Surprise at Malče reservoir
We manage few small trout reservoirs. Malče reservoir with area of 3 hectares is the newest one, we get it to rent only 6 years ago. The reservoir was drained due to a technical maintenance 4 years ago and therefore all fish were taken out and we stocked only trouts during next seasons. During following years, nice weed-beds full of natural life were created along the banks, the reservoir was famous for the nice trout-fishing in almost clear water, it is probably the only still-water in South Bohemia when you can fish trout on natural flies like small olives and sedges. But last season was nothing special and there were caught few bigger pikes. In the beginning of September 2012, we obtained request from the Vltava River Authority, the owner of the reservoir, that it is necessary to drain the lake again to test the stability of the dam. We prepared the action for the beginning of November and we looked forward to see the residual fish stock. I personally awaited few trouts and pikes and some of coarse fish, what a mistake!!!
The total catch from the 3 hectares was:
- 445 kg of mixture of coarse fish with dominance of perch and roach, including perch of 1,5 kg and also some big bream, ide and tench
- 7 pieces of raibow trout including one fish of 60 cm (we stocked 300 kg in spring)
- 20 kg of brook trout (we stocked 150 kg in the end of August)
- 30 kg of brown trout including some nice fish (we stocked 150 kg in spring)
- 20 pieces - 45 kg of grass carp, it was stocked in spring to control weed
- 70 pieces/109 kg of pike including two monsters over 1 m (the biggest one had 8,4 kg), 15-20 pieces of the length +-70cm, 20-30 pieces of the length +-50cm and 20-30 YOY fish +- 30 cm.
All fish besides of trout and grass carp came to the lake from few small pounds in the catchment area and the predation pressure of pike to the trout is unexceptionable. I had to a little change my opinion on the usefulness of pike in trout-lakes as the predator of the coarse fish and the damaged trout and “trophy-fish” for fly-fishermen, during the day we found about 10 brook trout digested and brought up by pike…
It is clear, that the regular draining with 3-4 years cycle is necessary to keep the required trout fish stock in this lake, and probably in all our trout lakes.
