Whats up with the lake trout?

[Sleepswithdafishes]

Seems to me the weight of lake trout has dropped a lot over the past couple of years!! Does anyone else notice this or is it just me! They look very thin! Sleeps

[Digitroll Fishing]

It appears from my view the Lake trout are starving Sleeps. Explosion of native and stocked lake trout fish. Even our salmon especially down south some are thin as well. Inland sea has 10% of the bait we would see 20 years ago on the sonar. They started the bait fish trawls again last year to see what has changed on the main lake. There has to be a million of lake trout swimming around in our lake now. I fish the Sea to get away from them at times. We almost never catch lakers when fishing for salmon in Lake Ontario. They have become (Lake Champlain) over populated quickly in the last decade on our main lake. They live decades vs 4-5 years for salmon / brown / rainbow trout. The lake trout population continues to and has compounded each year as the population gets larger with their long lives from stocking and natural reproduction. We have to go thru so many lakers to get a salmon in June thru December on the main lake. The 1-4 lb. size (Lakers) in the Fall that aren't mature yet to spawn are getting smaller each year as well. They are close to 60F in water temp in the water column where the salmon are and dominate that temp. of water and compete with the salmon.

No big lake trout a few long ones that won't weigh more than 9 lbs. Snakes! This is the last year they are stocking lake trout. When we first caught 19" salmon in 1981 at the Cowbanks they were a high 3 lb fish!

The salmon diet study every month beginning this month till December will be a piece of the puzzle. I am hoping more people get involved to help Graham each month and once we hit his quota of 15 for the Sea and 15 for the main lake (to diverse areas). After they can assess the diet of the USFW fish in Bethel and the State hatchery fish. Insects have been found in a few fish already. He is actively posting his results on the forum so we can get to his quota each month.

[saltr]

We are finding the same thing as Ron has reported in the southern end of the lake also. Glad to see them finally stop stocking LT!

[ChessieMan]

This topic was discussed at the "State of the Lake" meeting in Burlington last month, Collected and anecdotal data collected supports the "skinny fish" syndrome.

The were no answers offered, but several speculated that the success of natural reproduction augmented by stocking may be a contributing factor.

UVM/VT F&W are beginning a study on the baitfish (smelt & alewives) population, but any meaningful report is a way's out.

The suspension of stocking may have an effect, but again, any discernable change will not be immediate - I guess it's a wait an dsee.

[Reelax]

It appears from my view the Lake trout are starving Sleeps. Explosion of native and stocked lake trout fish. Even our salmon especially down south some are thin as well. Inland sea has 10% of the bait we would see 20 years ago on the sonar. They started the bait fish trawls again last year to see what has changed on the main lake. There has to be a million of lake trout swimming around in our lake now. I fish the Sea to get away from them at times. We almost never catch lakers when fishing for salmon in Lake Ontario. They have become (Lake Champlain) over populated quickly in the last decade on our main lake. They live decades vs 4-5 years for salmon / brown / rainbow trout. The lake trout population continues to and has compounded each year as the population gets larger with their long lives from stocking and natural reproduction. We have to go thru so many lakers to get a salmon in June thru December on the main lake. The 1-4 lb. size (Lakers) in the Fall that aren't mature yet to spawn are getting smaller each year as well. They are close to 60F in water temp in the water column where the salmon are and dominate that temp. of water and compete with the salmon.

No big lake trout a few long ones that won't weigh more than 9 lbs. Snakes! This is the last year they are stocking lake trout. When we first caught 19" salmon in 1981 at the Cowbanks they were a high 3 lb fish!

The salmon diet study every month beginning this month till December will be a piece of the puzzle. I am hoping more people get involved to help Graham each month and once we hit his quota of 15 for the Sea and 15 for the main lake (to diverse areas). After they can assess the diet of the USFW fish in Bethel and the State hatchery fish. Insects have been found in a few fish already. He is actively posting his results on the forum so we can get to his quota each month.

Agree 100%

[Digitroll Fishing]

[Dead lake]

Piseco lake near Hamilton county has thousands of LT all under sized the state just keeps on adding them, they live long, why keep adding them. There stunted Champlain starting to look the same. I use to catch them in the 30 in and larger one 20 years ago. Times have changed keep adding them. Just saying

[drachma]

Ewww, that laker is skinnyyyy!
Michael

[Chazycuda]

I have found the last couple years the lake trout are healthy looking and seem to be well fed early spring/summer in the north the pic above has severe lamprey scar and might have been onboard a good portion of its life if not multiple lamprey’s…
We got out on Thursday north near isle la Motte for few hours midday 40-48fow and got 4 lakers - 1-22”,2-25” and 1-26” then were all well fed and one had fresh cut/lamprey scar if you zoom in on it it was deeper longer than typical lamprey so is something else causing this if anyone might know? Attempting Post with post image (let me know if they come out ok)

Tight lines- good luck out there!
Thanks
Chuck

[Phantom Angler]

I slip at Point Bay, lake trout I catch between Arnolds Bay and Charlotte Ferry are plentiful and all healthy. As for size I catch a bunch each season at 28" length and a few over 30" and none of them are skinny.
As for bait, the other day while tied up at Point Bay and working on my boat. There were approximately 50 Caspian Terns perched on the docks. Very territorial and very vocal. Anyway they were sitting on the dock then plopping down to water coming up with what looked like Alewives. This was non stop for 3 and 1/2 hours. So territorial on a trip up the dock to grab some tools from my car they attacked me. I am certain it continued after my departure.
If we lacked bait why would migratory birds such as Caspian Terns or Cormorants which I have seen in large numbers already this season be here. I mean if they were hungry just fly somewhere else.

[Sleepswithdafishes]

Just checkout the all seasons derby lake trout entrys!you will see lakers 30 inches and more at 7 and 8 lbs ! To me any laker 30 inches should be 10 lbs plus. Sleeps


























just check out the

[The River Rat]

It appears from my view the Lake trout are starving Sleeps. Explosion of native and stocked lake trout fish. Even our salmon especially down south some are thin as well. Inland sea has 10% of the bait we would see 20 years ago on the sonar. They started the bait fish trawls again last year to see what has changed on the main lake. There has to be a million of lake trout swimming around in our lake now. I fish the Sea to get away from them at times. We almost never catch lakers when fishing for salmon in Lake Ontario. They have become (Lake Champlain) over populated quickly in the last decade on our main lake. They live decades vs 4-5 years for salmon / brown / rainbow trout. The lake trout population continues to and has compounded each year as the population gets larger with their long lives from stocking and natural reproduction. We have to go thru so many lakers to get a salmon in June thru December on the main lake. The 1-4 lb. size (Lakers) in the Fall that aren't mature yet to spawn are getting smaller each year as well. They are close to 60F in water temp in the water column where the salmon are and dominate that temp. of water and compete with the salmon.

No big lake trout a few long ones that won't weigh more than 9 lbs. Snakes! This is the last year they are stocking lake trout. When we first caught 19" salmon in 1981 at the Cowbanks they were a high 3 lb fish!

The salmon diet study every month beginning this month till December will be a piece of the puzzle. I am hoping more people get involved to help Graham each month and once we hit his quota of 15 for the Sea and 15 for the main lake (to diverse areas). After they can assess the diet of the USFW fish in Bethel and the State hatchery fish. Insects have been found in a few fish already. He is actively posting his results on the forum so we can get to his quota each month.

We caught several salmon a couple years back during the Rotary, each had several yearling perch in there stomachs! I'll search for pics

[dguyer84]

Went up on Monday, the lake was pretty quiet (probably due to the weather report) but we stayed dry until mid afternoon. Managed a handful of Lakers, they seemed pretty healthy, not overly skinny, but the best of the day probably should have had more girth to him. No lamprey, a couple had scars and one with an open wound, but a few were completely clean as well.

IMG_20250505_090713.jpg