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[MrGrey1]

I fish Mill Lake fairly often for last 10 or so years. I think I know about 50 guys as we chat and release our trout. I've also seen many kids fishing Mill Lake from the dock and catching dozens of Crappies, Sunfish, Pumking seeds and small 4 inch Bass. Now, these are all gone! So, here is an explanation and my short story...

A day or so ago, I'm bringing in my 12 or 13 inch Rainbow. Standing on dock my trout is now about 4 feet from the dock when a huge 24" Bass comes out and attack my Rainbow trout! I was trying to keep this fish out of the Basses mouth, so I'm pulling trout sideways and out of the big Basses mouth. After while I hand my rod to Hank (old time friend) so I get may camera out. Yes, I have many pictures of this that I'll try to  post. What is that telling us?

First of all I understand now, why there are no smaller fishes that I've described above. These huge cleaning machines are good example of introduction of Nonnative species. There have been other sightings of these huge monsters cruising by the shores and around the boat ramp area. When I see this Bass almost swallowing my fair size trout I understand the problem now.

The Fraser Valley Hatcheries are nice people that stock our Mill Lake on regular basis. It is my opinion that third  or more of these fishes are swallowed by these huge Large Mouth Bass monsters as they are not familiar with the lake when they are put in. After about 40 some years of fishing I can tell fish sizes pretty good I think. This fish was 24 inches or bigger! The fishing for trout has been very poor lately, nothing like the years before! I also think the trout is afraid to come close to the dock because of this large Bass.

Thinking that these little 6 inch Bass have grown to these sizes is scary. Dead to the other fish spices came quick. What is the solution now? Rename Mill Lake to Bass Lake? Use nets to remove these large fish eaters? Poision the lake completely and restock it?

I've posted this story because I think we have to pay attention to this problem. However, I'm not a biologist and I may not have the right solutions. I would like to get emails from anyone with similar experiences or your views. I have emailed similar letter to the Fraser Valley Hatchery, just to see what they say.





Happy 2009 Fishing Season!

MrGrey1

[noxcape]

come one to blame the bass on the decline at the cupcakes hole called mill lake is not totally right if you think aobut all the people who take there little buckets to mill lake and keepev erything they catch and the fact that the trout are put in there for a meat fishery is a couple of the more important facts mill lake can not sustain trout in there very long it warms up way to quick for them so please dont be blaming all the trout and small fish deaths to the few bass that are actaully in that lake

[MrGrey1]

As far as I know Mill Lake got underground spring water coming in continuously and can support fish live easily.
Mill Lake is not a *** as you call it. I have fished this lake for over 20 years and I remember the days of plenty! I remember the 14 to 20 inch cutthroats as well. Those days, Mill Lake was not sock so heavily as it is today. You should not try to give a Mill Lake a bad name. I think its a perfect lake for young people and people of all ages to learn how to fish. The bad part is that irresponsible people make a mess there and we have to clean it up.

Yes, I have seen some meat keepers at times there, kids jumping on live trout, throwing trout high up in the water and on the parking lot too. These are immature idiots that don't know much or care about our resources. We often give them harsh talk. I've sent kids home that had a fish tank on railing full of crappies. But these are not every day occurrences. I still think Mill Lake is a Jule of a lake and we can be glad we have it in the middle of our comunity!

Don't blame the Bass? My opinion is, I do Blame the Bass! Especially now. It was only about 5 months ago that everybody was catching small species described in my first post. They are all gone now. Obviously the Bass has gotten bigger and is creating problems. OK, Bass fishing will be better but the rest of the small fishes will be missed..

I've fished in many other lakes, rivers and places. I've also fished around the world! But Mill Lake is still a nice lake to come to after super for an evening bite!
Is definitely not a *** Hole!

That's my opinion.
MrGrey1

[noxcape]

this is the problem with this province blame every thing on the bass in the lakes there in but never take the blame for it yourself maybe if people started to look at the way things are treated around here then maybe something can be done to save the trout and salmon instead of going after another type of fish to kill off and blame it on them

[HOOK]

maybe you should have let the Bass eat that tiny little trout  i mean it would have put up a better fight anyhow  I think i might go there and target some bass with popper flies LOL no sense in blaming fish decline on another fish unless you have proof of them destroying the other. are bass predatory fish, YES. do they eat other fish, of course they do. this is what is called the "food chain" let nature do its thing. you say you have fished all over the world, so im assuming you have had Bull trout try to eat your fish when fighting cutthroat?? did you whine about it then? did you blame the bullies for not catching as many cutties that day? ever fish somewhere where the best bait or fly is something that literally resembles another trout (sometimes large) ?

[Every Day]

HOOK that is not the point....

Bass are obviously not native to ths lake. Other streams, etc that you have stated have NATIVE bull trout, pike, etc preying on NATIVE fish, so yes, that is the cycle of life and the food chain. This is exactly like the invasion of asian carp on particular rivers around the world and now in Canada. They grow fast, and eat everything and screw up the eco system because they are not native. I would fully support killing of non-native species as well a sa no bag limit. It may be wrong to kill fish that you are not going to use, but I think it is worse to wreck a fishery by introducing a non-native species.

Hook you said he needs proof of bass destroying the other fish species. I would call those pictures proof, it is going after a trout over half of its length trying to eat it. I highly doubt there are many other fish in there much bigger thatn that rainbow, and they would definatley go after other smaller species.

I see where noxcape is coming from. He likes bass, but who cares really. Go fish a lake that has native bass in it and not one where people have illegally introduced the species. If you like bass so much, go to alberta or elsewhere where the bass are actually suppose to be. We are recognized for our trout and salmon fishing, not our bass fishing, why complain about killing off a species that has no business being in our lakes.

By the way noxcape... the hatchery will not stock lakes they deem to be uncapable of keeping the fish alive. Your theory of the fish dying anyways is way off. I also dont like how people call stocked lakes a meat fishery. They don't need to be, it is way more fun to catch and release trout, especially on a fly rod rather than take them home and eat something that tastes like mud.

Don't worry Mr.Grey, I can assume that there will be many people there now targeting bass and "getting rid of them" when they see this topic.   I might even go give it a try 

[Rodney]

Lots of misinformation being presented. Without going into a in-depth debate, here are some information presented in point forms that would provide some better understanding on how the Lower Mainland lakes are managed.

Lower Mainland lakes, or most coastal lakes, lack the nutrient level that can sustain the growth of trout. Due to this inability to self-sustain sportfisheries, the hatchery stocks rainbow trout at catchable size (250 - 500g), which are the most expensive stock to raise as opposed to stocking yearlings. Rainbow trout are stocked at catchable size because the lake does not provide enough food to allow yearlings to grow to the same catchable size. Stocked rainbow trout are intended for put and take fisheries, so anglers are welcome to keep fish as long as they stay within the limit. All stocked fish are female and sterile, as they are not intended for expanding the population. Most of the fish are not expected to survive past one season due to the inability to intake enough food, therefore lakes are stocked repeatedly throughout the season to sustain the quality of the fishery that managers wish to see.

Like large and smallmouth bass, northern pikes are not native to Southern BC. Crappies, pumpkinseeds, sunfish in Mill Lake are also invasive species.

Stock assessment and impact of a non-native species on another (I say another because stocked rainbow trout are not native to the lake) is not done by one observation.

While catch per angling effort over a period of time by one angler can provide a rough picture of the quality of a fishery to the individual, it is not accurate to use it to determine how the fishery is doing. This is where creel survey is applied. This does not mean talking to 50 anglers about how good the fishing is, rather a collection of data over time is used and analyzed statistically.

The Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC manages the hatcheries and stocks lakes and rivers when directed. For concerns on invasive species, the correct agency to contact is the BC Ministry of Environment.

[speycaster]

Go kill a few of those big suckers, fillet them and put them in the pan with garlic and butter. Mmmm bass fillets.

[troutbreath]

Those pictures Mr Grey1, posted in fishing reports on certain sites might well take care of the problem. Nice photos by the way.

[marmot]

I was reading a report last week on bass and perch propagation in southwestern bc and lower mainland waters.  Scary stuff....lots of very high risk lakes.....high risk meaning being overrun by bass or perch within a relatively short timeframe.

Not a lot you can do once they are established.

[Sam Salmon]

I was reading a report last week on bass and perch propagation in southwestern bc and lower mainland waters.  Scary stuff....lots of very high risk lakes.....high risk meaning being overrun by bass or perch within a relatively short timeframe.

Not a lot you can do once they are established.

[HOOK]

MMMM that looks damn good Sam. im on my way to Mill now so i can make some of those 

[fishnjim]

nice pictures.  too bad the lake has gotten worse for trout fishing for you.  did that lake originally have native cutties or any native fish in it?  it might be worth a try to fish for those bass and try and make a negative situation for you into a somewhat positive?

but i do feel bad for you, for your close to home after supper fishing that you have done for years.

[marmot]

hahahaha thanks SS.

[MrGrey1]

nice pictures.  too bad the lake has gotten worse for trout fishing for you.  did that lake originally have native cutties or any native fish in it?  it might be worth a try to fish for those bass and try and make a negative situation for you into a somewhat positive?

but i do feel bad for you, for your close to home after supper fishing that you have done for years.

Yes, it had big cutties in it before, but not sure if they were stocked. Some were about 18 inches! Still have some pictures somewhere. I can only speculate here.. Don't see them anymore for a few years now. However, I don't think it had too much native fish in it as there was a huge Sawmill way back then.. Water was probably too acidic or polluted from all that wood. There was also some huge catfish. Up to 6 pounds. I had a few of various sizes.

I red history about the old sawmill once and it mentioned something about train and cars with loads of wood flipping over to the lake. But that was in 1930's or something like that. Should find or dig out the article on the Internet or in the library again... Not sure where I saw it now...

Surprisingly the fishing was good today! There was three of us fishing and we got about 3 trouts.. Lost a couple as well. Not bad after all these big Bass reports... LOL

Perhaps, we should have a Bass Fishing Derby every three moths or so. The fisheries should give small prizes even for Small Mouth Bass or any Bass, no matter how big it is.
That would probably save money and put fishing guys on the Bass problem quick. It would be a lot cheaper than try to clean it some other way.

Well, we will see what's gonna come from my pictures and my reports. All I know, they are there, so go and get them!

Happy Tight Lines!
MrGrey1