Why are most northern waters CR2 or CR3???

[shootsmcgee]

The last couple years i've been road tripping like crazy and i'm gonna start going on more northern fishing trips. I've been getting into google maps and checking out lakes well off the beaten path for some future adventures. One thing i noticed when I checked out the regulations is that damn near all the lakes in the more northern part of the central area and the northern area itself are CR2 and CR3 waters?? The fish populations are huge up there yet a guy can only keep one fish a day? Is there a particular reason for this??? I know the lakes up there are way colder and fish species take extra long to mature and spawn so maybe thats it... any thoughts???

[bite-me7]

Oh yeah, I got thoughts, but would likely be discrimination!!! Can't fish their waters but they can  fish the hell out of the southern waters!!! Just my 2 cents, like it or leave it!!! Maybe Trudeau will figure it out! lol

[shootsmcgee]

Haha I knew someone would say that! The same thought crossed my mind but the amount of water up there is unbelievable compared to the small population of "them"... I've spent some time a few hours north of La Ronge and a guy can camp anywhere and not see another soul for a week, wether on land or water

[Nightbird]

"The fish populations are huge up there yet a guy can only keep one fish a day?" Maybe the answer re lots of fish lies within your sentence. Seen more than one good Sask lake wrecked by the guys dragging home a limit for themselves and each family member, often multiple times weekly. And it isn't "them", by what I've seen. Just the good ol' boys who want piles of fish to brag about and then dump down a coulee out of sight. Same type of sharp thinkers who jam their day's garbage down their holes before leaving.

[saskbucks]

"The fish populations are huge up there yet a guy can only keep one fish a day?" Maybe the answer re lots of fish lies within your sentence. Seen more than one good Sask lake wrecked by the guys dragging home a limit for themselves and each family member, often multiple times weekly. And it isn't "them", by what I've seen. Just the good ol' boys who want piles of fish to brag about and then dump down a coulee out of sight. Same type of sharp thinkers who jam their day's garbage down their holes before leaving.

Have to agree with this post.  I'm glad that a lot of lake are protected with catch and release designations.  Personally, I'd like to see more lakes have cr2 and cr3 designations.  We have to think about protecting our resources and not depleting them. 

[shootsmcgee]

I'm not talking about taking home a bucket or stringer full of fish everyday thats ridiculous!. I don't even transport fish home from a camping trip. But there's no way that keeping a couple slot sized fish for a shore lunch and dinner is going to impact fish populations up on those lakes that might see a total of 40 people a year for a few days each

[saskbucks]

I'm not talking about taking home a bucket or stringer full of fish everyday thats ridiculous!. I don't even transport fish home from a camping trip. But there's no way that keeping a couple slot sized fish for a shore lunch and dinner is going to impact fish populations up on those lakes that might see a total of 40 people a year for a few days each

I hear what you are saying for sure.  What happens when someone has been flown into a cr3 lake and has a guide with them?   If there are two clients and a guide do they just keep 3 fish for shore lunch?  Does anyone have experience at a cr3 lake being guided? 

[ran7ger]

 maybe it's to try and keep those lakes the way they are?

[Natwild]

from what I have seen The outfitters that hold the outfitting rights to the lakes all try to get it to CR limits as quickly as possible to protect the lake from non guided fisherman while maintaining the catch and release aspect allowing them to keep the quality of fishing in the lake as long as possible.

[mountainguy]

You may want to think along the lines of growing season.  The ice comes off late and comes early.  Water temperature gets no where near what it does in the South.  Forage base is lower as well as they are no where near as fertile. The lakes need protection because of this. 

[mountainguy]

I have guided for 15 years on CR lakes in the far north.  Even 40 people a year on these waters will make a difference.  Its not just the one or two you take for lunch, its the mortality rate from catch and release.  Even if you handle the fish the best possible way sometimes they take it wrong.  It may swim away but that doesn't mean you will see that fish again.

[saskbucks]

Personally I would like to see the province go barbless.  That would definitely help with mortality rates of catch and release fish.

http://www.westernsportsman.com/2014/01/fish-mortality-catch-and-release/

[sask-cbass]

Barbless and more slot size limits too.

[saskbucks]

Barbless and more slot size limits too.

[shootsmcgee]

Personally I would like to see the province go barbless.  That would definitely help with mortality rates of catch and release fish.

http://www.westernsportsman.com/2014/01/fish-mortality-catch-and-release/

barbless is definitely the way to go, the mortality rate goes up ten fold with those damn barbs ripping the hell out of fish

[Big Burk]

Takes longer for fish to grow the further north you get, breeding number are lower than down south as well per fish. I'd rather see all lakes in sask with reduced limits and barbless hooks mandatory aside from a few perch/jack lakes that are over run

[lincoln1986]

so if a guy is to drive the ten or twelve hours he can only keep the one fish per day? does that apply to all species? sorry i have limited knowledge of this as i am from southern SK, but i am planning a northern trip during my 2 week break from work...im interested mostly in going for lakers but now i dont know if it would be worth the money if only one a day could be kept? can any one elaborate? thx in advance

[gman51]

read the synopsis.

[saskbucks]

so if a guy is to drive the ten or twelve hours he can only keep the one fish per day? does that apply to all species? sorry i have limited knowledge of this as i am from southern SK, but i am planning a northern trip during my 2 week break from work...im interested mostly in going for lakers but now i dont know if it would be worth the money if only one a day could be kept? can any one elaborate? thx in advance

In a CR3 waterbody only ONE fish can be kept. And it cannot exceed the upper length limit.  For grayling 35cm, lake trout 65cm, pike 75cm, walleye 55cm.