I am excited!
For many years it seems like the trout lakes in Alberta have been stocked based on tradition. Starting with Mitchell Lake and an angler request for a fall spawners [browns or brookies] to complement the spring spawners [rainbows], Brown trout were stocked in 2003. Angler acceptance of the mixed species resulted in a further experiment in Birch Lake with Brook, Rainbow and Brown trout stocked in 2013.
At the request of many anglers, after either experiencing the Tiger Trout fishing in Manitoba or seeing the pictures, Tiger trout are now being stocked in several places throughout Alberta.
After many years of catching Brown Trout from Europe, Brook Trout from some bog from in a New England state and Rainbows from British Columbia or the US, we are now on the cusp of a brand new mostly made in Alberta Rainbow.
In conversation with Craig Copeland, Fish Culture Manager of Alberta Environment and Parks, I learned that a different Rainbow Trout is now being cultured for stocking . These Rainbow Trout, which are near 95% purity of Athabasca Trout, are one of the Native Trout of Alberta. The brood stock came from an end pit lake in an active coal mine. Clearly, as the trout are not 100% purity, they cannot be called Athabasca Trout for the purposes of identification. To reflect their mixed linage, they are designated as PLPL species in the stocking reports. Mr. Copeland also related that some of the PLPL strain have been added to East Pit Lake near Stoney Plain. He anticipated that somewhere between 100,000 > 150,000 PLPL trout would be stocked by 2020.
Personally, as a third generation Albertan, I’m excited as hell to get a chance to catch a Rainbow raised in Alberta from Alberta stocks.
My thanks to all involved to make my dream come true.
Don Andersen
See the link below for pictures of the trout.
https://imgur.com/a/Yi36X5B