As a direct result of Fisheries engagement efforts with the public there are more harvest opportunities on many lakes in our province, which is great news. We may also see the return of walleye stocking, says Park, cautioning that they’re not as easy to culture as trout. By the fall of 2020, it’s expected to be fully up and running. As Park explains, when considering any individual lake, his department simply can’t satisfy everybody; some anglers might want a lake to hold large trout, while others, seeking a more family-oriented fishery, want an abundance of fish. Where possible and practical, says Park, stocking decisions are made by adopting the desires of the angling community. For example, it’s hard to deny that rainbow trout hybridizing with native cutthroats and competing with them for limited habitat have contributed to the westslope cutthroat’s decline in our province. As such, Park and his team try to keep regional and provincial perspectives in mind when making decisions. Outlined below are the changes compared to the previous year for each lake with a summary at the end: Bear Pond – now allowed 2 trout, limit was 0 in 2019, Big Iron Lake – now allowed 2 trout, limit was 0 in 2019, Ghost Reservoir – now 0 limit on Cutthroat Trout, previously allowed up to 5 in 2019, Kids Can Catch Pond – now closes Sept 30, was open until Oct 31 in 2019, Quarry Lake – now allowed 2 trout, limit was 0 in 2019, Wedge Pond – now allowed 2 trout, limit was 0 in 2019, Oldman River – sections of the river consolidated in regulations for 2020, Abraham Lake – regulations now include downstream of Highway 11 (Cline River bridge), Lake of the Falls – now no size limit on Cutthroat, was over 30 cm in 2019, Cline River – waterbody details changed to exclude Lake of the Falls and Michele Lake tributaries, Millers Lake – added to regulations and now limit of 2 rainbow trout, was 5 trout in 2019, Shiningbank Lake – Special Harvest License available for walleye, 0 pike limit, 10 whitefish, was 0 walleye, 3 pike over 63 cm and 0 whitefish in 2019, Mcleod River – Brook trout season limited, was open until Oct. 31 in 2019, A La Peche Lake – 5 trout, was 2 rainbows over 30 cm and 5 trout total in 2019, Iosegun Lake – now 1 walleye slot limit, was Special Harvest Tag in 2019, Sturgeon Lake – now 1 walleye slot limit, was 1 over 50 cm in 2019, Cutbank River – added to regulations for 2020, Little Smoky River – sections consolidated in regulations for 2020, Muskeg River – sections consolidated and now 5 trout total, was 2 rainbow over 30 and 5 trout total in 2019, Chin Lakes – now 1 walleye slot limit, was 0 in 2019, Forty Mile Coulee Reservoir – now 1 walleye slot limit, was 1 walleye over 55 cm in 2019, Hays (Grantham Reservoir) Lake – now 2 walleye and 2 pike any size limit and open all year, was 3 walleye over 50 cm and 3 pike over 63 cm and closed from Mar 16-May 7 in 2019, Horsefly Lake Reservoir – now 2 walleye and 2 pike any size, was 1 walleye over 55 cm and 3 pike any size in 2019, Johnson Lake – now 1 pike any size, was 3 pike over 63 cm in 2019, Keho Lake – now 1 walleye slot limit and 1 pike slot limit, was 0 walleye and 3 pike over 63 cm in 2019, Mcvinnie Reservoir – now 3 walleye, 3 pike and 5 trout any size, was 5 trout in 2019, Milk River Ridge Reservoir – now 1 walleye slot limit, was 1 walleye over 55 cm in 2019, Park Lake – now 1 walleye and 1 pike any size, was 0 walleye and 3 pike over 63 cm in 2019, Rattlesnake (Sauder) Reservoir – now 1 walleye slot limit, was 0 walleye in 2019, Rock Lake – now 1 pike any size, was 3 pike over 63 cm in 2019, Stafford Reservoir – now 1 walleye slot limit, was 0 walleye in 2019, Cowoki Irrigation Canal – now 0 pike, was 3 over 63 cm in 2019, Berry Creek (Carolside) Reservoir – now 1 walleye slot limit and 1 pike slot limit, was 0 walleye and 1 pike over 63 cm in 2019, Buck Lake – now 1 walleye slot limit, was 1 walleye over 50 cm in 2019, Coal Lake – now 1 pike any size, was 3 over 63 cm in 2019, Gull Lake – now 1 walleye slot limit, was special harvest license in 2019, Little Fish Lake – added to regulations for 2020, Pine Lake – now 1 walleye any size and 1 pike over 63 cm, was 0 walleye and 3 pike over 63 cm in 2019, Rat Lake – now 1 walleye slot limit, was 1 walleye over 50 cm in 2019, Sylvan Lake – now 1 walleye any size, was 0 walleye in 2019, Berry Creek – now 1 walleye and 1 pike slot limit, was 0 walleye and 1 pike over 63 cm in 2019, Amisk Lake – now 0 pike, was 1 pike over 63 cm in 2019, Angling Lake – now 1 pike over 63 cm, was 0 pike in 2019, Bangs Lake – season expanded for tributaries, Behan Lake – now 1 pike any size, was 0 in 2019, Big Chief Lake – now 1 pike any size, was 2 pike any size in 2019, Bourque Lake – now 1 walleye slot limit, was special harvest license in 2019, Cow Lake – now 1 pike any size, was 2 pike any size in 2019, Crane (Moore) Lake – regulations now include outlet stream, Crickett Lake – now 3 pike any size, was 2 pike any size in 2019, Drown Lake – added to regulations for 2020, Elinor Lake – now 1 walleye slot limit and 1 pike slot limit, was walleye special harvest license and 0 pike in 2019, Ethel (Bear) Lake – regulations now include tributaries for 2020, Fork Lake – now 1 pike slot limit, was 0 pike in 2019, Garner Lake – now 1 walleye slot limit, was special harvest license in 2019, Ironwood Lake – now 1 walleye slot limit, was 0 walleye in 2019, Lac Bellevue – now 1 walleye slot limit, was special harvest license in 2019, Lac La Biche – now 1 walleye slot limit, was special harvest license in 2019, Lac La Biche Trout Pond – now 3 pike, 15 perch and 3 trout, was 5 trout in 2019, Lakeland Provincial Park – all lakes within park now combined for 2020, Little Bear Lake – added to regulations for 2020, Lloydminister Pond – now 2 trout, was 5 in 2019, Marie Lake – now 1 walleye slot limit, was 0 walleye in 2019, May Lake – now 1 walleye slot limit, was 0 walleye in 2019, Moose Lake – now 1 walleye slot limit, was special harvest license in 2019, Muriel Lake – regulations now include tributaries for 2020, Pinehurst Lake – now 1 walleye slot limit, was special harvest license in 2019, Skeleton Lake – now 1 walleye slot limit and 1 pike slot limit, was 0 walleye and 1 pike over 63 cm in 2019, Spencer Lake – now 2 walleye slot limit, was 2 walleye over 50 cm in 2019, Tucker Lake – now 2 pike slot limit, was 1 pike over 63 cm in 2019, Wiau Lake – now 1 pike any size, was 0 pike in 2019, Blue Lake – added to regulations for 2020, Chain (Lower) Lake – now 0 brown trout for 2020, Freeman Lake – now bait allowed, was bait ban in 2019, Gilroy Lake – added to regulations for 2020, Island Lake – now 1 walleye slot limit and 1 pike slot limit, was 0 walleye and 0 pike in 2019, Lawrence Lake – now 3 pike any size, was 2 pike any size in 2019, Lily Lake – added to regulations for 2020, Schuman Lake – now 0 tiger trout and 5 rainbow trout, was 5 trout in 2019, Thunder Lake – added to regulations for 2020, South Heart River – now bait allowed, was bait ban in 2019, Strawberry Creek – now bait allowed, was bait ban in 2019, Berry Lake – now 3 pike any size, was 3 pike over 63 cm in 2019, Calder Lake – now 3 pike any size, was 3 over 63 cm in 2019, Graham (Trout) Lake – now open to Mar 31, was open until Mar 1 in 2019, Thurston Lake – now 1 pike slot limit, was 0 pike in 2019, Vandersteene Lake – now open from June 1 to Mar 31, was open Mar 2 to Mar 1 in 2019, Wadlin Lake – now 1 pike slot limit, was 0 pike in 2019, Muskwa River – now bait allowed, was bait allowed only in river in 2019, Nipisi River – now bait allowed, was bait allowed only in river in 2019, Smoky River – now bait allowed, was bait allowed only in river in 2019, Wabasca River – now 1 pike over 75 cm in one section of river, was 0 pike in 2019, Gardiner Lakes – now 0 walleye and 0 pike, was 1 walleye over 50 and 1 pike over 63 cm in 2019, Winefred lake – now 1 walleye slot limit, was 0 walleye in 2019, Birch Creek – now 0 pike, was 3 pike over 63 cm in 2019, Jackfish River – now 0 pike, was 3 pike over 63 cm in 2019, Monday Creek – now 0 pike, was 3 pike over 63 cm in 2019, Sunday Creek – now 0 pike, was 3 pike over 63 cm in 2019, 27 lakes either open or increased for walleye retention, 2 lakes closed or reduced for walleye retention, 13 lakes either opened or increased pike retention, 17 lakes closed or reduced for pike retention. Use the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. In the years ahead, the province will have to make decisions about rearing and stocking westslope cutthroat trout, arctic grayling, bull trout, and native Athabasca rainbows, among others. Beyond the species already named, northern pike, perch, arctic char, atlantic salmon, bull trout, lake whitefish, arctic grayling, tiger trout, and several minnow species were also stocked in Alberta waters. But with their introduction comes a couple more rules around stocked trout ponds. Other notable introductions were not as successful. In making the announcement, the minister said, “Replacing and upgrading fish hatcheries enables us to increase our stocking programs, while ensuring these facilities operate more efficiently and are better protected against disease.