The Fish and Lake Improvement Program for the Parkland Region

History   Strategy   Water Quality   Fishery Improvement   Marketing   

 

Fishery Improvements 

Adding Lakes

In order for the fly-fishing industry to survive and thrive it, must continue to grow.  Fishermen are always looking for new challenges and opportunities.  Expanding the number of lakes available to the fishing enthusiast makes our Region more attractive.

For the project to be successful, a fairly large number of lakes must be stocked and maintained for the following reasons:

1. Large numbers of fisherman travel great distances to sample such waters.

We have realized this in the past and a single lake, such as Tokaruk’s came under tremendous pressure. Other lakes stocked nearby, such as the 2002 development of adjacent Patterson Lake, alleviate the pressure and maintain the flow of fishermen to the area, keeping the economic benefits growing. We have had people visit the area to fly-fish on specific lakes from as far away as England. We have regular visitors from South Carolina and a growing number from California. Persons from Utah, Idaho and surrounding states are annual visitors; some coming twice each year
 

2. Addressing the mentality of the fishing demographic

Another lake “just over the hill” keeps them returning, because that is the “nature of the beast”. Everyone must fish every lake and become an “authority” upon it. Failing to fish a certain lake is like golfers admitting that they never played “such and such a course”. If the lake contains good fishing, return trips are ensured. A pool of such lakes drives and sustains fishery-based economic spin-off benefits as word of mouth spins its far-reaching web.

3. Spreading the economic benefits regionally

Happily, no one community in the region has a stranglehold on the lake resources. They are scattered from Highway 10 at Erickson around Riding Mountain Park, through Russell and Roblin and extending North to include all of the Duck Mountains. Stakeholders in each community have an equal opportunity to gain from the resource.

4. It takes a concentration of accessible lakes and a marketing strategy to attract worldwide attention to this regional fishery.

In order to be competitive and ensure the long-term expansion and viability of fly-fishing in the area, a regional concept is necessary. The area must be considered as a complete package to generate sufficient numbers of lakes to emulate the crowded waters of Idaho, Montana, and the Western USA where United States fly-fisherman currently travel.

In the short term, a number of potential lakes are available in the Parkland region. Many of these lakes have been individually assessed in 2000-02, determining their ability to host trout and to establish the lakes charisma to fly-fishermen.  Within the context of a sustainable holistic approach, a template of criteria established by Manitoba Water Stewardship and experienced lake fly fishers was used to evaluate each lake’s potential for the sport fishing industry.  The criteria quickly eliminated waters with obvious inadequacies, early in the evaluation process before significant dollars were on more advanced forms of evaluation. Such lakes however will remain in the database for future development.

 

Fish  Transfers

The trout population of a lake can be threatened when certain native species are extant and thus the viability of the fly-fishing industry is strongly affected. Even the native species eventually stunt and fishing for such species suffers. As an example, Silver Beach Lake was taken off the trout habitat list in the spring of 2000 because of encroachment by indigenous species but, inversely, Spear Lake rebounded and the trout have reduced the numbers of perch naturally when coupled with a 7500 fish transfer of yellow perch. Future transfers will be required annually and must be instituted on new waters before the problem escalates beyond control, as at Silver Beach Lake.

 

Shoreline Enhancement

To fully capitalize on the opportunity available to the Region, the lakes involved with the fly–fishing industry will require shoreline enhancement.  Access, maintenance, and appearance are all crucial to ensuring the tourist has a positive experience.  This is vital to attracting and keeping the fishing enthusiast returning.   Shoreline development, including improved roadways and boat launching areas, fencing to control angler movements and treed buffers to reduce nutrient loads, are all critical physical enhancements that would have to be developed on many lakes.   

Routine garbage pickup, proper signage to apprise fisherman of movement restrictions (i.e. private lands, limits, boat controls) and promotional billboards are essential to a successful fly-fishing program.  Properly located and designed billboards can allow for advertising by local entrepreneurs associated with the fishery (i.e. bait and tackle, restaurants, hospitality, etc.) and provide revenue towards enhancements and maintenance of fishing facilities.   

Each body of water will have specific requirements and thus the extent and type of shoreline enhancement will vary. The sampling criteria proposed by FLIPPR, as well as the budget, takes into consideration these differences.

 

Aeration

Many of the reasons why the area is prolific in growing trout include shallow lakes, high fertility, amazing invertebrate and vertebrae forage bases. Increased levels of photosynthesis from extended northern sunlight also contribute directly to growth rates.   

Once snow loading of ice surfaces begins in winter there is a reduction in photosynthesis and high weed proliferation ties up oxygen and introduces winter kill.  This problem can be alleviated by the use of winter aeration through electro-mechanical-pneumatic means. 

In addition, cycling aeration systems during the summer months can offset to a limited degree the summer loading of nutrients as well as reducing the stress on fish populations.  Intelligent, sporadic summer aeration helps to improve the environment in the lakes, by breaking up stratification of anaerobic layers in the relatively small acreage of these proposed aquatic ecosystems.

Within the FLIPPR proposal, a budget has been identified that would be used for the maintenance and utility costs generated from the annual operation of aeration systems.  In addition, funding for capital installation of the systems will be sought from a variety of public and private partners.