduce them into waters where they don't belong. If you want to fish Bass or the other species mentioned go to the states or where ever they occur naturally. Leave them in there own habitate where they originated instead of contaminating other waters that have trout and native species only. The morons who are transplanting them should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.....
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What you guy gonna fish for When all the trout hatchery close do to lack of funds and
There are no more trout nice way to treat a fish that can handle what ever the environment cans throw at it tsk tsk
That's your best argument for legitimizing an invasive species as a legal gamefish? How am I not surprised? ::)
Who's to say what is "crap" fish! Fish are fish, regardless they're all creatures of this planet. Just because Bass are tougher, and can thrive anywhere, makes them crap? So people who are tougher are crap? That's how stupid it sounds. Picking and choosing which fish are or aren't crap, is just as ignorant as saying such and such race is crap when compared to another race of people. Fish are fish, period. If it's about sport fishing, then how the hell is bass crap?
I'd sure rather catch wild bass than stupid farmed trout, that don't fight and are small, and aren't good for eating anyways. Just because something is invasive doesn't mean it's crap. Northern Pikeminnows are "crap", but just because they're native here, people turn a blind eye to their destruction? Not to mention how annoying they are as a constant bycatch almost anywhere you fish around here? There is a reason why pikeminnows have been hunted with a bounty reward from the Govn't in places like the Columbia River. They are a huge reason why Salmon and Steelhead populations are lower than they should be.
Well then just leave them where they belong..... Don't introduce them into waters where they don't belong. If you want to fish Bass or the other species mentioned go to the states or where ever they occur naturally. Leave them in there own habitate where they originated instead of contaminating other waters that have trout and native species only. The morons who are transplanting them should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.....
All fish species are not crap fish. Trout, bass and northern pikeminnow all have recreational values. More importantly, they are all ecologically important in their natural habitat. Both smallmouth and largemouth bass are excellent gamefish, but their introduction to waterbodies where they do not naturally occur should be prevented. The same goes to all other species that are not native in British Columbia. It's not a case of trout vs bass, but native species vs invasive species.
Northern pikeminnow have been natural predators to salmonids since they began coexisting. In the Columbia River, dams have created more favourable condition for northern pikeminnow than juvenile anadromous salmonids. Because of the slow water created by dams, northern pikeminnow have been able to predate more efficiently and expand their populations faster than they would naturally, therefore a bounty has been set up for them.
In Cultus Lake, northern pikeminnow's population is reduced by various methods due to the low number of sockeye salmon in this lake. The low number is caused by decades of overfishing. To ensure this endangered population thrives once again, predation of juveniles needs to be reduced.
In both cases, the decline of salmon populations has been human induced factors (dams and overfishing), not northern pikeminnow. If anything, northern pikeminnow favours salmonids as it is a natural selector of the salmon population. Their predation eliminates the weaker ones in the population during the juvenile stage.
This is why we have trained biologists making decisions on how an ecosystem should be managed, not sportfishermen who have special interests on particular species. Sportfishermen generally rate fish species by their recreational value, but fail to realize the bigger picture. Majority of the inhabitants (smaller fish, amphibians, reptiles) in a waterbody are not targeted by fishing. Those are the most vulnerable and easily displaced or replaced when new competitive species are introduced.
And no, I'm not a bass hater. I enjoy catching bass just as much as many others, but I usually like to put logics ahead of self interests.
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Excuse me Rodney what do you Mean how are you Not suprised wtf Does that
Mean eh I was not Say they are Here legitimately I was Just say they are a More sustainable fish then
Trout are
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And FYI I am not saying go bucket crazy with them I am 100% against that
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Now I'm starting to question myself as to whether that was a bass or just a crappie. It had teeth so I assume it was. Do crappies have teeth?. I have caught bass in there for sure though last year.
P.S. I fish deer lake to keep the fish (no native species all stocked) so I don't care how I handle the fish but in other places with native fish I use barbless and handle them with care
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Now I'm starting to question myself as to whether that was a bass or just a crappie. It had teeth so I assume it was. Do crappies have teeth?. I have caught bass in there for sure though last year.
Largemouth bass it was.
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blah blah blah enjoy fishing and catching any kind of fish for now because the snakeheads have arrived ::)
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What you guy gonna fish for When all the trout hatchery close do to lack of funds and
There are no more trout nice way to treat a fish that can handle what ever the environment cans throw at it tsk tsk
Trout hatcheries won't be closing any time soon as long as you need to keep buying your licences for bass fishing :P
And there will be trout in the lakes where they exist naturally. And of course you could go fish for salmon, a once again NATURALLY occurring species.
BTW what was wrong with the way he treated that? So he had a bleeder? You telling me you've never had a bleeder? Way he's holding it seems much nicer than the stick your hand down its throat for a picture method.
As one of my teachers said "If you catch a brown trout in the cowy or another introduced anywhere else (bass) I give you full permission to dance on it" ;D
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Trout hatcheries won't be closing any time soon as long as you need to keep buying your licences for bass fishing :P
And there will be trout in the lakes where they exist naturally. And of course you could go fish for salmon, a once again NATURALLY occurring species.
BTW what was wrong with the way he treated that? So he had a bleeder? You telling me you've never had a bleeder? Way he's holding it seems much nicer than the stick your hand down its throat for a picture method.
As one of my teachers said "If you catch a brown trout in the cowy or another introduced anywhere else (bass) I give you full permission to dance on it" ;D
"It had the hook down it's mouth so when I pulled it out I tore something thus all the blood" Tearing something out of a fish is never good, hence my comment about handling. Also, most people I know gently hold bass with their thumb and index on the lower jaw, I haven't seen the sticking hand down throat you mention, I have seen people yank hooks out of throat though, lots of blood!
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Barbed hook was stuck down it's tongue (throat). I used needle nose pliers to pull it out but nicked something. It bled out of that hole more than a stocked trout when I bleed it, well maybe not but for size of opening yes. I was surprised, I've never bled that much and I cut myself at work all the time.
Just so we're clear... I don't want to build a bad rep
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It happens anyone who has never made a fish bleed doesn't get out enough don't worry about it
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I don't want to build a bad rep
Don't worry too much about it. Bleeders from deep hooking, or even shallow hooking, do happen from time to time, whether you are fishing for bass, trout, salmon or steelhead. It is one of the main causes of catch and release mortality. A salmon that is hooked on the tongue can bleed profusely and end up dying after being released. A deep hooked fish means difficulty to get the hook out, sometimes it is easier to cut the line and leave the hook in the fish. You'll have to use your own judgement to determine what is best for the fish you intend to release. Sometimes the wrong choice is made, which happens to everyone at some point in their fishing career.
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That's your best argument for legitimizing an invasive species as a legal gamefish? How am I not surprised? ::)
All fish species are not crap fish. Trout, bass and northern pikeminnow all have recreational values. More importantly, they are all ecologically important in their natural habitat. Both smallmouth and largemouth bass are excellent gamefish, but their introduction to waterbodies where they do not naturally occur should be prevented. The same goes to all other species that are not native in British Columbia. It's not a case of trout vs bass, but native species vs invasive species.
Northern pikeminnow have been natural predators to salmonids since they began coexisting. In the Columbia River, dams have created more favourable condition for northern pikeminnow than juvenile anadromous salmonids. Because of the slow water created by dams, northern pikeminnow have been able to predate more efficiently and expand their populations faster than they would naturally, therefore a bounty has been set up for them.
In Cultus Lake, northern pikeminnow's population is reduced by various methods due to the low number of sockeye salmon in this lake. The low number is caused by decades of overfishing. To ensure this endangered population thrives once again, predation of juveniles needs to be reduced.
In both cases, the decline of salmon populations has been human induced factors (dams and overfishing), not northern pikeminnow. If anything, northern pikeminnow favours salmonids as it is a natural selector of the salmon population. Their predation eliminates the weaker ones in the population during the juvenile stage.
This is why we have trained biologists making decisions on how an ecosystem should be managed, not sportfishermen who have special interests on particular species. Sportfishermen generally rate fish species by their recreational value, but fail to realize the bigger picture. Majority of the inhabitants (smaller fish, amphibians, reptiles) in a waterbody are not targeted by fishing. Those are the most vulnerable and easily displaced or replaced when new competitive species are introduced.
And no, I'm not a bass hater. I enjoy catching bass just as much as many others, but I usually like to put logics ahead of self interests.
Sadly this province is teaming with invasive species, including rainbow trout. Although native to the province, much of the 'Semi-Domesticated' strains of rainbows the gov't stocks throughout the province are no more native than a largemouth bass in deer lake.
Cultured rainbows can have impacts on any waterbody given the fact that they do not occur naturally and could disrupt the biodiversity of a particular ecosystem. For example, stocked rainbow trout completely cleaned out indigenous salamanders rom Yellow Lake BC. Furthermore, a non-native strain of rainbow trout introduced to any given waterbody could have negative effects so attempts are made to protect native strains from introduced and potentially contaminated strains. Consequently, a hatchery raised rainbow introduced to lake x is a non-indigenous species. Imagine the introduction of northern pike (native to northeastern BC) to some of our interior lakes, likely a negative outcome.
Anyway, they're all fish that have a niche somewhere (except hatchery raised fish, maybe the dinner plate) in some ecosystem, to say they are crap is a bit extreme and the comment is perhaps a bit displaced. Anyway, just wanted to point out rainbow trout that we stock everywhere aren't necessarily native.
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pretty sure it was a virgin fish. haha first time being caught
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if you think this is a problem, think again. go to the great lakes & tributaries. Big bass+big carp+salmon+trout+sturgeon=all fish happy...until asian carp came...
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So went out today and got lots of bites got a 10 incher but mostly 6ers. Saw lots I mean lots of fish fry. Does anybody know what species those are? If it's bass fry then we can now call it a bass lake with stocked trout fishing in spring and fall. But if it's trout fry then it's really good news because if they survive then fishing is going to be good in a few years. That would also mean we should control the bass population because they are invasive. I was counselled for practicing catch and release. But if there is no future for trout at deer lake I want the bass to get big but if they do then we gotta keep them to the 6 inches or less.
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Are you fishing from shore or from a boat?
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I have visited deer lake with my girlfriend a few times the last 3 weeks. Like Fillibert mentioned we caught largemouth bass around 5 to 7 inches.
Most of the takes were on wooly buggers and streamers, although a small rooster tail & also a silver spoon were just as effective.
and oh yes, i was just casting towards the lily pads from the main beach area
So went out today and got lots of bites got a 10 incher but mostly 6ers. Saw lots I mean lots of fish fry. Does anybody know what species those are? If it's bass fry then we can now call it a bass lake with stocked trout fishing in spring and fall. But if it's trout fry then it's really good news because if they survive then fishing is going to be good in a few years. That would also mean we should control the bass population because they are invasive. I was counselled for practicing catch and release. But if there is no future for trout at deer lake I want the bass to get big but if they do then we gotta keep them to the 6 inches or less.
I have no idea what those fry are. I do see them jump like crazy in the shallows as it gets closer to sunset
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I have no idea what those fry are. I do see them jump like crazy in the shallows as it gets closer to sunset
They ARE bass fry. I went there last month and saw them. They school and they have a black stripe on their lateral line. They also like nibbling at my worms.
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Anyway, just wanted to point out rainbow trout that we stock everywhere aren't necessarily native.
Still no excuse for the bucket brigade to go around stocking lakes.
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Barbed hook was stuck down it's tongue (throat). I used needle nose pliers to pull it out but nicked something. It bled out of that hole more than a stocked trout when I bleed it, well maybe not but for size of opening yes. I was surprised, I've never bled that much and I cut myself at work all the time.
Just so we're clear... I don't want to build a bad rep
??
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Ok then if it's bass fry then bass it is. In a few years this will be a prime sport fishing location. Perfect conditions for bass and best of all it's the closest lake to Vancouver. And the most scenic and enjoyable too. Besides Rice the closest nature lakes are in squamish or port moody and u can have a boat in the water and not as busy. BTW the fry were ramming my powerbait minnow that was slightly bigger than them... I guess the predatory instinct runs early in bass
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??
Unless stated otherwise, most lakes allow the use of barbed and treble hooks.
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Now I'm starting to question myself as to whether that was a bass or just a crappie. It had teeth so I assume it was. Do crappies have teeth?. I have caught bass in there for sure though last year.
P.S. I fish deer lake to keep the fish (no native species all stocked) so I don't care how I handle the fish but in other places with native fish I use barbless and handle them with care
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Deer lake has native trout species and sticklebacks.
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Unless stated otherwise, most lakes allow the use of barbed and treble hooks.
but if there's an intention to release the fish, it would be prudent to use single barbless.
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I have never fished for bass . I live fairly close to deer lake ,do they bite all day or just when it hot and sunny ?Are bass top feeders or are they close to the bottom ?
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I have never fished for bass . I live fairly close to deer lake ,do they bite all day or just when it hot and sunny ?Are bass top feeders or are they close to the bottom ?
I have fished for Bass,where thier supposed to be,in Ontario,when i worked there for a few yrs(my trade has taken me all over Canada). I found them to go "on" and "off" the bite,like any other fish species.They are great surface feeders,very agressive.We used Hula poppers to catch them up top.
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I have never fished for bass . I live fairly close to deer lake ,do they bite all day or just when it hot and sunny ?Are bass top feeders or are they close to the bottom ?
Based on my limited experience fishing Deer Lake, they seem to take both surface and sub-surface presentations in knee deep water.
I have only fished Deer Lake from late afternoon till sunset, which i assume is the usual feeding time for most species
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What got me the most bites and best hook sets were the 3 inch power bait minnows hooked through the fake eyes and twitched and jerked on the retrieve. But blue fox spinners work great too. Can't stress the use of polarized glasses enough
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Any larger ones or are they all small?
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Any larger ones or are they all small?
I don't know but since the some schools of baby bass are fairly large, there should be some big females lurking around
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A guy told me he catches 3 pounders in september. Maybe it's the same one though over and over
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Will give it a try this sunday , what time does the gate open ,no parking on the street and what size hooks do you use .
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Was there today saw some few big bass jumping.
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Last time I was there the parks guy opened the gates around 5 but it depends sometimes its earlier or later and might be different on a sunday. I used a 2 hook but my spinner was a 1/8 oz (ultralight rod) so tiny hook. It's non pressured bass so they bite anything that moves.
And u sure it was bass and not carp?
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Yep decent size one jumped a few times just by the lilies.gonna give it another shot on the weekend fairly close to where I am.there was another fellow there fishing and kept on landing 5-6 inches over and over again with a float setup.
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A guy told me he catches 3 pounders in september. Maybe it's the same one though over and over
Maybe. Some bass are really dumb and will get caught over & over again.
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What got me the most bites and best hook sets were the 3 inch power bait minnows hooked through the fake eyes and twitched and jerked on the retrieve. But blue fox spinners work great too. Can't stress the use of polarized glasses enough
I cut my fishing teeth on bass in Ont...a 2" black and silver Rapala was the ticket every time...then I discovered flyfishing and matuka's and deerhair poppers were the goto flys for me....;)
mojo
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Went there today caught a 2pounder bass and 2 other small ones.
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Guys. Bass are really tasty (especially the ones 3 lb & under) go to deer lake and get yourself an easy meal.
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Would being on a boat increase my chances of catching bass? Is the method same as shore?
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Guys. Bass are really tasty (especially the ones 3 lb & under) go to deer lake and get yourself an easy meal.
Really? Never eat anything out of Deer Lake. Are you trying to be funny or trolling? And catch and release the bass so that we can have a great and local bass fishery.
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went and fished deer lake today, 6 bass in 10 mins.. wow these guys are everywhere..
its kind of scary how the deer lake drains into burnaby lake which drains into the fraser.
Iv been fishing these 2 lakes for years and years.. this past year has a massive increase spike in bass and a massive decrease numbers in cutthroat trout that run through burnaby lake.
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Really? Never eat anything out of Deer Lake. Are you trying to be funny or trolling? And catch and release the bass so that we can have a great and local bass fishery.
Dude, I've had bass in lakes polluted way worse than Deer. They tasted alright. And I did not get sick. This is because bass can resist pollution.
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What were you using ? Will try tomorrow morning .
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Ive also been catching bass in deer lake on wedding band spinners, maybe 10 a day. Great fun! Can you actualy fish in burnaby lake? What kinda fish are in there?
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Caught a dozen tonight with the biggest being 11 inches. Missed many more, all on poppers except one on a woolly bugger.
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Are you using a fly rod or spinning rod when using a wooly bugger ?
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4wt fly rod, little popper with marabou for the tail was the ticket. It is a lot of fun watching them chase it and come back for it several times.
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4wt fly rod, little popper with marabou for the tail was the ticket. It is a lot of fun watching them chase it and come back for it several times.
Guess who? haha I was the one fishing by you this evening. I'm gonna try early morning one day....too many ppl around that park on a nice day.
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Guess who? haha I was the one fishing by you this evening. I'm gonna try early morning one day....too many ppl around that park on a nice day.
Oh nice to meet you, I only caught two at the main beach area. The rest where after that little creek on the path everyone walks on. Some nice spots with Lilly pads just past the creek. Its tough casting tho, especially with the fly rod.
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Good to meet you too! Yea I fished in that spot you mentioned. I didn't get anything, mind you it was too sunny at that time. Weird, I caught a Pikeminnow of the dock. Pretty decent sized one. Since when does Deer Lake have Pikeminnows? i should have killed it....but can't get myself to.
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Have you guys tried the left middle-ish side of the lake? Also sort of mid right theres a small floating dock got a few off there. But i like the left side more, its like a small beach and i walk ino the water only a few inches deep and you get right to the edge of the drop point.
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Haven't fished of the dock on the right side yet but I was fishing on the left side just past the house on the water.it a tight spot with the trees and such.pulled out a 2 pounder from there and my buddy pulled out a small one too.if you have waders I think the spot would be good.i'm just surprised at how greedy these bass are.they also pot up a decent fight.
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I went this morning and got 4 , sizes range from 3in to 6 inches . Will try again next weekend .
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They do fight well...that's why i love fishing for em. They have small man syndrome for sure. lol a 6 inch bass bass fights like a 10" trout
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Went there today caught a 2pounder bass and 2 other small ones.
nice. 2 pounder huh... I better go again and try my luck
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nice. 2 pounder huh... I better go again and try my luck
Pics or it didnt happen.
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Im probably going to fish it almost every day now, a great fishery just down from my house. Might even take the bike down tomorrow morning and go around the whole lake.
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Dont know how to post pics but more then willing to send them to you.I see no reason to lie about catching bass out of deer lake
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I guess I awoke the monster. Last year everyone was questioning the existence of bass in the lake and this thread was dead and now... Everyone wants a piece of the action. ::)
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Would be nice to see that a bass of some sort of substantial size are being caught.
Feel free to send me the pic and I will post it.
bassfreak55@yahoo.com
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Email sent
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(http://i.imgur.com/Klnuf.jpg)
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I wonder when they are going to drain the lake and get rid of the bass?
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I will be out there at 7 today, if you see a tall kid fly fishing come by and say hi :P
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Only a few today, need a wider gap on my poppers, missed dozens. Might have to take the boat out and explore the lake a little more.
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For gear, worm under a bobber infront of the lilly pads and logs will do the trick. Very small spinners and plugs too if you want to cast and retrieve.
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Cool I will try to make it down there tomorrow night with some worms. Where do you fish from there maybe I will run into you
Sometimes the main beach. There are 2 sets of pads right in the middle of the beach, and the boat dock. Hasn't been as productive as the other little dock and a few spots just down left of the dock. Any area of the lake that kind of opens up and you have pads with a little but of clear water works. Might just walk the lake and finds some new spots.
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If the dock is empty make sure u cast all around it from shore. Bass like to hide under it to ambush smaller fish but if u walk on it u will spook them.
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If you go to the left (south) past one picnic table on the trail there is a second set of picnic tables there is a small spot there where you can also fish.will be there again today I hopefully with a bass at the end of my line
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If it becomes a true bass fishery maybe Rod should organise the fish for the future event there instead of Steveston. Bass is way more fun to catch than bullheads
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Don't be dissin bullheads!!!! :-*
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Glad to see there are quite a number of fellow bass fishing enthusiasts. If a lake is disgusting, polluted, muddy, and full of weeds - it makes a great bass hole. It's not great for anything else worthwhile anyways. Bass are really fun and easy to catch. They are also very easily self-sustaining. I'd rather see a ton of bass in a lake like Deer, than Carp and bullheads.
Most urban lakes are a disgusting lost cause for a real trout fishery. We have a million other lakes and rivers throughout BC, better suited for trout. And don't give me bs about trout in Deer Lake. Most if not all are stocked, and are not native or wild. A lot of them probably die off in the summer anyway (like what happens in Bby Lake, due to the water temperature being way too warm. Secondly, you wouldn't want to eat trout or anything out of Deer Lake anyway. Don't get me wrong, I love trout fishing, and prefer it. But, I personally am a strict catch and release only kind of guy, and I have ZERO interest in catching boring, odd looking hatchery rainbows, who unnaturally prefer baits similar to what they're being fed at the hatchery. If the trout aren't wild, I'm not interested. I also find it unlikely that bass will swim down the creek into Burnaby lake. Why would they want to go into a little creek with barely any water or cover in it, when they have a nice big lake? They don't like faster moving water. Just my 2 cents.
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Don't be dissin bullheads!!!! :-*
LOL!! I started with bullheads on the White Rock pier when I was a kid as well. That and pile perch on a hand line. So I hear you LF! :)
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Saw people swimming in the lake today ???
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Has anyone caught a bass from the beach larger than 7 inches ?
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Has anyone caught a bass from the beach larger than 7 inches ?
Hooked my largest bass from that lake today from the beach, by the lilly pads to the left, also saw a dead carp washed up on the shore
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How big was this bass ? and did you land it ?
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Easily 12 inches, really fat. I caught it by the lips and the hook fell off, and it just wiggled out of my hand.
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Saw people swimming in the lake today ???
WTF??? lol are they stupid? I was shocked seeing people walking around in the water up to their knees the other day. GROSS!!
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Easily 12 inches, really fat. I caught it by the lips and the hook fell off, and it just wiggled out of my hand.
Cool! I wonder if that's the one that I caught, but it broke off right at the shoreline. Still has the hook in it's mouth. I feel bad for it.
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I swam in Deer Lake and Trout Lake all the time as a kid. I credit that for why I almost never get sick.
Reminds of that George Carlin bit about fear of germs;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnmMNdiCz_s
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Easily 12 inches, really fat. I caught it by the lips and the hook fell off, and it just wiggled out of my hand.
A family with two little children, it was nasty... And no, it had no hook in it's mouth so there are more bigger ones. I seem to lose a lot of fish that get stuck in the Lilly pads, and miss a lot due to the stinger hook on my poppers, I think it's too far back. Might have to tie up some new ones with a shorter distance from popper head to hook.
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I swam in Deer Lake and Trout Lake all the time as a kid. I credit that for why I almost never get sick.
Reminds of that George Carlin bit about fear of germs;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnmMNdiCz_s
"We swam in raw sewage! You know to cool off" love it
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A family with two little children, it was nasty... And no, it had no hook in it's mouth so there are more bigger ones. I seem to lose a lot of fish that get stuck in the Lilly pads, and miss a lot due to the stinger hook on my poppers, I think it's too far back. Might have to tie up some new ones with a shorter distance from popper head to hook.
just curious what are you using? I've been using power bait minnows and find the lily pad area way too weedy.
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bro that was me and a random Asian couple I met fishing down there. I wouldn't really swim in it but walking out in bare feet to get past the shallows a bit won't hurt you -_-. Ya the lake is gross but we aren't having a water fight while drinking the damn water :P hahahaha
If you get a cut or open skin around your leg and water gets in, some paracite could get in and cause infection etc. I'd personally never wade that water.
just curious what are you using? I've been using power bait minnows and find the lily pad area way too weedy.
I will post some pics in a bit of what I'm using, and it doesn't matter with poppers. You can fish them shallow and deep water. The fish seem to like it when you skip them over the pads then pause it for a bit in the clearings. Walk around the lake and find any pads with sections of clear water and fish them, you'll be surprised where the fish hide. Don't stay in one spot long, if you miss a few fish, move on and fish other part of the lake. Then come back and fish the areas where you missed fish, they usually will come back.
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Sorry for the delay, here are a few of the flies that have worked the best-
(http://i745.photobucket.com/albums/xx100/itaSFU/IMG00200-20120816-2004.jpg)
(http://i745.photobucket.com/albums/xx100/itaSFU/IMG00201-20120816-2016.jpg)
And when the sun is out and the fish are a little deeper-
(http://i745.photobucket.com/albums/xx100/itaSFU/IMG00196-20120816-1305.jpg)
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Hey bud, where do you get poppers from?? Or where did you buy yours? I want to get some and try it out. Preferably something close by. I live in Port Moody...so anywhere in Coq, Poco, works. Thanks!
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I tie all of my flies, but Sea Run Fly And Tackle has a large verity of flies and some nice looking poppers.
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Go see
Randy at hatch matchr he's got a
Good supply of flies and bass
Tackle also
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That leach killed em today
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I'm very excited about largemouth bass at Deer Lake! The news about largemouth bass at Deer Lake is so unreal - like, am I dreaming or what? As a result of the news, I'm planning to dust off my rarely used Abu Garcia C3 reel with my Abu Garcia Conolon baitcasting rod. I actually have bass fishing lures in my tackle box from the 90's because I always wanted to save it for largemouth bass fishing if I ever had the chance/time to do it.
I've always been a fan of largemouth bass since I was a kid, when I played an old PC Shareware DOS game called Bass Tour by Dick Olsen. I watched a lot of Bill Dance, Roland Martin, and Hank Parker fishing shows with lots of bass fishing tips too.
In high school, I even created a Bass Masters board game which my teacher loved too which was based on Deer Lake - LOL!
I hope all the largemouth bass knowledge which I acquired within over a decade will land me the big lunker.
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Fishing for bass in deer lake is definetly fun, ive never got one bigger then 8 inches from deer lake tho. But those smalls guys probly catch 20 of them in the few hours i go for, pink wedding bands is what ive been usuing and seem like they just cant get enought of them. Caught my bigger ones on rooster tails with olive green feathers.
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Went out this eveining and got nothing. Lots of people out and I did not get the spot that I would have liked.
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Went out this eveining and got nothing. Lots of people out and I did not get the spot that I would have liked.
Yep, I was out there as well. Used the same methods that yielded lots of fish last time, but not a sniff today :(
I did notice the weeds/algae have grown a lot, got a lot of it sticking on my tackle and had to keep cleaning it off
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Yep, I was out there as well. Used the same methods that yielded lots of fish last time, but not a sniff today :(
I did notice the weeds/algae have grown a lot, got a lot of it sticking on my tackle and had to keep cleaning it off
Same here! The spot I usually fish gave such a headache! Just curious where are you other guys fishing from? Everytime i'm out there I only see one other fisherman 2 tops.also I know they stock trout in this lake but I have never heard or seen anyone catch a trout.
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You gotta get a little wet to get to my spot, never seen anyone at this spot and im here everyday. Other wise if nobody is at the small floating dock on the rightside i go there, only room for 1 maybe 2 people at that spot.
Maybe 3 weeks ago on a rainy day i seen a guy catch a carp close to 25 pounds, 5 min after a trout! First ive ever seen come out of deer lake. I was pretty jealous ( about the trout not the carp lol )
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same... only 2 6 inchers when I usually get dozens, must be the weird weather. But seen the most fishermen (and women) ever in the last couple of days, even more than when trout is stocked. Just before leaving I went to the boat dock and just a few yards from the dock a pretty big bass came at my spinner from the side and swiped at it. I tried to set the hook but either it didn't commit enough or I yanked too soon so didn't hook it. Gave me chills though it was a nice adrenaline rush.
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You gotta get a little wet to get to my spot, never seen anyone at this spot and im here everyday. Other wise if nobody is at the small floating dock on the rightside i go there, only room for 1 maybe 2 people at that spot.
Maybe 3 weeks ago on a rainy day i seen a guy catch a carp close to 25 pounds, 5 min after a trout! First ive ever seen come out of deer lake. I was pretty jealous ( about the trout not the carp lol )
are you the guy that was fishing somewhat in the middle if the lake on the south side just past the houses?I wonder do you guys think that the bass are eating the trout?
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I was going to fish at the dock on at the main beach but the boat rentals were open so I did not. I was on the small dock over by the shabolt center. We're you the guys on the opposet side?
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.
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I was going to fish at the dock on at the main beach but the boat rentals were open so I did not. I was on the small dock over by the shabolt center. We're you the guys on the opposet side?
Nope I usually fish by the southeast picnic area there is a space there one person 2 max.hard casting area tho.
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going to try my luck again tomorrow with another member on here
I usually fish the north side of the main beach, in front of the playground swings.
A couple times I've waded into the water and that was pretty nice, gets me closer to the lily pads where the fish are hiding
no infections on my feet so far *knock on wood* ;D
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I must have pass by you on Monday because someone was fishing there
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Don't you find the north side beach a bit too shallow?
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Don't you find the north side beach a bit too shallow?
If you follow the trail to the middle north part you will see there is small path and over there the water seems deeper with a drop off.I can usually see 1or2 fisherman there fishing from where i'm at.only fished that spot for a few casts gonna give that spot another shot next time i'm there.the spot where I usually fish is really shallow and its getting weedeir now but its been fairly productive for my buddy and I.I wonder if renting a boat will and fishing the deeper spots make for better fishing.
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Theres a little pull off on the side of the trail where one of the creeks come into the lake, there is a nice shoal where fish will stay suspended when the sun is out. Pull your lure along the shoal and you will get fish.
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A boat will help a lot.
Word to the wise, the larger bass push the smaller ones to less desireable holding/ambush areas. In other words, areas with less cover, more disturbance from fisherman, birds etc. and less easy access to deep water.
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I haven't had the chance to fish Deer Lake since the discovery of largemouth bass, and I do believe that the largemouth bass are eating the rainbow trout in the lake. I have caught a lot of rainbow trout at Deer Lake back in the late 90's. As a matter of fact, my very first cast ever in Deer Lake in the early 90's, I caught a rainbow trout with a lure. In the 90's, I've seen hundreds of rainbow trout congregated in the small creek beside the boat rental area - probably due to more oxygen and cleaner water - I wish I had a video camera back then!
I went to Deer Lake about 3 weeks ago, and I saw 2 1lb trout swimming together with my polarized sunglasses, so there are trout. I also saw a nice sized crayfish and I saw a river otter. At first, I witnessed a splash and I thought it was a carp, then I saw the creature craw onto a rock and back to the shore, and it was a small river otter.
Deer Lake is very heavy on the weeds and algae because of fertilizers drain into the lake. I remember back in the 90's, the water at Deer Lake was a light brown colour. Those were the days with the best fishing and the least amount of weeds and algae.
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Bass eating the trout? Really? The stocked 12" rainbows are being eaten by the bass that are way smaller or the same size? Give me a break. The trout could only be eaten if they were pretty much fry. Which they're not. They're stocked, and as far as I know they're infertile trout.
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Time to get the rotenone out..
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Lol bass eating the trout, that was a good one.
I rented the 2 person boat for 17 bucks was totally worth it, you can get to all the good spots with no disturbance got some nicer fish that way.
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I haven't had the chance to fish Deer Lake since the discovery of largemouth bass, and I do believe that the largemouth bass are eating the rainbow trout in the lake. I have caught a lot of rainbow trout at Deer Lake back in the late 90's. As a matter of fact, my very first cast ever in Deer Lake in the early 90's, I caught a rainbow trout with a lure. In the 90's, I've seen hundreds of rainbow trout congregated in the small creek beside the boat rental area - probably due to more oxygen and cleaner water - I wish I had a video camera back then!
I went to Deer Lake about 3 weeks ago, and I saw 2 1lb trout swimming together with my polarized sunglasses, so there are trout. I also saw a nice sized crayfish and I saw a river otter. At first, I witnessed a splash and I thought it was a carp, then I saw the creature craw onto a rock and back to the shore, and it was a small river otter.
Deer Lake is very heavy on the weeds and algae because of fertilizers drain into the lake. I remember back in the 90's, the water at Deer Lake was a light brown colour. Those were the days with the best fishing and the least amount of weeds and algae.
I remember those days, i spent almost every day at the lake in the mid to late 90's, i lived a few blocks away, we used to see large rainbows in the small creeks on the other side of the lake (old okalla prison side) camped out there a few times and you could hear them coming up the creek at night. Those were good days, just a memory now.
I havent been up to the lake since 2004, drove by it but never stopped, sucks to hear the lake has changed so much.
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If you think the 90s were good, you should have been there in the 80s. Many summers spent fishing at BB point.
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I wish i was, but i only moved to bc beginning 1997... burnaby and its lakes and streams were my playground, in that time, i have many fond memories of those days spent, its sad to see they have turned to this... bass,sunfish, snakehead? (in central park) for F "censored" sakes, >:( sigh... i had enough of those back east(bass, sunfish)... funny the first decent size rainbow i caught was in deer lake... ahh the good old days.
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The trout at Deer Lake aren't really big and largemouth bass are known to attack fish larger than their body length. If you go to any tackle store, you will find rainbow trout lure patterns too.
Does anyone remember the days at Deer Lake when the monster carp would feed on the baby ducklings???
I think it's time for me to bring out the Buzz Bombs!
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The trout at Deer Lake aren't really big and largemouth bass are known to attack fish larger than their body length. If you go to any tackle store, you will find rainbow trout lure patterns too.
Does anyone remember the days at Deer Lake when the monster carp would feed on the baby ducklings???
I think it's time for me to bring out the Buzz Bombs!
...six baby ducks go swimming one day...
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How big were the ones you caught when you rented a boat ?
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Id say just under a pound, casted along the lilly pad line maybe out of 15 bass 4 will be around a pound the rest just small guys, still good times tho
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Would a bass that size be good to eat? Never ate bass before
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Don't eat bass from there, I caught a few that had worms comming out of their scales. Little tiny, skinny red worms. Yuck!
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Worms were around as far as i can remember, perfect environment for them.. i believe they are nematodes.. i used to fish with the asians on the main dock... my friend caught a nice 16 inch rainbow one day.. and it had those things coming out of the nostril... along with the red patches on its body.. little tail ends wiggling out... eww.. but properly cooked it should not be a problem, i know many people that have ate carp from there and burnaby lake and were never ill... me myself i wouldn't eat the fish out of there even if i was paid, and would certainly not recommend it ;)
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I ate trout caught at Deer Lake in the 90's and I haven't had any health problems from the fish.
I think there is a higher health risk for those who eat tuna, swordfish, shark due to the high concentrations of mercury.
Even large sized ocean caught salmon, especially chinooks have high concentrations of BCPs.
Don't get me started on the ocean water near Victoria, B.C. with its untreated sewage going into the ocean.
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Worms? Nah, that isn't something you should be worried, unless you're eating sushi!
If the fish is cooked, it should be fine.
There hasn't been any public health warnings about fish consumption at Deer Lake, so catch 'em and eat 'em!
I don't remember that I've eaten freshwater bass of any kind, but I've heard from many people who say they're not the best tasting fish and largemouths have a slight muddy taste. I've been watching fishing shows on TV for over 25 years and I haven't seen a single fisherman keeping a largemouth or smallmouth for consumption.
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Fresh smallies from clean lakes, battered and fried taste very good. Never eaten large mouth tho.
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Worms? Nah, that isn't something you should be worried, unless you're eating sushi!
If the fish is cooked, it should be fine.
There hasn't been any public health warnings about fish consumption at Deer Lake, so catch 'em and eat 'em!
I don't remember that I've eaten freshwater bass of any kind, but I've heard from many people who say they're not the best tasting fish and largemouths have a slight muddy taste. I've been watching fishing shows on TV for over 25 years and I haven't seen a single fisherman keeping a largemouth or smallmouth for consumption.
Yes properly cooked there shouldn't be any problems... seeing the worms did it for me... and i have eaten fish out of lakes that were not exactly pristine, before.
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I caught and ate one from Gold Lake in Upper Peninsula Michigan once. It was about a pound and pan fried it in butter. It was tasty, but not nearly as nice as a trout and a lot bonier.
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Both Largemouth and smallmouth Bass are delicious in my opinion, but I've only ever eaten them out of clean lakes. Had them fried, battered in cornmeal, flour, salt and pepper. between 1 and 2.5 pounds is a good size to eat.
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Hmm ive caught quite a few bass from deer lake never seen worms in them. Well i'll be heading to deer lake just as soon as i can get out of bed :-\
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Both Largemouth and smallmouth Bass are delicious in my opinion, but I've only ever eaten them out of clean lakes. Had them fried, battered in cornmeal, flour, salt and pepper. between 1 and 2.5 pounds is a good size to eat.
x2. Bass larger than 3 lbs tend to be not very tasty because the meat will be somewhat old.
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x2. Bass larger than 3 lbs tend to be not very tasty because the meat will be somewhat old.
x3 my folks lived on St Mary's lake on SaltSpring Island for years of retirement and I remember the first bass I ever caught and ate, both the old man and I took our first bites at the breakfast table and looked at each other in amazement at how delicious it was.
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If you like Rock Cod, you will like Bass. Prepare them the same way. like trout or any other fish they taste muddy when caught in warm muddy water.
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Can you catch them through out the year or are they mainly a warm weather fishery ?
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I just fished Deer Lake this afternoon for 1/2 hour and I caught 2 largemouth bass. I could have caught more, but I decided to leave because it started to rain.
So, I can say that today was the first time I've caught largemouth bass in my life and the first two weren't really hard fighting fish - both of them didn't jump. When I landed the second largemouth bass, another kid and his father was like, "is this fish dead?" I wiggled it a bit, and the largemouth started to shake and wiggle like crazy.
I only brought one lure for the fishing trip and I almost lost it before I had the opportunity to catch the two largemouth bass. I had a nasty snag near the lilly pads which took almost ten minutes of yanking and pulling with my 6lb test line which came with my el cheapo Zebco reel with my Daiwa medium action rod.
The other father and son fishermen were fishing for carp and none of them caught anything.
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Bass can be caught all year long. Fishing slows in the cold months, but bass still feed, but their metabolism really drops.
On Duck Lake, outside Creston, there is a very popular ice fishery for bass. They jig a lure called a "Rat-L-Trap", and do quite well. The Rat-L-Trap is actually a casting lure, but on Duck it's almost exclusively an ice fishing lure. If the locals saw you casting one in the summer they'd probably laugh at the "rube" using a ice fishing lure in June!!
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Those guys at Duck have destroyed that lake.
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Has anyone notice after fishing at deer lake your line turns brown? is this normal?
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Fished for an hour and a half this evening, caught a few. I kinda cheated, used wacky rigged Senko's and little tube jigs. Caught one that was really chunky.
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What is a wacky rigged senko .
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Senkos is one type of plastic worms.
Wacky style rig.
http://www.probassfishing.ca/articles/images/Senko-Wacky-style.jpg
BCfisherman97, did you keep your largemouths or was it just catch and release? I would love to see some photos of the fish you caught at Deer Lake.
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No, I don't keep them. Ill get you some pictures if I go out over the weekend if I have a few hours to spare.
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Hatch match in maple ridge sells senkos And all The baits you would need to catch big bass at deer lake
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What is with ppl keeping bass? Most of us enjoy fishing for bass, for the sport. And therefore will always release them, so that we can enjoy fishing for them in the future. Quit keeping every *** damned fish you keep, even if it's 3 inches. Are you frickin' starving or something? Most ppl on this forum are into sport fishing, not "I fish, cause it's all-you-can-catch free meat. Sorry, but it's just my frustrated 2 cents, that's sick of ppl fishing out a lake, just because they can. I'm so sick and tired of seeing ppl fishing around here, ONLY for something to eat, and not the recreation or sport aspect.
Signed,
Guy who has never and will never keep a fish (because if everyone kept fish, we'd be **** outta fish)
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Sam6140, you need to seriously chill out!
Please don't be so judgemental and accuse people on this board that he or she is keeping the fish they were catching!
Not classy at all.
You need to understand that largemouths are an illegally introduced non-native fish to Deer Lake which is changing the natural ecosystem of the lake.
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I'm sure most people would release all of the fish they catch at Deer Lake because the water isn't the cleanest, though I'm sure the fish are still safe to eat.
FYI, the daily catch quota for largemouths/smallmouths in the Lower Mainland is 4.
http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/fw/fish/regulations/docs/1113/fishing-synopsis_2011-13_region2.pdf
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Catch and release is like flirting with a girl and buying her drinks all night and when she finally bites and agrees to come home with you, you take a picture smile and say no thanks. I mean yes if she's not that good looking... but if she's perfect...
I can't justify fishing if I release every fish I catch. I do release the undersize or old ones but if it's good eating... I get more enjoyment out of eating a fish I caught than one I bought.
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Nope, I don't need to chill out, or be told to. This is a forum, and is therefore built on opinions, questions, and/or facts. And I felt like ranting for once - so what. I do have a problem with our lakes and rivers being over-fished. Something wrong with mentioning that? I think not. I catch and release, so that there will be fish for the next guy to catch, or for the near future. I just simply wish more ppl would feel and do the same.
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Nope, I don't need to chill out, or be told to. This is a forum, and is therefore built on opinions, questions, and/or facts.
I think you need to chill out. Just my opinion though.
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Nope, I don't need to chill out, or be told to. This is a forum, and is therefore built on opinions, questions, and/or facts. And I felt like ranting for once - so what. I do have a problem with our lakes and rivers being over-fished. Something wrong with mentioning that? I think not. I catch and release, so that there will be fish for the next guy to catch, or for the near future. I just simply wish more ppl would feel and do the same.
Those bass are an INVASIVE SPECIES!!! You can talk all you want about catch and release but you NEED to realize these fish DO NOT belong in this waterway!!! I would bonk every single one of the bass I caught in that lake and their is nothing you could do to stop me.
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Those bass are an INVASIVE SPECIES!!! You can talk all you want about catch and release but you NEED to realize these fish DO NOT belong in this waterway!!! I would bonk every single one of the bass I caught in that lake and their is nothing you could do to stop me.
What if they offered you 100 bucks to stop :)
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I would bonk every single one of the bass I caught in that lake and their is nothing you could do to stop me.
Other than the fact that as someone else mentioned, there is a daily limit for bass in this region.
If we were talking about catfish, carp, snakehead, or tilapia, then yes, you could kill as many as you like.
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Every single one of those bass should get the club as far as I'm concerned
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Why do you care if there's bass in deer lake or not? It's no like half out guys fish anyways. I fish deer lake everyday after work and would rather catch bass for fun then catch trout that don't even wiggle when you hook one.
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Why do you care if there's bass in deer lake or not? It's no like half out guys fish anyways. I fish deer lake everyday after work and would rather catch bass for fun then catch trout that don't even wiggle when you hook one.
So your cool with the bucket brigade dumping an alien species into a waterway. Thats good to know.....
The only time its ok to introduce a species into a specific body of water is when their is no way for that said species can get out of said waterway. So if their is no inflow or outflow and is self contained than put a species like bass in there. Thats perfectly fine. A place like Deer lake is not a place to an alien species....If you dont know why than maybe you need to educate yourself as to why its so harmful
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Did I say I was. Showing proof someone dumped buckets of bass in deer lake. Where does one get buckets of bass?
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So your cool with the bucket brigade dumping an alien species into a waterway. Thats good to know.....
The only time its ok to introduce a species into a specific body of water is when their is no way for that said species can get out of said waterway. So if their is no inflow or outflow and is self contained than put a species like bass in there. Thats perfectly fine. A place like Deer lake is not a place to an alien species....If you dont know why than maybe you need to educate yourself as to why its so harmful
As long as you are aware you would be fined if caught, bonk away.
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Did I say I was. Showing proof someone dumped buckets of bass in deer lake. Where does one get buckets of bass?
They did not get here by themselves. While they may not have been dumped directly into Deer Lake (they may have been dumped into Burnaby lake or just made their way up through the streams from the Fraser, which has been infested for years), these fish were definitely planted here. And you can get buckets of bass from any bass lake. You can now catch a bunch of bass in Deer lake today and stick them in a bucket, and take them and dump them into Lafarge or Trout Lake and you know some moron is going to do that and we will have this thread reappear as Bass in COMO Lake in a year, or Green Timbers.
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With all this talk as a new fisherman I dunno what to do with the bass from deer lake.both sides have valid points IMO.do I bonk my daily limit?or do I keep on with my c&r of these guys?I do see where both sides coming from but but what is the right choice? Could there be a happy medium of the 2?
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With all this talk as a new fisherman I dunno what to do with the bass from deer lake.both sides have valid points IMO.do I bonk my daily limit?or do I keep on with my c&r of these guys?I do see where both sides coming from but but what is the right choice? Could there be a happy medium of the 2?
Yes their is. By all means if you want to catch and release go ahead. I was making a point with my posts. In all honesty I would never fish this place. As long as people are educated in knowing how this species got here and that its wrong than my point is made. Someone like this SAM1234 guy is way out of line with his thinking. Its people like him who we would perceive as someone who would transplant this species to other waterways.
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Another way of making them tasty when they are muddy is to plant them in the garden and grow vegitables on top of them. yummy
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Bass were released into burbaby lake by fisheries on that 1920 and then got into the brunette river system and have spread that way people need to stop pointing fingers and just enjoy them like there is no point anymore they are here and we Really can't do Much about then and FYI killing them will only Make The problem Worst because it will Actually that the growth of other bass and then we have a Million tiny fish just my two cents that's all
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Bass were released into burbaby lake by fisheries on that 1920
Not according BC fisheries inventory database.
http://a100.gov.bc.ca/pub/fidq/stockedSpeciesSelect.do
And yes, they recorded bass stockings in the database, as it was done in Christina Lake in 1901.
If people wish to retain bass where they are legally allowed to, then they are welcome to do so. Suggesting that they shouldn't is pretty silly, just as telling people that they are driving too fast when they are going within the speed limit. Killing as many as you can might temporarily disrupt the population, but it will not make a difference in the long run. You're simply opening up new niches for other existing bass to occupy and succeed. A systematic cull is needed if one wishes to see the elimination of an invasive species in a particular ecosystem, but it is costly and only justified if the invasive species poses a threat to native species that are endangered.
Personally, I prefer to eat a bass than a trout. They are absolutely delicious when pan fried or steamed.
(http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc90/fishingwithrod/2012/120914-1.jpg)
(http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc90/fishingwithrod/2012/120914-2.jpg)
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Yeah and fisheries has told the truth about everything right lol I'll find the info I had on them stocking and forward it To you rodney and FYI smallmouth taste alot better then largemouth becue of the colder water the live in
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And it's idiots like
You that ruin lakes for people
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Bass were released into burbaby lake by fisheries on that 1920 and then got into the brunette river system and have spread that way people need to stop pointing fingers and just enjoy them like there is no point anymore they are here and we Really can't do Much about then and FYI killing them will only Make The problem Worst because it will Actually that the growth of other bass and then we have a Million tiny fish just my two cents that's all
Oh my, please dont tell me you actually believe that. Are you trying to say that all the bass that we have been seeing around every where, all came from Burnaby lake in 1920 and it was not the bucket brigade dumping fish in areas that they wanted to fish for them. I am sorry but I find that very hard to believe. I would love for you to explain how all those fish came into Silvermer, and please dont tell me threw the spill way as I know better.
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I never said it was thy Geff you dork lol (me and Geff are Freinds so I can call Him a dork) I'm Just stating that fisheries was the first bucket Brigade and trust Me if I ever Saw Someone doing that cupcakes id be on the line with rapp ASAP
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Here's the historic provincial bass stocking data since 1894.
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8441/7987398934_e8d788bb13_b.jpg)
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Disgusting fish that do nothing but kill native species, and take next to no skill to catch. Killem all boys.
That is one of the dumbest things I've ever heard. People need to look outside British Columbia and realize that they are the most popular game fish in North America. No skill? wow. And Rodney is right, they are really good tasting. I also prefer them over trout and have no idea where people get this idea that they aren't good. just about everyone I know that has eaten it the way I do it say they love it, but everyone has got their own opinion I guess.
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I have to say Rod, that plate of fish sure looks good from where I'm sitting 8AM Saturday morning, stomach grumbling. I have enjoyed Tilapia many times over the years and have only once tried small mouth bass, oh say 45 years ago and wasn't impressed at the time.
I shall have to give it a second and third try in the near future after reading what you wrote and seeing the photo, looks yummy !!!
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Wait a sec, wasn't "someone" who is part of the westcoast bass club or whatever it's called caught RED HANDED and CHARGED for moving Bass around?
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I've been following this thread for the better part of a month now and I can't figure out if it's a joke or not.
So many people are saying there are no bass, and so many are saying there are.
Rod has some bass in a photo, were they caught locally?
I've been to deer lake and didn't see anyone catch bass, only trout.
What's the deal!?!? hahaha ;D
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I've been following this thread for the better part of a month now and I can't figure out if it's a joke or not.
So many people are saying there are no bass, and so many are saying there are.
Rod has some bass in a photo, were they caught locally?
I've been to deer lake and didn't see anyone catch bass, only trout.
What's the deal!?!? hahaha ;D
If you go to Deer Lake right now, you will probably see people catch only largemouth bass, carp, and only rarely, some trout. This summer, I've only seen trout swimming in Deer Lake Brook - which connects to Burnaby Lake - near the Hart House restaurant.
Deer Lake never had largemouth bass, but the lake itself is like a blueprint of a classic American style bass fishing lake. As a result, freshwater bass fishing enthusiast most likely dumped buckets of bass in the lake.
Another fisherman at Deer Lake told me that he saw fisherman catching smallmouth bass. Anyone here caught smallmouths at Deer Lake?
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Actually no Damian one was suspected of it and was dismissed from The club and dfo was called on them And I know this personally because I Am The president of the Wcba and being a Member since 2000 the Wcba will not allow illegal introduction into lakes by its memebers yes we love to fish for bass but we don't condone illegal introduction
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There aren only
Largemouth bass in the lower mainland
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I just came back from Deer Lake and there were lots of finger sized fished jumping for flies in the shoreline. I saw about almost a dozen larger sized fish surface feeding and jumping for flies. I fished during sunset and there was little to no wind, so fishing was difficult. Fly fishing would be very ideal.
My previous lure that caught 2 largemouth bass and I used the same exact lure this evening and I didn't catch any fish today. There was massive amount of underwater vegetation near the shoreline, especially anacharis type of aquatic plants. I must have reeled in about 5 lbs of waterweeds in about a hour of fishing.
I always find that warmer temperatures such as today makes fishing at Deer Lake to be difficult. The last time I fished at Deer Lake in the summer season with almost the exactly the same conditions, I only hooked one rainbow trout with the exact same lure I used for today.
Deer Lake has a reputation to be almost mosquito free - I've never been bitten by a mosquito at Deer Lake for over 25 years of using the lake!!! - when compared to Burnaby Lake, but this evening, I've seen some massive ones almost trying to attack me.
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It was OK this evening. Texas rigged and wacky rigged soft plastics were the best. Tried to get into some new spots with a lot of cover as I didn't have the fly rod and did not need the casting space. Was standing on a log and dropped my bait right down by my feet and a bass came up and hammered it twice. Solid size too, but fell off when I tried to lift him up. Pitched to logs and Lilly pads for about an hour and only a few fish to show, tried bigger plastics for the bigger bass and its seemed to work. Nice to have the little baitcaster, much easier for pitching and casting to logs and tight spaces. Tried crank baits at the end of the day when the little fry started to come up to feed. Hooked a few and lost 3 or 4. Really nice to have braid to rip through the weeds.
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It was OK this evening. Texas rigged and wacky rigged soft plastics were the best. Tried to get into some new spots with a lot of cover as I didn't have the fly rod and did not need the casting space. Was standing on a log and dropped my bait right down by my feet and a bass came up and hammered it twice. Solid size too, but fell off when I tried to lift him up. Pitched to logs and Lilly pads for about an hour and only a few fish to show, tried bigger plastics for the bigger bass and its seemed to work. Nice to have the little baitcaster, much easier for pitching and casting to logs and tight spaces. Tried crank baits at the end of the day when the little fry started to come up to feed. Hooked a few and lost 3 or 4. Really nice to have braid to rip through the weeds.
I'll be using my Ambassadeur C3 with my Abu Garcia Conolon rod with my Blue Fox Foxee jig next time at Deer Lake. It's interesting to know that largemouths at Deer Lake are willing to take soft plastics in these conditions like today.
The only crankbait I have in my tackle box is the Rattlin' Rapala purchased about 15 years ago for trout.
Texas rigs work best if your worm is super soft, but it's pretty much a must if you're planning to pitch it into lily pads and near logs.
BCfisherman97, did you fish from a boat.
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Nope off shore
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Nope off shore
Shore by the boardwalk?
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I have a route that I walk when I fish, start on one side of the lake, work my way down to the other and back around. I don't like staying put, I'll always move after a few fish.
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I have a route that I walk when I fish, start on one side of the lake, work my way down to the other and back around. I don't like staying put, I'll always move after a few fish.
Good idea, I need to do that.
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BCfisherman97, have you used 3.5 inch sized or larger hard minnow shaped lures for largemouths at Deer Lake with results?
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Only crank baits up to 1.5 inches but nothing bigger. But I've fly fished with poppers up to 3 inches, but they get thin when you strip them puff out when you pause them.
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Poppers including the feathers as 3 incher or were they featherless?
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Like the ones I posted pics of, look through my posts if you can't find it.
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I've seen them. Ok.
I thought you might have also used classic old school hard floating poppers (featherless) for bass.
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I usually fly fish, but if I'm not, soft plastics do the trick.
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You always fly fish at Deer Lake, but on a float tube or on a boat right?
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Nope, off shore
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You're the fly fisherman with the waders?
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Nope, just the tall kid in shorts and runners, I wouldn't wade in there
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I fished another evening at Deer Lake at the dock near the boat rental area for about 30 minutes.
I didn't get any fish, but I did see quite a bit of surface activity all over the lake, especially fish surface feeding on insects. Far out into the middle of the lake near the lilly pads, I did see big splashes and it was probably from some big carps. During the evening, there were tons of small flies all over the water, but this time I didn't see any large mosquitoes attacking me. It seemed as if the fish didn't want to attack any fast moving lures. I only covered the left section of the dock as another fisherman was fishing the right section.
I won't be going to Deer Lake soon unless there's a temperature drop in the weather with an increase in wind speed.
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Fished there today just before dark only caught one small one.I usually stay away from the docks too busy and no luck with the fishes.
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I think the best time for deer lake is 5pm-7:30 in any temp, pink wedding band or green rooster tail works for me usualy switch out after a few fish. If your fihimg alone try walking alomg the boardwalk on the right and fish off the small floating dock. Theres only a narrow spot between 2 lilly pad jungles, ive caught my biggest bass from that spot and nobody is ever there just foot traffic. Dont give up on deer lake, once you find the spot and lure/spinner or whatever you'll be into fish every cast or at least a bite or three. Its a fun relaxing fishery even if its from the bucket brigade which i do not support, had to call rapp on some crabbers at jericho today, keeping undersized and females. But yeah, dont give up!
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A great time to fish at Deer Lake is when the temperature cools down, overcast skies, and the water is a little choppy from a light breeze. Light rain doesn't hurt fishing either.
I've caught the most fish at Deer Lake when during windy days, but I'm not talking about heavy winds, just enough to cause some ripples in the water.
When there's no wind at Deer Lake, the water colour tends to be blackish. Dead. With wind, the water colour tends to be lighter. As if, the life forms are moving, and as a result, fish tend to be more active, more willing to chase lures.
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Ok well trying to give you some pointers since all your posts you havent caught much fish... Just my 2 cents. In my own experience bass are more active in warm weather not cool temps
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I gotta agree with shawn
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It is true, largemouth bass are here in the Lower Mainland now. We simply have to live with it now, because no amount of rototene or culling will exterminate them from the lower Fraser/Pitt river back waters. Will they have a disasterous impact on the environment like other invasive species around the world, such as the cane toad in Australia or the Zebra mussel in the Great Lakes? Nobody knows for certain. However, one cannot ignore the potential impact these fish can have on the lower Fraser/Pitt river backwaters ecosystems. The only thing which will prevent the spread of Largemouth bass on these waters are physical barriers such as water depth, available structure, water temperature and fluvial hydraulics.
Largemouth bass are a highly productive species of fish. The eggs only take 3-5 days in develop in the nest before hatching. During the spawning period the male Largemouth will guard over the young until they are ready to leave. Young bass can begin to leave the nest as quickly as 6-7 days. They can also tolerate brackish water.
The glorification of Bass fishing on TV shows has many people thinking they too can haul in large bucket mouths on local waters. However, people are forgetting that the largemouth bass on TV are caught in their native waters. Largemouth bass play a role on these warm water ecosystems. They are both a predator and prey in the native waters. Their native warm waters will often have larger predatory fish such as Musky and Pike to keep their population in check. The availability of a food source is what grows larger bass, such as a ciscoes, shad, shiners, crayfish, etc. The waters of the lower mainland are nothing like their native warm waters. There are no large predators to keep their population in check. What food sources do largemouth bass have on lowermainland waters? There are insects such as dragonfly/damsel nymphs, diving beetles, midges, caddis, mayflies and terrestrials. Which are all food sources for native fish species, such as juvenille salmonids, coastal Cutthroat trout, Bulltrout and whitefish. Has anyone ever thought about the amphibian population and the impact largemouth bass have on them. Many of our native frogs and salamanders will be impacted by the predation from largemouth bass. In most cases largemouth bass grow extremely fast during the first cycle when introduced to an new environment, because food sources are readily available. However, as the bass population grow their demand for food will grow and eventually reach a limit. Once all the food sources are consumed the bass population will diminish and restablish an equilibrium. This equilibrium may mean smaller or stunted bass. I think a prime local example is Albert Dyck park. What size of bass are coming out of that pond nowadays?
Deer lake is part of an open waterway. Deer lake is connected to Burnaby lake, Still creek and the Brunette river. There have been many rehabilition projects over the years on these waterways to restore some of destruction caused by urban growth over the years. Many volunteer groups have spent countless hours on these projects. Coastal Cutthroat trout can be found in these waters. Largemouth bass will likely migrate into these waters and compete with the native fish species.
It is up to an individual to make up their mind on whether they should harvest bass from Deer lake. It is unlikely that harvesting a bass from Deer lake will even have an impact on their population, since they are such prolific breeders. However, I just ask for anglers to take in to consideration the impact these bass have on the aquatic ecosystem. It was difficult enough for the lake to sustain stocked rainbow trout that carried over the winter. ::)
(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=3049&g2_serialNumber=2)
I sure would like to know who did it, so I could report them and collect the reward ;D
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It is true, largemouth bass are here in the Lower Mainland now. We simply have to live with it now, because no amount of rototene or culling will exterminate them from the lower Fraser/Pitt river back waters. Will they have a disasterous impact on the environment like other invasive species around the world, such as the cane toad in Australia or the Zebra mussel in the Great Lakes? Nobody knows for certain. However, one cannot ignore the potential impact these fish can have on the lower Fraser/Pitt river backwaters ecosystems. The only thing which will prevent the spread of Largemouth bass on these waters are physical barriers such as water depth, available structure, water temperature and fluvial hydraulics.
Largemouth bass are a highly productive species of fish. The eggs only take 3-5 days in develop in the nest before hatching. During the spawning period the male Largemouth will guard over the young until they are ready to leave. Young bass can begin to leave the nest as quickly as 6-7 days. They can also tolerate brackish water.
The glorification of Bass fishing on TV shows has many people thinking they too can haul in large bucket mouths on local waters. However, people are forgetting that the largemouth bass on TV are caught in their native waters. Largemouth bass play a role on these warm water ecosystems. They are both a predator and prey in the native waters. Their native warm waters will often have larger predatory fish such as Musky and Pike to keep their population in check. The availability of a food source is what grows larger bass, such as a ciscoes, shad, shiners, crayfish, etc. The waters of the lower mainland are nothing like their native warm waters. There are no large predators to keep their population in check. What food sources do largemouth bass have on lowermainland waters? There are insects such as dragonfly/damsel nymphs, diving beetles, midges, caddis, mayflies and terrestrials. Which are all food sources for native fish species, such as juvenille salmonids, coastal Cutthroat trout, Bulltrout and whitefish. Has anyone ever thought about the amphibian population and the impact largemouth bass have on them. Many of our native frogs and salamanders will be impacted by the predation from largemouth bass. In most cases largemouth bass grow extremely fast during the first cycle when introduced to an new environment, because food sources are readily available. However, as the bass population grow their demand for food will grow and eventually reach a limit. Once all the food sources are consumed the bass population will diminish and restablish an equilibrium. This equilibrium may mean smaller or stunted bass. I think a prime local example is Albert Dyck park. What size of bass are coming out of that pond nowadays?
Deer lake is part of an open waterway. Deer lake is connected to Burnaby lake, Still creek and the Brunette river. There have been many rehabilition projects over the years on these waterways to restore some of destruction caused by urban growth over the years. Many volunteer groups have spent countless hours on these projects. Coastal Cutthroat trout can be found in these waters. Largemouth bass will likely migrate into these waters and compete with the native fish species.
It is up to an individual to make up their mind on whether they should harvest bass from Deer lake. It is unlikely that harvesting a bass from Deer lake will even have an impact on their population, since they are such prolific breeders. However, I just ask for anglers to take in to consideration the impact these bass have on the aquatic ecosystem. It was difficult enough for the lake to sustain stocked rainbow trout that carried over the winter. ::)
(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=3049&g2_serialNumber=2)
I sure would like to know who did it, so I could report them and collect the reward ;D
Thank you for such an in-depth and unbiased analysis!
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My brother fished deer lake this morning and hooked 3 nice sized bass.
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Once all the food sources are consumed the bass population will diminish and restablish an equilibrium. This equilibrium may mean smaller or stunted bass. I think a prime local example is Albert Dyck park. What size of bass are coming out of that pond nowadays?
Deer lake is part of an open waterway. Deer lake is connected to Burnaby lake, Still creek and the Brunette river. There have been many rehabilition projects over the years on these waterways to restore some of destruction caused by urban growth over the years. Many volunteer groups have spent countless hours on these projects. Coastal Cutthroat trout can be found in these waters. Largemouth bass will likely migrate into these waters and compete with the native fish species.
(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=3049&g2_serialNumber=2)
Apparently the Bass were actually introduced in Deer Lake by our Fisheries Officials as part of a stocking program and have been around for 40+ years. The Fisheries tried to exterminate them later, but the expensive attempts failed and won't be repeated. Good luck getting them to pay you prize money for reporting them to themselves xD The Red Side shiners were also introduced by the Fisheries as a source of food for trout, but they ended up eating the trout eggs instead, how ironic. They don't exactly advertise that they were responsible for it ;) Just read the official reports & studies done by gov dot bc and you will dig up a ton of interesting info :D
In the years 2013-2015 Deer Lake has huge populations of baby bass, the odd adult bass, and adult pumpkinseeds. They hit a surface popper fly like crazy anywhere in the lake. Barely any fishermen knew this back in 2013. Several years later, there are a several fishermen at Deer Lake every day, filling up their buckets. 10+ on average fish get taken out almost every day in spring/summer. I've only seen several big bass caught.
I've noticed that the Lower Mainland has almost no insect life, when compared to many places around the world. This is typical of most coastal regions. Maybe the Fresh Water Scociety of BC can invest in some research regarding improving the aquatic food sources? The funds used to dump farmed trout into Deer Lake, which don't even survive there without any angling pressure, might be better used for improving the aquatic life. Physical enhancements may be a first step.
Burnaby Lake has an insane population of tadpoles in the summer. There are trillions of them all around the lake. Even though the baby bass are there too, every year, they are really scarce - as if they don't consider the tadpoles a food source? Baby carp are also present. Seems like a fantastic environment to introduce Pike to. But that would probably mean the end of the salmonoids in that system. Interestingly enough, in other places around the world, salmonoids and pike live together pretty well.
The bass, pumpkinseed sunfish, redside shiner, 3psine stickleback have made it down the Brunette River. However, they are even more scarce than in Burnaby Lake. They most likely don't spawn there, but get washed down and can't make it up the fish ladders, unlike the salmonoids. According to other fishermen, they simply pile downstream of the fishladders and remain there. Could this be a way to protect the other lakes? I somehow doubt the baby bass will ever be sustained in the Fraser. The Fraser's current is way too strong - Bass aren't swimmers, they are ambush predators. I suspect the little bass will be swept away towards the ocean... If the lush underwater jungles of Deer & Burnaby lakes can barely support bass due to relatively low insect life, it seems like they will simply starve in the fraser. Realistically, there are Bass in the Fraser river tributaries, but there are too few of them, and often there are years where none can be found. After the Chornobyl Disaster, aquatic life in the radiated area is flourishing and there are absolute monster giants due to lack of fishing in just a few decades.
But in the past 40 years, the Bass in the lower mainland haven't exploded out of proportion, and haven't entirely dissipated either. In fact, the trout and salmon populations in Brunette River & Burnaby & Deer Lakes has greatly improved after the river restoration & habitat improvements & fish ladders.
Let's face it - places like the pitt meadow sloughs (a farmer-made muddy marsh with dark brown water) and burnaby lake (a man made muddy marsh with brown water ) are the kinds of places that never had world class trout. They are also the only places the bass live, even after 40 years. The trout & salmon numbers are booming - you can see several dozen Chum spawning in Deer Lake, another several dozen swimming up Brunette River and also nice sized cuthroat trout in the Brunette river system regardless of the Bass.
Uneducated people used to think that the local Northern Pikeminnow are "invasive" and threw them in the bushes to try to get rid of them. Well they are NATIVE, and have lived in IDEAL harmony with salmonoids since the beginning of time...
Humans and their lack of education & respect is the only real danger to the local fishery..
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Apparently the Bass were actually introduced in Deer Lake by our Fisheries Officials as part of a stocking program and have been around for 40+ years. The Fisheries tried to exterminate them later, but the expensive attempts failed and won't be repeated. Good luck getting them to pay you prize money for reporting them to themselves xD The Red Side shiners were also introduced by the Fisheries as a source of food for trout, but they ended up eating the trout eggs instead, how ironic. They don't exactly advertise that they were responsible for it ;) Just read the official reports & studies done by gov dot bc and you will dig up a ton of interesting info :D
In the years 2013-2015 Deer Lake has huge populations of baby bass, the odd adult bass, and adult pumpkinseeds. They hit a surface popper fly like crazy anywhere in the lake. Barely any fishermen knew this back in 2013. Several years later, there are a several fishermen at Deer Lake every day, filling up their buckets. 10+ on average fish get taken out almost every day in spring/summer. I've only seen several big bass caught.
I've noticed that the Lower Mainland has almost no insect life, when compared to many places around the world. This is typical of most coastal regions. Maybe the Fresh Water Scociety of BC can invest in some research regarding improving the aquatic food sources? The funds used to dump farmed trout into Deer Lake, which don't even survive there without any angling pressure, might be better used for improving the aquatic life. Physical enhancements may be a first step.
Burnaby Lake has an insane population of tadpoles in the summer. There are trillions of them all around the lake. Even though the baby bass are there too, every year, they are really scarce - as if they don't consider the tadpoles a food source? Baby carp are also present. Seems like a fantastic environment to introduce Pike to. But that would probably mean the end of the salmonoids in that system. Interestingly enough, in other places around the world, salmonoids and pike live together pretty well.
The bass, pumpkinseed sunfish, redside shiner, 3psine stickleback have made it down the Brunette River. However, they are even more scarce than in Burnaby Lake. They most likely don't spawn there, but get washed down and can't make it up the fish ladders, unlike the salmonoids. According to other fishermen, they simply pile downstream of the fishladders and remain there. Could this be a way to protect the other lakes? I somehow doubt the baby bass will ever be sustained in the Fraser. The Fraser's current is way too strong - Bass aren't swimmers, they are ambush predators. I suspect the little bass will be swept away towards the ocean... If the lush underwater jungles of Deer & Burnaby lakes can barely support bass due to relatively low insect life, it seems like they will simply starve in the fraser. Realistically, there are Bass in the Fraser river tributaries, but there are too few of them, and often there are years where none can be found. After the Chornobyl Disaster, aquatic life in the radiated area is flourishing and there are absolute monster giants due to lack of fishing in just a few decades.
But in the past 40 years, the Bass in the lower mainland haven't exploded out of proportion, and haven't entirely dissipated either. In fact, the trout and salmon populations in Brunette River & Burnaby & Deer Lakes has greatly improved after the river restoration & habitat improvements & fish ladders.
Let's face it - places like the pitt meadow sloughs (a farmer-made muddy marsh with dark brown water) and burnaby lake (a man made muddy marsh with brown water ) are the kinds of places that never had world class trout. They are also the only places the bass live, even after 40 years. The trout & salmon numbers are booming - you can see several dozen Chum spawning in Deer Lake, another several dozen swimming up Brunette River and also nice sized cuthroat trout in the Brunette river system regardless of the Bass.
Uneducated people used to think that the local Northern Pikeminnow are "invasive" and threw them in the bushes to try to get rid of them. Well they are NATIVE, and have lived in IDEAL harmony with salmonoids since the beginning of time...
Humans and their lack of education & respect is the only real danger to the local fishery..
Okay, I ran a search through Gofishbc.com through the archives for Deer lake in Burnaby and did not find any stocking of Largemouth bass. The only species I could find were Whitefish (only in 1896), Cutthroat trout (only in 1992) and Rainbow trout. Can you please provide a link or source to confirm that largemouth bass were stocked into Deer lake by the governing body at the time? Also no mention about Red Sided shiners?
I fished Deer lake a lot while growing up, especially in the late 80's into the 90's and never saw nor heard of and Largemouth bass in there. I actually remember seeing Cutthroat trout in the culverted creek that runs into the lake in the Spring time. The only fish I caught in Deer lake were Rainbow trout, catfish and carp.
There is a very well written report by T.G. Brown, B. Runciman, S. Pollard, and A.D.A. Grant of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans on Largemouth bass in BC. You can read it here:
http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/Library/337843.pdf
From this report it states that Largemouth bass came into BC from waterways connected to Idaho and Washington state that had bass. Also from illegal introductions. There were some authorized transfers of Largemouth bass into other bodies of water from 1987 to 1993 (Deer lake was not a lake in that program).
The only species of bass that was actually stocked into BC waters were Smallmouth bass. Which were planted as fry or fingerlings into Christina lake, Langford lake and Florence lake in 1901. You can read about that here: http://ibis.geog.ubc.ca/biodiversity/efauna/AlienSpeciesinBritishColumbiaHistoricalRecords.html#FishFrogs
Not sure how introducing Northern Pike into Burnaby lake can solve the aquatic alien species problem there. Northern Pike are not a native species to our waterways here in Coastal BC. They would present a major issue with the balance of the ecosystem, since they are such voracious predators. The tadpoles your are talking about are actually and invasive species, the American bullfrog.
Your right uneducated humans are a real danger to local fisheries. Especially the ones who think they know how to manipulate the aquatic ecosystems by introducing a fish species that is only beneficial to their own angling interests. We as humans have made many mistakes in the past, let's try not repeat them.
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Good post!
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Okay, I ran a search through Gofishbc.com through the archives for Deer lake in Burnaby and did not find any stocking info
A simple google search with the right key words gets you into into a bunch of studies & reports by the government, biologists, UBC, etc that are hosted on http://a100.gov.bc.ca/. Clicking links straight from google search opens the PDF reports directly.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Science Branch, Pacific Region
Pacific Biological Station
A Review of Yellow Perch (Perca Flavascens),
Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus Dolomieu),
Largemouth Bass (Micropterus Salmoides),
Pumpkinseed (Lepomis Gibbosus), Walleye
(Sander Vitreus) and Northern Pike (Esox
Lucius) Distributions in British Columbia
http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/Library/337851.pdf (http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/Library/337851.pdf)
"There are no provincial records contain no accounts of
authorized largemouth bass stocking in the Lower Mainland."
Ok, so the lack of records indicates that the province wasn't responsible for bass introduction.
"Dymond (1936) refers to stocking of smallmouth bass in various BC
waterbodies by the federal Department of Fisheries in 1901, but notes that other
species, including pumpkinseed, may have accompanied these fish.
Wait.. What does that sound like to you? To me, it sounds like the federal department of fisheries initially stocked other invasive species in addition to smallmouth in various water bodies in BC a 100+ years ago. They admit that they may have stocked pumpkinseed as well. Them not being sure what fish they're introducing sounds a little irresponsible on their part. Or maybe I am not understanding the wording correctly? Perhaps all the individuals who illegally distributed members of the sunfish family simply thought they were continuing the job (and mistake) of the federal department of fisheries started in 1901, as a vast majority of reported newly established bass populations happened within the next few decades (which means the actual illegal stocking happened shortly after 1901, as it takes a while for a lake to become noticeably populated with bass.
Interesting, this is such a "detailed" recent report dating to 2009..... (by detailed I mean they say things such as: fish is distributed along 4.1km of lake X. Wow, 4.1? why not 4.2km? Sounds like it's extremely detailed!) However Deer Lake isn't even on list of studied locations! It's not mentioned in there at all! It Deer Lake, a WHOLE LAKE has been left out of the paper, I wonder what else has? In my experience, 1 in 100 things gets reported, 1 in 10 reported things gets confirmed, and 1 in 2 confirmed things doesn't get "lost" in the archives.
So if the federal department of fisheries admits to stocking multiple invasive species, and the recent report fails to include a study regarding Deer Lake, in my opinion, this gives an inconclusive result due to a lack of concrete information. I would agree with you that no matter what happened initially, most likely the bass was also illegally stocked in the years to come.
Some other interesting articles:
B. C. GAME COMMISSION
- SCIENTIFIC REPORT - RED SIDE SHINERS
1950
http://a100.gov.bc.ca/appsdata/acat/documents/r9082/Lindsey1950_1283460179350_d57cc03a3afc475d9e3f541346c8516ac27c1d2b35913641422b76cd790d888d.pdf (http://a100.gov.bc.ca/appsdata/acat/documents/r9082/Lindsey1950_1283460179350_d57cc03a3afc475d9e3f541346c8516ac27c1d2b35913641422b76cd790d888d.pdf)
"The harmful effects are felt by all sizes of trout, while the beneficial
effects apply only to adult trout. "
The glorification of Bass fishing on TV shows has many people thinking..
I agree with you on that glorification goes a long way into getting people overthinking the good, and the bad, about this species. After the initial growth boom, like you mentioned, the system goes back into balance and the fish remain small. Small, weaker, reproduce less.. The lower mainland isn't full of monster bass that are gobbling up every insect. There are barely any locations with only 3-4" bass, which don't require as much food. Pumpkinseeds are another story..
There are quite a few anglers on the local forums that mention they have fished bass in brunette river and other locations 20,30,40 years ago. I'm just putting it out there..
I've never caught small mouth in the lower mainland. I also believed black crappie was a myth - people mistook it for the pumpkinseed, as the only sun fish I caught, by the dozen - was pumpkinseed.. Until a black crappie hit my fly in Pitt Meadows in 2015. There used to be a huge population of catfish in 2012 in Pitt meadows. Not anymore! At least, I can't find them or get them to bite. They aren't growing big. I wonder how many people knew about the catfish in Deer Lake? My first and last sighting was a 4"-5" catfish caught in the shallows by a crow, and dropped on the main beach about 11 years ago. What I'm trying to say is that the lack of abundance and catchability of invasive species, aside from few isolated locations, like Deer Lake, leads me to believe that the invasive species aren't doing too well here after all.
Pumpkinseed are well known to eat eggs of other fish. Redside shiners also eat salmonoid fry and survive well in trout waters, unlike bass. Pumpkin seeds were introduced in several large european river systems and they halved the number of native species as they ate all of their eggs, within just 5 years, have colonized everything, even the "mud puddles on the side of the road". Thankfully we do not observe that here, at least not yet. The conditions in the local water systems aren't looking ideal for those kinds of warm water fish. Although spread is possible and does occur, naturally and illegally, it's more localized to "dirty" sloughs at golf courses, silt & mud beds; areas that aren't popular salmonoids anyway. I doubt the carp, catfish & bass will take over the harrison, fraser or vedder river and wreck havoc on the salmonoids. The spawning channels on Stave river are about 250ft away from Silvermere lake, a popular bass fishing location, according to the web, and it seems to be doing just fine.
For example.. There is a local website with a nice long write up of the harm done to the Brunette river system. There are even groups of people doing a "neighborhood watch" sort of thing over the salmon streams in that area. I don't recall them mentioning that bass were devastating to the salmonoids in that system. I do however recall them blaming every toxic run off from the industrial developments that was killing off all of the fish there.
Bass have been in Deer & Burnaby lake for a good while. Yet salmon returns began increasing recently. If bass were as deadly as their reputation is, no amount of new fish ladders or stream restoration would have increased the salmon returns. Sure, the lack of bass may yield even higher salmon returns, but there's not much anyone can do about that.
Regarding my joke about northern pike.. a little clarification is probably needed. Burnaby lake, a weedy frog filled pond that already has minnows, bass, sunfish, carp, catfish, trout, salmon and the lingering ghost of that snakehead.. The only fish missing from this aquarium soup, would be a pike, right? ..I'm not suggesting someone throws a pike in there. However, regarding "usefulness".. there are field tests being done to put pumpkinseed populations in european naturally formed trout ponds under control by releasing big, sterile pike - as a last resort. The idea is that a large quantity of same sex sterile pikes quickly eat the food supply. The pikes were supposed to include gps trackers, which allows for monitoring, and the possibility of netting them out after several years so the river delta (an area at the base of the mountains, without natural pike habitat) can be stocked with trout yet again. This extreme solution is a solution being tested for that particular water body and its unique attributes and isn't necessarily applicable anywhere else in the world.
To summarize,
1) The federal department of fisheries began the initiative of stocking an invasive species.
2) The federal department of fisheries admits to the possibility of them stocking multiple members of the sunfish family like pumpkinseed, (and others: crappie, and largemouth).
2) Based on my observations, maybe it's not as disastrous of an issue in our waters as it's made out to be or has been in other places around the world.
3) Based on the local regulations, the fisheries department considers crappie/sunfish far worse than bass, as the limit for bass (large/smallmouth combined) in the lower mainland regulations is 4 per day. Interesting. You can also keep 4 trout. If invasive bass are so bad to the local systems, wouldn't it be wise to raise the limit to 20, like the crappie/sunfish limit, to encourage people to lessen their numbers for the sake of improving conditions for the salmonoids?
4) Historically, no matter the intent of the people responsible, introducing an extra species (invasive or not) into a fishery usually has a negative impact on the existing species.
4) "Alien invasive species have been described as the second most prevalent threat for Canadian freshwater fish species at risk next to habitat loss". So, as I mentioned in the previous post, habitat loss due to human development is a much bigger issue. Improving habitat conditions is a much more effective way to improve the native fishery.
I welcome new information to dispute my findings or conclusions, as the purpose of this is to make future improvements.
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" "Pleading the Fifth" is a colloquial term for invoking the privilege that allows a witness to decline to answer questions where the answers might incriminate him or her"
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I have to say, i for one am thoroughly glad to see this thread rectified again. I seem to stumble on this thread every year, but now i've moved to Deer Lake it has sparked more of an interest for me.
I do appreciate that the existence of Bass in Deer Lake could be detrimental to the native eco system but, as many have said, if they are there now, we might as well fish for them and enjoy.
While i'm not 100% catch and release, I will release all healthy fish i catch in urban lakes as i'm a firm believer that these lakes should be enjoyed by all, and especially the young and inexperienced. My soon to be 5 year old is getting excited for the stocking this year to make up for our two skunked trips last year. He also wants to kill the fish to take home to hi Mum, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. If I do kill a fish it will be for food and not just because they do not belong in the lake.
I would love the lower mainland to have more catch and release fisheries. Some of the best fishing i had growing up in the south of England was at catch and release lakes.
But for now i'm looking forward to getting out on my cheap inflatable boat in Deer Lake and going after some Bass, Carp, and Trout.
Edit: And an excellent post by BC Fishing there, a very well argued point, i hope somebody can come back with an equally well argued response.
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A few points;
There are DOZENS of places locally from Vancouver to the East Fraser Valley that produce TROPHY largemouth bass.
The local bass club is very tight lipped about it (pun intended). Most novice level bass anglers can do 'well' catching small bass. You have to know what you are doing for the most part to catch the larger ones. They are spooky, tend to be away from the well trodden bank fishing areas and there is a definite art to it. This can lead many to think that the bass aren't flourishing locally, they are.
We are no different than Oregon and Washington State which has a great balance of trout and salmon, along with the spiny ray species. As people have mentioned in this thread, the two groups of fish inhabit different types of waters, generally speaking.
You wont find largemouths swimming around the main flow of the Fraser, just like you wouldn't expect them in the main part of the Columbia etc. The sloughs, channels, oxbows and other type of slower water are a different story.
We are ignorant to think that largemouths weren't stocked at some point over the years, or conversely that they made their way into local waters 'naturally'. How could a lake like Wiser just over the border have huge largemouths, but nothing on our side? Look at the Sumas River, Judson Lake, Fish Trap creek, all span the boundary and all have bass.
Government stocked or not. Bucket Brigade or natural spread. Doesn't matter.
They are here, and there are BIG ones if you learn the sport and aren't afraid to put in your time.
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You do indeed find bass in the Columbia. We actually tend to catch a lot of them while walleye fishing, averaging about 1.5 pounds with a few 3's caught over the years.
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You'll notice I said largemouth, in the main flow.
Smallmouth are typically found in more similar water to Walleye. They really like rocks, and don't mind some current.
Harder pressed to find largemouths occupying water in faster currents.
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Nevermind.
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You'll notice I said largemouth, in the main flow.
Smallmouth are typically found in more similar water to Walleye. They really like rocks, and don't mind some current.
Harder pressed to find largemouths occupying water in faster currents.
Touche, skimmed through it without seeing the largemouth part.