As I said I don't fish the red. The reason for the lack of fish may be caused by location or that walleye arn't running up the red in great numbers for who knows what reason. I was simply stating that myself personally, I have held very steady success on the lake. I didn't mean to say that in a way to boast or for anyone to take offence to it as I see that you have - "There is no doubt that you are much better at it than I am." This last fall we also killed the walleye on the Winnipeg river system. There is a lot of fish around and there not decreasing in numbers, maybe just on the red. Besides rod&reel fishing, if you ever are in company of one of the long time commercial fisherman from the gimli area whom pass there commercial fishing license down from generation to generation. if you asked any of them.. gimli fish guys, smiths or Svensons they would tell you that the amount of fish over the past 5 years are better then they have ever been getting in there nets.
If you read the thread, I have talked to them. I have family that live there. Two of the old boys told me the production is due to the bigger, better boats, sonar, new net styles and techniques. They said they would be toast if they had to try to fish the old way. That tells me things have not changed for the better, or they could still be using an old wooden boat.
I am not sure why you sound angry. I said you must be a better fisherman than I am because I don't catch the amount or quality of fish you do.
There simply is not enough data to determine whether it is perception or reality. Here are some excerpts from the latest report I can find.
Overview
last updated on 24th December 2012
Strengths
The Walleye fishery is well regulated for commercial and recreational fishers in Lake Winnipeg. Walleye catches are regulated through possession limits, gillnet mesh size restrictions, quotas and fishery permits. The three major commercial fish species incl. walleye have been well managed under the quota system for the past 40 years.
Weaknesses
Historical CPUE of all three major commercial fish have to be re-evaluated and there is a need to conduct a robust stock assessment for walleye and other commercial fish species. Currently, there is a combined quota of Recommended Allowable Harvest (RAH) of 6.52 million kg for 3 commercial species). But, there is a need to stipulate Individual harvest quotas for Walleye and other 2 finfish species as the percentage of Walleye in the total catch has increased in the past 4 decades.
Options
There is a need to develop separate quotas for each of the RAH species; there is a need to develop reference point indicators to provide timely advice on increasing or decreasing quotas for individual species. There is a need to conduct regular monitoring of stocks and strengthen decision-making process for RAH species; Lake Winnipeg Task Force recommends that the current quota of 6.52 million kg for walleye, sauger and lake whitefish should be split into three separate quotas “in a ratio of 19% for sauger (1.24 million kg), 56% for walleye (3.65 million kg) and 25% for lake whitefish (1.63 million kg)” for future years (L**censored** 2011). There is a need to conduct a new survey to evaluate harvest of fish by First Nations communities to assist future stock assessments.
1. Management Quality ( see detailed section ) (top)
Stock Assessment last updated on 24th December 2012
Due to significant uncertainty in fishery data for Lake Winnipeg; absence of complete estimates of fishery effort, MSY or other biological reference points cannot be calculated for the Walleye stock. Catch rates are at an all-time high and index-net series suggest that Walleye stock are healthy. Recent stock assessments have suggested that abundance in recent years is due to success of single age class in 2001 (L**censored** 2011).
“Data on domestic or subsistence harvests of fish from Lake Winnipeg are generally unavailable, and there are no estimates of the harvests of the three quota species. Recreational harvests are similarly under-studied; only in the most recent national survey was there an attempt to determine walleye recreational harvest rates from Lake Winnipeg” (DFO 2007 in L**censored** 2011).
Although there is an absence of reference points to estiamte hte health of Lake Winnipeg;s fish stocks, MFB has used the following three stock -monitoring criteria to calculate RAHs for the three finfish species: “Presence of 3 year classes at >15% each; Stable or increasing mean age; and Mean age of maturity < mean age of the catch” (L**censored** 2011).
Scientific Advice
The Lake Winnipeg Task Force gave the following recommendations on state of fish stocks in Lake Winnipeg:
“The Task Force has reached three major conclusions as a result of its work:
1. The available fisheries information and analysis from sources consulted are inadequate to determine absolute estimates of current or past biological productivity for Lake Winnipeg, and the proper application of standard stock
assessment methods based on biomass or indices is not possible with the data at hand.
2. Because of the lack of data, the Task Force is unable to recommend either increases or decreases in a total Recommended Allowable Harvest (RAH) of 6.52 million kg for the Lake.
3. The uncertainty and lack of adequate information needed to make informed decisions about possible changes in RAHs will continue unless there are changes made to data collection by the MFB, FFMC, and fishers, and additional research is done to enhance our understanding of the fishery, the fish and the broader ecosystem” (L**censored** 2011).
Managers’ Decisions last updated on 24th December 2012
Recreational fishing license is required for angling, dip netting, spear fishing, bow fishing and seining (Manitoba Fisheries 2012).
1. Persons holding Conservation license have a reduced license limit of 4 walleye / person.
2. In Manitoba all anglers are required to use barbless hooks.
3. Persons of Status Indians and First nations are required to have a license to fish in Lake;s waters, and are exempt from angling and gear restrictions when fishing for food or subsistence purposes.
4. Commercial anglers may use one rod and line only, with the exception of ice fishing season when two rods or lines may be used.
5. Conservation license – Walleye possession limit of 4 (only one fish may exceed 55 cm); minimum length 71 cm (28 inches).
6. Regular license – Walleye possession limit of 6 (only one fish may exceed 55 cm).
&. Gillnet Mesh-size restrictions: Fishing communities in South Basin and channel fisheries can use nets upto 3 inches throughout the year; North Basin Inshore areas referred as “pickerel pockets” cannot use nets smaller than 3¾ inches in the fall and summer, and nets smaller than 4¼ inches in winter. White fish fleet can only fish in central part of North Basin using mesh nets of 4¼ inch or larger in size.
7. Seasonal opening and closure of the fishery.
In the Commercial fishery, catches of walleye are regulated through use of quotas, mesh size limitations for gillnets, in-season restrictions, and regulations limiting number of licensed fishermen.
Compliance last updated on 24th December 2012
Data from Manitoba Ministry of Water Stewardship suggests that compliance is relatively good for recreational and commercial fisheries in Lake Winnipeg.
Anyhow, as I said - best of luck to you.
