Fishing with Rod Discussion Forum
Fishing in British Columbia => General Discussion => Topic started by: fisherforever on March 24, 2017, 08:08:31 AM
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Just reading the new freshwater regs this morning and I see they have changed the limit for large mouth. Has gone from 4 per day to 20 per day. Whack em and stack em, they make good fertilizer.
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Just reading the new freshwater regs this morning and I see they have changed the limit for large mouth. Has gone from 4 per day to 20 per day. Whack em and stack em, they make good fertilizer.
Bass are good eating fish.
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Bass are good eating fish.
Depends on waterbody. I ate a few from Deer lake, tasted like mud
But where is the new regulation? I found the same old one online
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A link would be good. I still see 4 as well.
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As written in the original post "NEW" regs, they take effect 1st of April
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Maybe I have pinched to many lead sinkers with my teeth but I can't find the link to the new regs. Can you provide it?
I haven't seen the easter bunny either but perhaps this is an early April Fools Joke?
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Not online yet, 2017/2018 hard copy should be available at your local tackle shop, we got ours yesterday
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Cool Thanks.
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--Yep the online version is supposed to be the current reg...it is in effect until April 1st.
--I was trying to write and article on all of the changes in Reg 8... had to get a paper copy.
--Remember to renew your license as well... in the past the system has crashed on or near April 1st... being a Saturday you might want to make sure you have a current lic.
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Does anyone know if this is because bass turned up somewhere new or is it an "enough is enough" kind of thing?
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As I mentioned previously in another thread, there are some major concerns about large mouth bass as they have been found in systems where they shouldn't be such as Nicomen slough and the lower Vedder where the Sumas connects as people have encountered large mouth bass there.
The CO I talked to I believe his name was Scott, he basically said that next year (This year) that the limit will be changed to either unlimited or a very high number. Not sure about the regulations about not releasing them once caught but his words basically were catch, kill and dispose of them in any manner.
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As I mentioned previously in another thread, there are some major concerns about large mouth bass as they have been found in systems where they shouldn't be such as Nicomen slough and the lower Vedder where the Sumas connects as people have encountered large mouth bass there.
The CO I talked to I believe his name was Scott, he basically said that next year (This year) that the limit will be changed to either unlimited or a very high number. Not sure about the regulations about not releasing them once caught but his words basically were catch, kill and dispose of them in any manner.
This is the first that I've heard Bass making their way into the Vedder/Sumas system - that's not good.
I wonder if these made their way down from Mill Lake or up from the Fraser? I guess either way is possible and they were eventually going to get there without any real way to stop them. Dang it.
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Any water body connected to the lower Fraser will have Bass.
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As I mentioned previously in another thread, there are some major concerns about large mouth bass as they have been found in systems where they shouldn't be such as Nicomen slough and the lower Vedder where the Sumas connects as people have encountered large mouth bass there.
The CO I talked to I believe his name was Scott, he basically said that next year (This year) that the limit will be changed to either unlimited or a very high number. Not sure about the regulations about not releasing them once caught but his words basically were catch, kill and dispose of them in any manner.
when catching salmon smolts in the kanaka or alouette river they constantly get small and largemouth bass. they also get chinook smolts from the harrison and i think that's kinda cool.
http://www.keeps.org/
http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/Library/337851.pdf
'Lower Mainland Region (Lower Fraser River Watershed)
Largemouth bass presence was confirmed for 50 waterbodies in the lower Fraser
River watershed, including 16 lakes and 34 streams (see Table 41). Based on
provincial watershed coding, these records are distributed across 20 drainages.
Though not all waterbodies containing largemouth bass may possess
downstream connectivity due to physical or hydrologic isolation, 15 of 20
drainages are potentially linked by shared receiving waters of the Fraser River
while the remaining 5 drainages are potentially linked only by marine or estuarine
waters.
The first recorded occurrence of largemouth bass in the Lower Mainland Region
was in 1987 in Judson Lake (Anonymous, West Coast Bass Anglers, pers.
comm., cited in Hatfield and Pollard 2006). The most recent occurrences for this
species were in 2004 when 14 records were confirmed over seven separate
drainages (Anonymous, MOE Region, pers. comm.; Chad Keogh, West Coat
Bass Anglers, pers. comm.; Maurice Coultier-Boisvert, DFO Area, pers. comm.;
Anonymous, fisheries consultant, pers. comm.; Jim Taylor, Stave Valley
Salmonid Enhancement Society, pers. comm.; Pearson 1998, all cited in Hatfield
and Pollard 2006). Provincial records contain no accounts of authorized
largemouth bass stocking in the Lower Mainland Region. That confirmed records
for this species are distributed across 20 separate drainages suggests many
populations originated through independent, unauthorized introductions followed
by localized dispersal. McPhail (2007) states that largemouth bass dispersal into
Lower Mainland Region occurred via the trans-boundary Sumas River system
while local advocates for promotion and conservation of bass angling
opportunities have advised government biologists of their belief that largemouth
bass are naturally recruiting into waterbodies in the lower Fraser River watershed
from long-established upstream sources on the Fraser River floodplain
(Anonymous, West Coast Bass Anglers, pers. comm., cited in Hatfield and
Pollard 2006). '
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Not to get off topic but i recall seeing an episode of duck dynasty where they cooked what appeared to be breaded deep fried bass. Looked good. Never ate it myself but is it similar to any other white meat fish?
Id avoid greater van lakes but would try em from some spots in Fraser valley, island or interior.
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I kept a couple last year from Albert Dyck Park in Abbotsford. Fried them up... they tasted fine. Generic fish, would eat again. Not sure that I'm in a rush to eat them again though. Have slight concerns about pollution in the water bodies that bass around here inhabit. Albert Dyck is very clear but surrounded by farms; maybe pesticide residues in there but I have no idea, really ::)
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Reports of Large Mouth Bass from various river and stream systems sporadically appear but there is no evidence of established wide spread populations. Mostly there appear to be populations in a small # of low elevation lakes and sloughs. Last I hear smallmouths are not present anyway east of the Okanagon on the mainland & the one bass reported to have come from Kawkawa was eventually identified to be a hoax & no other specimens were found.
I have eaten both - smallmouths on the Island and back east, largemouth from Duck Lake near Creston. They are quite palatable and lean fish though I thought largemouth tasted a bit 'fishy'.
It surprises me how long it took to repeal the 4 fish limit considering they are invasive species and were illegally introduced.
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I'm curious as to why there was originally a limit at all for LMB in region 2, but glad to see it increasing significantly. Anything to limit their spread in local waters.
Back in the day I used to do an annual trip to Saltspring for smallmouth or Washington to Oregon for LMB, so I like bass fishing as much as anyone but we dont need them here in the LML any worse than we already have.
Somewhat skeptical increased limits will have much impact on populations. Honest question, do people tend to retain the bass the catch? Unless people start keeping a whole lot more or the new limits encourages people to suddenly go bass fishing for the purpose of retention, it may not have much effect.
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Story was the local bass anglers lobbied for it and it went through as bass are officially classified as a sportfish.
There doesn't seem to be much evidence that bass are have a major negative impact on local sportfish such as salmon or steelhead. They do apparently impact amphibians in some waters and some of those species are at risk. Bullfrogs probably cause more damage and there are active attempts to cull them.
Largemouth are ok but I do very much like smallmouth bass. Some bass fisheries, such as St Mary's Lake on Saltspring have been impacted by the introduction of other aliens species specifically perch.
Crappie and carp have been around for decades and while not desirable don't seem to have a major negative impact.
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ive fished sumas last summer for bass but just caught a couple of small carp and a few pikeminnow. tried the fraser a few times with bait and did not catch any bass. Maybe there are a few concentrated areas where they are in good numbers or im terrible at catching bass but it seems the fraser river system is not choking with them. However.....the fraser is choking with northern pikeminnow....a bigger threat to salmon than bass i think. ???
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Largemouth don't like current, period. Draw your conclusions on when and where they are available from there.
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Largemouth don't like current, period. Draw your conclusions on when and where they are available from there.
This is a good one! Show me that they don't like current and I will plug this board up with pics that they have no problem living in fast current rivers!
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As I understand it, a particular waterbody has a specific carrying capacity, in regards to how many fish it can "carry". Most of this is based on feed, and other variables to a lesser extent. In a waterbody like the Fraser, it is already at capacity with its varying species that have evolved to co-exist with each other. As such, the introduction of Bass wont suddenly create a massive population of Bass on top of the fish populations that already exist there. Instead, they will compete with, and possibly displace some fish that fill a similar niche in the ecosystem ( My guess here would be primarily pike minnows). I think the overall number of juvenille salmonids getting slurped up by predator fish will remain much the same, but less wil be going into the mouths of pike minnow and other coarse fish, and more going into the mouths of bass. Now this is assuming that the bass will compete well against the long established pike minnows etc. but I have my doubts. In certain locations yes, but not the mainstream Fraser or Chilli/Ved.
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This is a good one! Show me that they don't like current and I will plug this board up with pics that they have no problem problem living in fast current rivers!
I'd like to see pics. Not because I disagree with you, just interested in seeing the pictures. Are you talking about back east?
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This is a good one! Show me that they don't like current and I will plug this board up with pics that they have no problem problem living in fast current rivers!
bring it on! I'm no where near an expert on largemouth but most I've read is they tend more towards back water and old oxbows in large river systems - like the Mississippi.
FWIW there is no evidence of numbers of large mouths in the Fraser or the V-C, just occasional encounters. Silver Lake, Mill Lake, Hatzic Slough, Katzi Slough - Pitt Polder etc quite a different story.
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ive fished sumas last summer for bass but just caught a couple of small carp and a few pikeminnow. tried the fraser a few times with bait and did not catch any bass. Maybe there are a few concentrated areas where they are in good numbers or im terrible at catching bass but it seems the fraser river system is not choking with them. However.....the fraser is choking with northern pikeminnow....a bigger threat to salmon than bass i think. ???
I would believe this to be true. NPM thrive in large, in all of BC's cold, fast flowing rivers and they love minnows. Look at how the big NPM stack up at the outflow of Cultas Lk into Sweltzer Creek just waiting to gobble up the Sockeye fry on their way downstream.
Bass tend to get more active as the water warms up so maybe the fry make is past the Bass early enough in the season before the Bass really get active. As with you, I have not personally caught bass related species in the Fraser water system, nor have I personally seen any caught.
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As Ralph pointed out seems there was a limit in place from bass lobbyists. Not sure who the local advocates are lol
"McPhail (2007) states that largemouth bass dispersal into
Lower Mainland Region occurred via the trans-boundary Sumas River system
while local advocates for promotion and conservation of bass angling
opportunities have advised government biologists of their belief that largemouth
bass are naturally recruiting into waterbodies in the lower Fraser River watershed
from long-established upstream sources on the Fraser River floodplain
(Anonymous, West Coast Bass Anglers, pers. comm., cited in Hatfield and
Pollard 2006)."
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I would believe this to be true. NPM thrive in large, in all of BC's cold, fast flowing rivers and they love minnows. Look at how the big NPM stack up at the outflow of Cultas Lk into Sweltzer Creek just waiting to gobble up the Sockeye fry on their way downstream.
Bass tend to get more active as the water warms up so maybe the fry make is past the Bass early enough in the season before the Bass really get active. As with you, I have not personally caught bass related species in the Fraser water system, nor have I personally seen any caught.
The way you fish in fraser river is less likely to catch a bass'
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The way you fish in fraser river is less likely to catch a bass'
Really? Why wouldn't Bass take a fly or a spoon - because that's the only way I've fished the Fraser for the past few years.
Sorry - I was wrong to say that. I did try rattling a big plug out of an anchored boat once. Didn't have patience to try that long enough to verify if that would work. Also tried bar fishing a few times with big SpinGlo's - it doesn't excite me too much but I'll give it another shot of there is a good year for Spring run.
What was your comment focused on? And how would you know how I fish in the Fraser - we've never met let alone fished together?
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I'm all eyes on ears on how/when/where largemouth are caught in an area with substantial current. Not hiding in the sloughs, big slow bends, oxbows, behind rock piles or log piles etc.
I'm not saying they aren't found in rivers, just that they will seak out and be in parts of the river where there is as little current as possible.
I've only bassfished for 25 years though. Still lots to learn.
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I'm all eyes on ears on how/when/where largemouth are caught in an area with substantial current. Not hiding in the sloughs, big slow bends, oxbows, behind rock piles or log piles etc.
I'm not saying they aren't found in rivers, just that they will seak out and be in parts of the river where there is as little current as possible.
I've only bassfished for 25 years though. Still lots to learn.
The only time I've targetted Bass was in Duck Lake by Creston, there is a small lake on the road between Salmo and Champion Lake (been 30yrs so I forgot the name) and around the Osoyoos area and occationally Mill Lk. I haven't targetted them in the Fraser and likely never will but I would expect to have seen or heard of them being hooked once in a while. Maybe with them in the Sumas they will be caught near the mouth as it's somewhat slow moving and lots of wood there. I would expect they would be in the Nicomen Slough then especially up top in the warmer weedy stuff.
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Really? Why wouldn't Bass take a fly or a spoon - because that's the only way I've fished the Fraser for the past few years.
Sorry - I was wrong to say that. I did try rattling a big plug out of an anchored boat once. Didn't have patience to try that long enough to verify if that would work. Also tried bar fishing a few times with big SpinGlo's - it doesn't excite me too much but I'll give it another shot of there is a good year for Spring run.
What was your comment focused on? And how would you know how I fish in the Fraser - we've never met let alone fished together?
I guess you fish in Fraser river to target trout or salmon. But the best bet for bass is rubber grubs and other rubber baits. Catching rate spoon vs rubber is 1:50, especially for larger ones
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I'd like to see pics. Not because I disagree with you, just interested in seeing the pictures. Are you talking about back east?
Back east is correct. I only catch bass out here by accident while fishing cutthroat trout. They are all over the Lower Pitt River now and have been for 20 years! The seagulls like them! Would be nice if the seals ate them! Stave is plugged with them as well. From the dam down. Their in the Fraser as well. Just ask the gill netter fisherman. DFO will not post the results! No no no!
I remember people saying that bass do not eat salmon fry years ago but that was proven incorrect!
Well enjoy the bass fishing everyone! They are here to stay now and the biomass will only get larger in time!
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Waiting for the pictures gg. Again, not saying you're wrong but need more information.
Also, I would sure like some confirmation of Fraser River gillnetters catching bass ... DFO won't post bass captures? Sorry but I have to say Bull$hit.
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I will plug this board up with pics that they have no problem problem living in fast current rivers!
zzzzzzzz
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You guys are right! End of discussion on my end! I just know what I know! 8)
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You guys are right! End of discussion on my end! I just know what I know! 8)
The largest bass I caught in LML is close to one and half pound(13-14 inches long). How big can they grow in lower pitt river? I am afraid there is not much food for them. Salmon fry come down in the spring when bass is still in hibernation.
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There are numerous irrigation and drainage ditches that flow into the Pitt. Those will warm up quickly in spring and I've checked them out where they join the Pitt. While I didn't see anything it does look like good bass habitat.
Jeff Welch, posts 'Professional' reports under the name Newsman, on various boards and some local papers reports he caught a 7lb fish out of Hatzig and has photos as evidence. Also good sized fish (3lbs+) reported out of Deer Lake in Burnaby.
Still I'd think most bass in the Fraser would be too small to get caught in the typical gill net used in the Fraser. Just my guess. If some do get caught in the Albion and PSF test fisheries I doubt anyone makes an attempt to count them.
FOC/DFO also doesn't have to follow the Province in setting limits in the river below Mission. I don't think there ever was a limit in tidal waters nor were black bass ever listed as a sport fish.
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Lots of big bass in the sloughs, ditches, ponds and marshes for sure.
Just waiting to see the 'board plugged up' with pics of bass taken directly out of water with strong current. It would be news to me.
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I was sight fishing them in the cable pool on the capilano yesterday. picked up two on a squamish poacher. great fight on the 9wt.
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I was sight fishing them in the cable pool on the capilano yesterday. picked up two on a squamish poacher. great fight on the 9wt.
OH GREAT! >:( First it's Nick giving away all the cutthroat secrets and now the spey steelhead bass fishery in the Cap is outed.
Soon there will be no secrets left! :'(
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New regs are out: http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/fw/fish/regulations/
While the bass limit is indeed now 20 but specifically for largemouth where as previous regs said large & smallies combined (IIRC), but there are no known populations of smallmouth in region 2 that I know of.
Also there is an exception to the new limit:
MILL LAKE (Abbotsford) Bass daily quota = 4
So I guess Mill is now a managed trophy bass fishery!
Also total fishing closures on MacLean Pond, Marsh Pond, and Minnekhada Marsh which I believe also has bass now.
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Minnekhada was closed a year or 2 ago over issues with people fishing from the walking trails and disturbing non-anglers. Went and had a look there - plus a hike - a few years ago when I read reports of bass being caught - there wasn't much in the way of fishing prospects. Mill best I know is landlocked.
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New regs are out: http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/fw/fish/regulations/
While the bass limit is indeed now 20 but specifically for largemouth where as previous regs said large & smallies combined (IIRC), but there are no known populations of smallmouth in region 2 that I know of.
Also there is an exception to the new limit:
MILL LAKE (Abbotsford) Bass daily quota = 4
So I guess Mill is now a managed trophy bass fishery!
Also total fishing closures on MacLean Pond, Marsh Pond, and Minnekhada Marsh which I believe also has bass now.
So they really do not want to get rid of bass
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New regs are out: http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/fw/fish/regulations/
While the bass limit is indeed now 20 but specifically for largemouth where as previous regs said large & smallies combined (IIRC), but there are no known populations of smallmouth in region 2 that I know of.
Also there is an exception to the new limit:
MILL LAKE (Abbotsford) Bass daily quota = 4
So I guess Mill is now a managed trophy bass fishery!
Also total fishing closures on MacLean Pond, Marsh Pond, and Minnekhada Marsh which I believe also has bass now.
Actually it isn't, managed the same as it has been the last few years (same quota)
If they didn't keep the bass quota low somewhere, bucket brigade would transport them all over the place before a region wide quota could actually have a population impact, and a larger problem would result.
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Actually, Minnekhada's closure:
http://apps.nrs.gov.bc.ca/pub/ahte/angling/maclean-ponds-marsh-pond-minnekhada-marsh-no-fishing
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So......minnekada slough is closed because of the painted turtle population is fragile and need protection from anglers...but at the same time the environment includes bass.......a known predator of baby turtles. nice!
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I don't think they can simply ask the bass to leave...
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So......minnekada slough is closed because of the painted turtle population is fragile and need protection from anglers...but at the same time the environment includes bass.......a known predator of baby turtles. nice!
Only bait can catch turtle. Why not use bait ban instead of close down
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Only bait can catch turtle. Why not use bait ban instead of close down
It's doesnt work that way. For starters painted turtles have gone after lures.
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Minnekhada was closed a year or 2 ago over issues with people fishing from the walking trails and disturbing non-anglers. Went and had a look there - plus a hike - a few years ago when I read reports of bass being caught - there wasn't much in the way of fishing prospects. Mill best I know is landlocked.
I tried Minnekhada for bass a few times before it closed and I concur that it is not very productive. I have not caught any there nor have I seen anyone else catch any. The sloughs up in the Pitt marsh area are much better for them..also for black crappie, pumpkinseed, and carp.
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A bait ban was proposed to Metro Vancouver Parks, as it would almost completely eliminate any angling conflicts with Western Painted Turtles. (Yes, there has been reports of turtles showing an interest in artificial lures but it seems bait is the main culprit in the rare instances of turtles being hooked).
The bait ban proposal went nowhere, I suspect because it wasn't a "fishing ban", which I believe was the goal and the "turtles" were the means to that end.
In Minnekhada, the area exposed to angling is 2 small stretches of dike, probably way less than 5% of the pond, so angler conflict with turtles would be restricted by that and with a bait ban would be even lower, approaching zero. They didn't even want to try it, as they were set on a fishing ban. As "DJT" would say "sad". ;)
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Hi Quin, Good side, the bass is going to be HUGE for anglers a few years later.
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I tried Minnekhada for bass a few times before it closed and I concur that it is not very productive. I have not caught any there nor have I seen anyone else catch any. The sloughs up in the Pitt marsh area are much better for them..also for black crappie, pumpkinseed, and carp.
There are quiet a few bass in Minn - i've seen and caught them. But they were very finicky. That sucks that its closed.
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Seems strange to me that folks are bemoaning the loss of fishing at Minnekhada. As a park it's one of my favourite places to do a quick hike. As a fishing location the water access is limited, the paths are narrow, pedestrian traffic is heavy, the administration is not always friendly to anglers, it's infested with bears, and the fishing isn't as good as other nearby locations. Add to that the chance of hooking an endangered species and I'm happy enough leaving the fishing rod in the trunk when I visit :P
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Not sure how many native turtles are in Mill Lake, if any. Most likely red slider turtles that people have dropped all over the place that have taken up residence.
But always good to be smart either way with selective fishing methods.
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I see that not many people are obeying the Minnekhada no fishing closure bit... ???
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https://forms.gov.bc.ca/environment/rapp/
I filed a report online this calendar year. Had a reply back two days later saying thanks and that they have connected with the offender and have taken appropriate measures.
I was very impressed.
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Has anyone on here fished Chadsey Lake? I heard they're pretty abundant up there as well.
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Anytime when there is a permanent regulation change/fishery closure, it takes time for everyone to comply. Many will assume that there have been no changes. Inform them, most will be grateful for your help.
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I tried Minnekhada for bass a few times before it closed and I concur that it is not very productive. I have not caught any there nor have I seen anyone else catch any. The sloughs up in the Pitt marsh area are much better for them..also for black crappie, pumpkinseed, and carp.
Last year was my first year fishing this park in a number of years, and I admit the fishing had dropped off quite substantially compared to when I first started testing its waters. Conincidentaly, I noticed more angers last year than ever before.
For me, it was a nice way to burn a quick hour or two as the ponds are only minutes away from home, but I can't say I'm too hurt about this closure.