Interesting "Older Lake Trout" study

[Red Bullets]

This laker study is interesting and sort of discussion worthy.

Seems that older big lake trout do not age like me and you. They continue getting bigger as they age and the older they get does not affect their fertility, where other animals and humans only grow so big and lose their fertility as they age. And as a laker gets bigger it no longer has any predators which contributes to their long lives too.

https://theworldnews.net/ca-news/old...-without-aging

It makes me think other fish species are maybe the same. The biggest pike I've seen close up don't look old. If so, there is validity to letting the big fish go. I've kept big fish over the years and now not sure I would.

This also tells me eating the same diet in the same environment for a lifetime may contribute to longetivity.

[Talking moose]

That’s why people freak out at our (Alberta) fisheries. It’s well known that the bigger/older the female fish gets, the more eggs it produces.
Makes no sense to keep fish over x amount of centimetres and let the small ones go. The bigger fish are proven breeders and produce more offspring.
Some provinces got it right with slot size limits or keeping fish under x size.
Release the big hens.

[Smoky buck]

I have known this for a long time and this is common practice when selecting brood stock too

Only time I bonk a big fish is if it likely won’t survive. If I am selecting my fish smaller to mid size

[Penner]

Originally Posted by Talking moose

That’s why people freak out at our (Alberta) fisheries. It’s well known that the bigger/older the female fish gets, the more eggs it produces.
Makes no sense to keep fish over x amount of centimetres and let the small ones go. The bigger fish are proven breeders and produce more offspring.
Some provinces got it right with slot size limits or keeping fish under x size.
Release the big hens.

Slot limits agree to protect the big spawners but in a province with so few fishable waterbodies slots size has to be extremely tight in order not to deplete slot size so that enough slot fish sneak thru to become big spawners. I think slot size on our lakes is too liberal.

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by Penner

Slot limits agree to protect the big spawners but in a province with so few fishable waterbodies slots size has to be extremely tight in order not to deplete slot size so that enough slot fish sneak thru to become big spawners. I think slot size on our lakes is too liberal.

Personally I think the length of the C&k season is another factor. There is many ways to control harvest numbers and many ways to combined them. We may have higher pressure that involves using multiple management tools but it’s not impossible

I have said it before on this forum there is many jurisdictions south of the border with a much higher population density creating high pressure and they have created effective management plans

Alberta needs to start combining different management tools creating a management plan not look at one tool on its own

But regardless Red bullets point is 100% correct larger more mature brood stock produce more eggs and often larger eggs too. I know this for a fact from managing brood stock and a hatchery for aquaculture

[EZM]

As I age, I think I'm kinda like a lake trout too - I keep growing rounder and so far my fertility is still going strong !!!!

As far as retention - Generally, I agree, that releasing breeders is a better option USUALLY.

But ..... there are some situations, specific to watersheds where maybe a few years (either sequentially or in proportion) where low water levels, spawning conditions, etc.. have created lower recruitment levels (less new fish surviving) and, as a result, may have removed/reduced an age class (in population distribution)..... this may change what retention plans might look like.

That's were having enough resources to monitor our watersheds is money well spent. More BIOs should mean better fisheries and resource management.

There is also the general condition that exists (outside of fishing pressure alone) where the trophic status of lakes move sup the scale (generally) the further south you move - basically warmer more productive and rich water allowing fish to grow faster.

This is also true and prevalent and well studies in SASK - age studies on Walleye prove this to be true for us too.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by Penner

Slot limits agree to protect the big spawners but in a province with so few fishable waterbodies slots size has to be extremely tight in order not to deplete slot size so that enough slot fish sneak thru to become big spawners. I think slot size on our lakes is too liberal.

Ahhh but toss it into a draw too, ya get drawn and only then you can take two within the slot size.
Keeping the 75cm and over is simply not right from my perspective.
Ohhh well out of my wheelhouse but I let’em all go to grow hoping one day larger fish are more common.


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[Frank_NK28]

Fisheries management is a complicated tool for sure but a few provinces seem to have come up with some good ideas. When I lived in Ontario I was 40 minutes from the QC border and about a 90 minute drive to what were called Zec Zones. These were specially regulated areas for both fishing and hunting and the fishing and hunting in them was amazing. The Zec closest to us had a number of lakes with Lake Trout, Brookies, Walleye, Northern Pike and Bass. Fishing in the Zecs required a Zec license. All fish caught and kept required mandatory immediate reporting. Once or if a lake reached a quota of a particular species that lake was closed to fishing that species immediately and did not open again until the next seasons opener.
When I lived in BC some lakes required special licenses and had annual catch quotas for Lake Trout or particular strains of Rainbow Trout. You had a license you cut out the date and species of your catch and you had better have cut out the notch in the license if you had a fish in your possession or you were going to pay dearly! When you reached your quota you could not retain any more fish of those species on that water for the year.
It would be very easy to implement those types of measures in AB imo. Personally I do not fish AB waters or buy an AB license even though I live here. As I live on the AB/SK border it's in my best interest to fish SK waters so I buy a SK license. The only water I fish in AB is Cold Lake and since it's divided between AB and SK my SK license is valid there. Cold Lake is fun to fish and of course easy to access and drive to for a day trip but you have to fish it with the mindset it's going to pretty much be C&R. When we decided to fish Lakers we can keep we got to SK.

[Penner]

Originally Posted by Frank_NK28

Fisheries management is a complicated tool for sure but a few provinces seem to have come up with some good ideas. When I lived in Ontario I was 40 minutes from the QC border and about a 90 minute drive to what were called Zec Zones. These were specially regulated areas for both fishing and hunting and the fishing and hunting in them was amazing. The Zec closest to us had a number of lakes with Lake Trout, Brookies, Walleye, Northern Pike and Bass. Fishing in the Zecs required a Zec license. All fish caught and kept required mandatory immediate reporting. Once or if a lake reached a quota of a particular species that lake was closed to fishing that species immediately and did not open again until the next seasons opener.
When I lived in BC some lakes required special licenses and had annual catch quotas for Lake Trout or particular strains of Rainbow Trout. You had a license you cut out the date and species of your catch and you had better have cut out the notch in the license if you had a fish in your possession or you were going to pay dearly! When you reached your quota you could not retain any more fish of those species on that water for the year.
It would be very easy to implement those types of measures in AB imo. Personally I do not fish AB waters or buy an AB license even though I live here. As I live on the AB/SK border it's in my best interest to fish SK waters so I buy a SK license. The only water I fish in AB is Cold Lake and since it's divided between AB and SK my SK license is valid there. Cold Lake is fun to fish and of course easy to access and drive to for a day trip but you have to fish it with the mindset it's going to pretty much be C&R. When we decided to fish Lakers we can keep we got to SK.

Lakers make for poor table fair. I find it damn near criminal that the large lakers in Cold Lake have been all but fished out. A 20lb laker could over 30 years old and the fact you could drive to a lake and catch one is what we should be protecting. Set a slot up in Cold where one 54cm - 58cm trout could be kept (or something like that) those little guys are way better eating and let’s those big ones to spawn and a chance to catch a trophy. Bait ban also. I miss catching those 20-30 lbs’ers in there.

[58thecat]

Cold lake has an abundance of lakers but if we want to see trophy size then perhaps like you said open during specific weeks and a slot size only might get this lake to its true laker trophy potential.


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[Frank_NK28]

Originally Posted by 58thecat

Cold lake has an abundance of lakers but if we want to see trophy size then perhaps like you said open during specific weeks and a slot size only might get this lake to its true laker trophy potential.


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It sure changed the fishery on the lake I mentioned earlier. The average size went up from 2-4 pounds to 4-7 pounds in short order and for a small lake it coughed up it's fair share of 20-30 pound fish. My buddy had a cottage on a point where the lake trout spawned on a small hump off th side of the point. The ministry would set up traffic counters much like they do with car traffic and record movement on the spawning bed. They would go out late at night with a boat with a large spotlight mounted on the front and look at the fish as part of their survey. We were asked to join them a few times for a look and what a sight to see the number of 15-30lb fish on that hump!! Way more than was ever caught and spoken of. It was an eye opener and a very well managed fishery. If something like that were done on Cold Lake I think you'd have a fishery reminiscent of the good old days I hear many speak of when 20lb fish were very common place. Cold lake sure has the numbers and food the source to achieve that status for sure. I find it a very impressive drive to Laker fishery. Reminds me of Lake Nipigon with the exception that the average Laker in Nipigon is 21lbs and the average catch is 7 per day according to stats compiled the Ont MNR. On Nipigon they put in a barbless hook rule too....I have two sets of spoons, everything in duplicate. One apron is full of barbless single hooked spoons for when I fish Cold Lake....

[Jayhad]

I wonder if this info translates to other char, not just Lakeys

As for slot sizes, I agree, I think of the K lakes, jam packed with bulls all the same size. If some are removed common sense would say the remain fish will get larger

[dustinjoels]

Originally Posted by Frank_NK28

It sure changed the fishery on the lake I mentioned earlier. The average size went up from 2-4 pounds to 4-7 pounds in short order and for a small lake it coughed up it's fair share of 20-30 pound fish. My buddy had a cottage on a point where the lake trout spawned on a small hump off th side of the point. The ministry would set up traffic counters much like they do with car traffic and record movement on the spawning bed. They would go out late at night with a boat with a large spotlight mounted on the front and look at the fish as part of their survey. We were asked to join them a few times for a look and what a sight to see the number of 15-30lb fish on that hump!! Way more than was ever caught and spoken of. It was an eye opener and a very well managed fishery. If something like that were done on Cold Lake I think you'd have a fishery reminiscent of the good old days I hear many speak of when 20lb fish were very common place. Cold lake sure has the numbers and food the source to achieve that status for sure. I find it a very impressive drive to Laker fishery. Reminds me of Lake Nipigon with the exception that the average Laker in Nipigon is 21lbs and the average catch is 7 per day according to stats compiled the Ont MNR. On Nipigon they put in a barbless hook rule too....I have two sets of spoons, everything in duplicate. One apron is full of barbless single hooked spoons for when I fish Cold Lake....

Unfortunately all of this takes enforcement and therefore money. And the government of Alberta isn’t going to allocate more money/resources into biologists, surveys, FIN netting, CO’s, stocking etc. Fisheries just isn’t a priority. Especially now rebounding from the economic impact of covid.

I wish fisheries were a priority, but unfortunately they aren’t in Alberta.

[I’d rather be outdoors]

Originally Posted by dustinjoels

Unfortunately all of this takes enforcement and therefore money. And the government of Alberta isn’t going to allocate more money/resources into biologists, surveys, FIN netting, CO’s, stocking etc. Fisheries just isn’t a priority. Especially now rebounding from the economic impact of covid.

I wish fisheries were a priority, but unfortunately they aren’t in Alberta.

I say we save more $ and just de-fund the bio’s. Don’t really seem to be doing much except figuring out new regs to rob us of opportunity instead of doing proper wholistic studies. Take the $ and stock like crazy, everywhere.

[Frank_NK28]

Originally Posted by dustinjoels

Unfortunately all of this takes enforcement and therefore money. And the government of Alberta isn’t going to allocate more money/resources into biologists, surveys, FIN netting, CO’s, stocking etc. Fisheries just isn’t a priority. Especially now rebounding from the economic impact of covid.

I wish fisheries were a priority, but unfortunately they aren’t in Alberta.

Actually I find it quite the opposite in AB. In Ontario I rarely saw a CO doing enforcement where here I see CO's out regularly doing patrols and checks. As for the bio's you and I will not see what they are doing unless we get involved and volunteer to participate in community fisheries programs. I used to be involved in them years ago and took part in things like Walleye egg collection, rearing pond maintenance, stocking, feeding Rainbow Trout fry at community run hatcheries, Ounaniche(landlocked Atlantic salmon) reintroduction, night watch on walleye spawning grounds etc. Then you work alongside the bio's and get to see what goes on behind the scenes. Community fishery programs better serve anglers than waiting on the gov't to commit to the fishery 100% but it takes volunteers. You'd be amazed what can be accomplished by doing so.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by Frank_NK28

Actually I find it quite the opposite in AB. In Ontario I rarely saw a CO doing enforcement where here I see CO's out regularly doing patrols and checks. As for the bio's you and I will not see what they are doing unless we get involved and volunteer to participate in community fisheries programs. I used to be involved in them years ago and took part in things like Walleye egg collection, rearing pond maintenance, stocking, feeding Rainbow Trout fry at community run hatcheries, Ounaniche(landlocked Atlantic salmon) reintroduction, night watch on walleye spawning grounds etc. Then you work alongside the bio's and get to see what goes on behind the scenes. Community fishery programs better serve anglers than waiting on the gov't to commit to the fishery 100% but it takes volunteers. You'd be amazed what can be accomplished by doing so.

Maybe your neck of the woods....we got one to cover a huge area....sad

I do agree that programs work with people working together and at the end of the day just because it is legal to do doesn’t always mean it is right so we can play a big part just by doing the right thing and in cold lakes laker program let them go and grow.