Updated: Sat Oct. 10 2009 17:02:36

ctvcalgary.ca

Dozens of people braved the chilly temperatures Saturday to go on a rescue mission.

Volunteers with Trout Unlimited pulled hundreds of trout and other species of fish from an irrigation canal east of Calgary near Carsland before the water freezes and the fish are killed.

If the rescue mission didn't happen, thousands of trout would be lost to what will soon be shallow frozen waters.

"After the gates close at the top end, the water drops, and then what also happens is it closes off at the bottom end because of the water dropping and the fish are stranded in pools along the canals," said Brian Meagher with Trout Unlimited. 

Every fish taken from the canal is identified, weighed and measured.

Getting the fish out of the canal is easier than collecting the data.

It's a high tech method of luring the fish toward the nets.

"Basically what they have is a slight electrical current from the back pack that puts an electric current into the water," added Meagher. "You are putting in a negative charge into the water, the fish have a line on their side that is positively charged, and so the fish are attracted to the pole."

Once the fish are collected, measured and weighed, they are put into a large holding tank.

When the tank is full the truck will take the fish to edge of the Bow River and they'll be released.

Chuck Johnston has been part of the trout rescue mission for many years. He says it's a worthwhile effort.

"I kind of wish that the commercial fisherman that are making a living off this could see how many fish we put back into the river for their livelihood because some of those four and five pound fish are trophy fish."

This rescue mission will be repeated along several canals in southern Alberta.

Last year, more than 36-thousand fish representing 22 different species were captured and released.

Mountain White Fish make up the largest part of the fish rescue, accounting for 19 per cent of the total catch.