Assessment of the Summer Sport Fishery for Walleye and Northern Pike at Smoke Lake Alberta 2005

Author(s)

Owen Watkins and Bill Patterson

Summary

To ensure recovery and sustainability of Albertaʹs walleye and pike fisheries, Alberta
Sustainable Resource Development (ASRD) implemented new management strategies
in 1996 and 1999 for walleye (Sander vitreus) and northern pike (Esox lucius). Based
on criteria in the new walleye strategy, Smoke Lake was classified as having a stable
walleye fishery. This classification resulted in several regulation modifications between
1996 and 2004. Currently (2004), anglers are permitted to harvest two walleye (daily
possession limit) with a minimum size limit of 60 cm total length (TL). Similarly, from
1999 to 2005, the pike fishery was classified as a stable‐recreational fishery and anglers
were allowed to harvest three pike with a minimum size limit of 63 cm TL. To examine
the impacts of these management strategies on the walleye and pike fisheries, the
Alberta Conservation Association (ACA) conducted a creel survey on the lake during
the summer of 2005. The Smoke Lake study is part of a three‐year project to estimate
angler effort and fish stock yields for walleye and pike on several lakes in Alberta.


Based on angler interviews conducted between 20 May and 21 August 2005, an
estimated 1,358 anglers (95% CI = 1,181 ‐ 1,562, n = 493) fished Smoke Lake for 2,842 h
(95% CI = 2,428 ‐ 3,301, n = 1,024.25) for an angling pressure of 2.96 h/ha (95% CI = 2.53 ‐
3.44). No walleye were observed harvested in the sport fishery during the survey.
Anglers released an estimated 7,167 walleye (95% CI = 6,105 ‐ 8,293, n = 2,636) for an
estimated total yield (harvest + 4.6% incidental mortality) of 0.241 kg/ha (95% CI = 0.227
‐ 0.283).


Anglers harvested an estimated ten pike (95% CI = 5 ‐ 16, n = 4), with a mean weight of
2.26 kg/fish. This translates to a yield of 0.022 kg/ha (95% CI = 0.010 ‐ 0.041). Anglers
reported a pike release rate of 0.196 fish/h and released an estimated 553 pike (95% CI =
449 ‐ 669, n = 204), resulting in a total yield (harvest + incidental mortality) of 0.046
kg/ha (95% CI = 0.032 – 0.065).

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