Assessment of the Status of the Sport Fishery for Walleye at Pine Lake, 1999

Author(s)

Bill Patterson

Summary

To recover or maintain Alberta's walleye fisheries, a new walleye management strategy was implemented in 1996. In 1996, the walleye fishery at Pine Lake was classified as a stocked walleye fishery and a zero (0) daily bag limit was implemented. In order to assess the status of the walleye fishery at Pine Lake, a creel survey was conducted during May to August 1999. The estimated number of anglers was 6,669 anglers. Angler effort was 43.4 angler-hours / ha. Four walleye were reported released in 1,038 hours of angling (0.004 walleye reported released / hour). The test fishery, in 284.5 hours of angling, caught 4 walleye, 149 pike and 1,459 perch. There is no commercial fishery on Pine Lake.
Historically, Pine Lake did not support a native walleye fishery. The walleye in Pine Lake were probably established through stocking efforts. Over 4.6 million walleye eggs were stocked into Pine Lake between 1960 and 1974. 115,000 walleye fingerlings were stocked in 1988.
Based on the historical information, the stocking records and the criteria used classify walleye stocks in Alberta, the walleye fishery at Pine Lake is stocked/collapsed. 

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