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Over the past 6-7 years I have noticed a dramatic reduction in both the quantity and quality of fish from the Red. I will not even get into what the river was like forty years ago compared to today, but the reduction in the past few years is very alarming.It may be time for a moratorium on the river. Catch and Release only. Reducing limits will not stop the poaching as quickly as catch and release will. Perhaps we have to take one for the team for the next season or two or there will be nothing left for us - or our kids and grand-kids. Catch and release is much easier for the NRO's to enforce. No arguing over who caught what and how and when, how many were hidden in cars and boats. You have a fish, you have a ticket.Will there be a short term impact on the industry and towns such as Lockport and Selkirk? Somewhat for sure....but the majority of real anglers practice catch and release anyway, and the ones who don't are not in these towns to spend money anyhow. They are there to fill freezers, pure and simple. When I go to towns like Selkirk, I fill my truck, fill my jerry can, buy breakfast at a restaurant, pick up minnows, snacks and such, then end my day with a beer and fries at one of the hotels. Probably drop $50-$100 there every time I go. I practice catch and release so there would be no impact on the economy from folks such as myself.And no - it is not because I had a bad weekend or two on the river, this is a long term observation.The pressure on this fishery in unsustainable. In the end we will all pay anyhow.
Some goods points and us from Selkirk appreciate your patronage. I too have fished the river for over 40 years, well before a single shack or anyone knew or heard of the river being a Walleye gold mine. The river is hot and cold, some winters it can be great all year and other years by the end of December its done. Good luck and keep fishing!
I don't think the numbers have decreased but I do see a decrease in the big girls. I don't see or hear the 30+" as frequently as I did in the past.We could use additional COs on the river banks and in Lockport, for that matter throughout the province. I personally think all on the Manitoba resources are poorly managed.
I hear they used to dredge the river at the mouth of the lake they haven't done that for a while that could have somthing to do with the amount of fish that enter and leave the river
bbrook, this may have something to do with it, but the big lake is nowhere near as good as it used to be either.
The commercial harvest quotas is recent years would suggest otherwise. The north basin is hotter than ever for walleye.
Hey thats fishin'. On to the next hot spot. The Red/LW seemed to peak about 5/6 years back just like it has dozens of times before and will again.
educate, educate, we may not win the battle on catch and release but, we may eventually win the war, here's to hoping
BUT YA KNOW.....AFTER ALL THIS IS SAID AND DONE ......yea it would be nice to get some big eyes but if we don't........ its still nice just to get out there and enjoy the sport and the time........beats being at work
Lake winnipeg is dying...if you think its bad now on the red wait a few years! All of the pollution has helped for years now its too much and we will see the results soon. Now Lake Winnipeg is infected with zebra mussels and im sure the red has them or will have them soon.