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[fishseeker]

I had a chance to head out to the Pitt Lake area last weekend (Sep 14).   Don't know it well but a went through the Park gates and followed the slough off to the right for about 20 minutes until I could find a clear area - access to water is very limited unless you have a boat.

There were certainly a lot of bass around - I must have landed about 8 small ones (largest was probably a bit under 1 pound).  Took some pictures but I haven't posted them because it's not much to brag about     In spite of that there was certainly a lot of activity in the water because much larger fish were jumping about everywhere - from what I could see of those that were jumping I would guess they were bass because the bodies were too fat to be trout or anything else I could guess at.  All the larger ones were some distance from the shore and, even though I could get my lure out that far I could not entice them - very frustrating.

It is probably worth heading out there as long as the weather is good but, take note, there are bears about.  I saw one swimming across the water just 300 yards from where I was standing.

[DionJL]

the larger fish rising may have been carp.

[steeleagle]

how deep do those ponds/lakes get there?

[Steelhawk]

Fishseeker, you must be on the west side of Pitt Lake. The east side seems to have no gate and you can drive thru Sturgeon Slough all the way to the canoe rental.

[DionJL]

Steelhawk, there is a gate on the east side a few hundred yards before the parking area at Grant Narrows. It is closed an hour after dusk to an hour before dawn I believe.

[huntwriter]

I had a chance to head out to the Pitt Lake area last weekend (Sep 14).   Don't know it well but a went through the Park gates and followed the slough off to the right for about 20 minutes until I could find a clear area - access to water is very limited unless you have a boat.

There were certainly a lot of bass around - I must have landed about 8 small ones (largest was probably a bit under 1 pound).  Took some pictures but I haven't posted them because it's not much to brag about     In spite of that there was certainly a lot of activity in the water because much larger fish were jumping about everywhere - from what I could see of those that were jumping I would guess they were bass because the bodies were too fat to be trout or anything else I could guess at.  All the larger ones were some distance from the shore and, even though I could get my lure out that far I could not entice them - very frustrating.

It is probably worth heading out there as long as the weather is good but, take note, there are bears about.  I saw one swimming across the water just 300 yards from where I was standing.

Before we moved to our new house in Gods Country (Merritt) we lived in Maple Ridge and I use to go regularly to the Pitt Lake to fish for bass in the sloughs. There are some big bass in there too but to get them you have to know how to fish them.

I love bass fishing and wish there would be more of them here in BC. I am heading next week to the Osoyoos Lake to field test a few new bass lures. Should be fun.

[speycaster]

We DO NOT need any more stinking bass in BC. We need to catch who ever is bucketing them and perch and do an operation on them that stops the spread of their genes.  I will even volunteer to do the deed as i have experience with turning male cattle into steers.

[clownfish]

I heartily agree with Speycaster. Those bass in that slough and in the N. Allouette River, and a lot of other locations around BC, were not put there by Fisheries. They were snuck in there by people that do not give a damn about any other species of fish.

Speycaster, I'm willing to help with the "alterations".

[fishseeker]

I guess the bass around are a bit controversial but, since they are here, might as well fish for them.    I find it odd that there are catch limits on bass in some places - why can't we just catch and kill as many as we like if they are the curse so many people say they are? 

I am not very familiar with the area because this was only the second time I ever went there but I do know I crossed sturgeon slough to get there.  There was a big parking lot about 400 yards on from the Gate and off to my right there was a slough with a path running next to it - I just followed that until I could find a clear spot.   Sorry I can't be more helpful about the precise location.  (Note:  The gate did not open until 7am and that was a pain in the butt because it was supposed to open at 6 so I guess the precise opening times can be unreliable)

If the jumping and splashing fish were carp it would certainly explain why I was not able to entice them with any lures

[fisherwithrod]

There are many places in BC where both smallmouth and largemouth bass populations are established and doing well. Kootenays, Okanagan, southern Vancouver Island and Salt Spring Island, for example.

In the lower mainland (region 2), bass is not found everywhere, but there is a bass catch limit of 4 per day, so there must be some areas where this fishery is controlled.

Yes, if there is bass in a body of water, might as well fish for it within the limits - but as an earlier blogger said, please do not introduce bass, or any fish species for that matter, in any body of water... This can have huge consequences on the fragile ecosystems on which many species depend...

guy

[adriaticum]

why can't we just catch and kill as many as we like if they are the curse so many people say they are? 

Bass are not a curse, they are a bigger sport fish than salmon is.
If you consider the population in areas where salmon can be found and then compare that with bass.
There are way more people fishing for bass than salmon I'd say.
Just ask Mark Pendlington, he is from bass country (Ontario).

[kellya]

Yes so leave them where they belong. Ie not BC. I heard of people doing experiments of transporting bass to lakes and then documenting how well they survive as well as how other species adapt to living with bass. What idiots!

[jetboatjim]

bass are not the preffered sport fish in B.C. if you want to fish for bass go back east.

bass are listed as an invasive spieces, so why are they protected?.............well not protected from me.

[fishseeker]

Oops I can see I opened a can of worms here.   I am just perplexed by catch limits on bass here - just doesn't seem to make sense given that they don't belong here.

[adriaticum]

I heard of people doing experiments of transporting bass to lakes and then documenting how well they survive as well as how other species adapt to living with bass.

Of course, it's illegal to introduce alien species into any waters of BC and there is a law against that.
If some bozo puts a fish where it doesn't belong, you should report that.

Bass are stocked in a few lakes in BC.
And if there is a limit on bass, obey it.