Is Lockport DYING? (Or just a really SLOW fishing day on Manitoba's RED RIVER?)

I feel like I need to apologize for the click-baity title but there are some truths and observations I felt like I really needed to get off my chest. While the fishing in Manitoba's Red River is still excellent it appears like it may be declining. It is one of a few easy access fishing destinations near a city of 841,000 people so obviously is has very high pressure. It is supported by one of the world's largest most fertile lakes. Does this mean the fishery will last forever? It is sustainable but with 100s of people fishing here daily and with some keeping far more than they are allowed it can be ruined. It may take a couple decades before it gets truly noticeable but once the fishery is dead it will take that same amount of time to restore it. The larger the fishery the longer it takes to deplete and to recover.
While the fishing is still decent and some would say it's just hit and miss I can't help but mention a few facts that I have observed first hand that would anger any conservation minded angler. The big three are:
*I have fished here many times over 8 years and not once have I seen any kind of conservation authority. This makes me feel the river here is not being protected.
*Every time I visit Lockport I see many dead cat fish on shore. I doubt more than a few of them are natural causes. Seeing fish wasted is a major trigger point for me.
*I have seen the "bucket brigade" in action here. There is a minimum size limit here of 14 inches and I have seen people, often in larger groups (probably families) keeping dozens of under sized sauger/walleye and whatever else is unlucky enough to take their baits. They keep everything! No officers are around to keep the poaching in check!
Enough of the negativity. Check out this great action video I made here a few years ago. This is what I remember the fishing being like here at Lockport:
• Red River Cats Summer ...
Let me know your thoughts on this fishery or of similar situations you have experienced in your home waters. Cheers and tight lines!
P.S. After uploading this video I went to the Manitoba Master Angler website to check out their record book to see if the data matches my observations. I searched Channel Cats in the Red River from August 1 to September 1 for the last four years and here are the results:
2020: 454 masters caught
2021: 392 masters caught
2022: 267 masters caught and finally
2023: 149 masters caught
I originally felt bad about sharing such a negative video but after seeing the results I feel vindicated. Lockport, Manitoba as a cat fishery... IS... DYING!
#multispeciesfishing #catfish #poaching #kayakfishing #shorefishing #icefishing #canada #lockport #manitoba