tamiron wrote:I have sent a PM to Ellen Marsden to verify that 35% natural reproduction of Lake Trout. I will post her comments on this thread.
FROM ELLEN:Absolutely correct, and the ratio is rising as each new wild year class enters the population. We’re working on understanding what’s happened, the current ‘favorite’ theory being a change in the food supply – Mysis, which are small invertebrates in deep water – that is eaten by the lake trout fry after they leave the reefs where they hatched. They have a short window of time before they find food or starve, and then they need enough to keep them going through their first winter. After the first winter, they generally have very high survival. We’re looking forward to seeing the wild fish as spawning adults in the fall, any year now…
tamiron wrote:I am sorry but a new phrase has entered the American language ... False News. I would like to hear from Ellen, herself, before I believe a 35% natural reproduction on Lake Trout. What changed??? From 0 to 35%, please Ellen, tell us this IS true!!
1. I agree with C-Hawk about the confirmation that would come form tracking spawning numbers. This is step one of the proposed action plan.
Who is Brian MacQuarrie of the Boston Globe? A true outdoor writer? Can someone vouch for his accuracy
Well, Brian MacQuarrie, seems to be right on the money, according to Ellen! But why hasn't the VT Fish & Game reported this incredible news even sooner??
tamiron wrote:I am sorry but a new phrase has entered the American language ... False News. I would like to hear from Ellen, herself, before I believe a 35% natural reproduction on Lake Trout. What changed??? From 0 to 35%, please Ellen, tell us this IS true!!
1. I agree with C-Hawk about the confirmation that would come form tracking spawning numbers. This is step one of the proposed action plan.
Who is Brian MacQuarrie of the Boston Globe? A true outdoor writer? Can someone vouch for his accuracy
Have some CROW Tamiron !!!!!!! Just kidding! Thank you for taking the lead on this and getting a response from Ellen. Sounds promising.
tamiron wrote:I am sorry but a new phrase has entered the American language ... False News. I would like to hear from Ellen, herself, before I believe a 35% natural reproduction on Lake Trout. What changed??? From 0 to 35%, please Ellen, tell us this IS true!!
1. I agree with C-Hawk about the confirmation that would come form tracking spawning numbers. This is step one of the proposed action plan.
Who is Brian MacQuarrie of the Boston Globe? A true outdoor writer? Can someone vouch for his accuracy
Have some CROW Tamiron !!!!!!! Just kidding! Thank you for taking the lead on this and getting a response from Ellen. Sounds promising.
With news like this, even CROW doesn't taste bad! But we have to keep pushing! Some news will be good and others will not. But the truth will make us stronger and keep Champlain as the world class fishery it should be!
Just read a report by Reelax reporting he caught some 15 inch yearlings at 85 feet. I did some research to better understand what landlocked salmon feed on, an extensive report I read indicates that their feed prefers cold water. With 60 degrees all the down to 80 feet it appears that the population of yearlings that escaped the cormorants are down in 85 feet of water where the feed is.
I still believe the thermocline shift is part of the equation to the lack of yearlings caught this summer.
Xcalibur wrote:Just read a report by Reelax reporting he caught some 15 inch yearlings at 85 feet. I did some research to better understand what landlocked salmon feed on, an extensive report I read indicates that their feed prefers cold water. With 60 degrees all the down to 80 feet it appears that the population of yearlings that escaped the cormorants are down in 85 feet of water where the feed is.
I still believe the thermocline shift is part of the equation to the lack of yearlings caught this summer.
xcalibur:
If people were fishing out of temperature because they assumed that the thermocline would be where it was last year at the same time, that could certainly have an effect on numbers ... but it's always important to know where the thermocline is every day and to fish it properly!
I don't know anything about the lake fishing as I don't have a boat, but wouldn't the fall spawning runs in the rivers provide a good sampling of the salmon? I realize the runs may be influenced by the water level in the rivers and water temperatures, but nonetheless, it should concentrate the fish for easier study/sampling I would think.
Spoke to a few of the local fishing guides here in Quebec, who guide on Lake Memphremagog (LM), they reported catching some salmon yearlings this season, but less than previous. Between 2007 and 2014 the state of Vermont put 210,000 salmon in the Clyde River which flows into Lake Memphremagog. In our conversation, we noted that the main difference between the two lakes Lake Champlain (LC), LC having much more current, and twice the length and width. However the thermocline in LM remained at about 30’ while LC was down around 80’. Another notable difference was the Cormorant population, the population on LM is small, while on LC it considerably larger and very noticeable. Bait fish are basically the same, fresh water smelt and ciscos. Both types of bait fish prefer water temperature of 54 degrees. Does anyone have information on the five finger lakes?
Excalibur, thermocline is thermocline no matter the depth or lake. 56 degree is optimal. However I did see more bait above temperature this year than I have in past years, assuming them to be alewives. I caught salmon at 90 ' this year, well below the thermocline, and also at 50 'in 63° water , mid August. In the Broad Lake I have seen thermoclines change 20' in 24 hours. You really need to be using the Fish Hawk to stay current with conditions. I don't think thermocline had much to do with the off year, as after spending 200+ hours on the water most years, I never noticed much difference than other years.
Xcalibur wrote:Just read a report by Reelax reporting he caught some 15 inch yearlings at 85 feet. I did some research to better understand what landlocked salmon feed on, an extensive report I read indicates that their feed prefers cold water. With 60 degrees all the down to 80 feet it appears that the population of yearlings that escaped the cormorants are down in 85 feet of water where the feed is.
I still believe the thermocline shift is part of the equation to the lack of yearlings caught this summer.
xcalibur:
If people were fishing out of temperature because they assumed that the thermocline would be where it was last year at the same time, that could certainly have an effect on numbers ... but it's always important to know where the thermocline is every day and to fish it properly!
Most of us have Temp Probes and follow the Thermocline closely. So to think that we didn't catch the numbers of juvenile Salmon for the past 2 years that we have in years prior was because we fished out of temp is a ridiculous assumption. Cormorants are the problem and until you watch them feed on a school of fish you might not think so but the old saying seeing is believing will change you're mind.
I guess I am being miss-understood as I input, continue to learn and understand.
To C-Hawk response I do use my Fishhawk TD on a regular basis. All of the salmon I have caught been no deeper than 50' in approximately 50 degree water. Have noted they will travel outside their preferred water temp to feed. In regards to thermocline I just considering the possibility that maybe some of the yearling population is deep, due to water temperature being 60 degrees down to 80'. In previous years I could find 45-53 degree water at 30-40 feet.
To Captain Paul, I joined and learn from the site out of respect to the experienced members. I believe input is important and if it triggers precision and learning more, all the better.
