lake trout

Trip McNeely · Jul 1, 2018

why dont we have a lake trout stocking program on sak in nd?... I understand they used to but why not now? angler interest? compete with salmon? seems to me a cold water fish that is active for more than two months a year would be another opportunity for anglers.... how cool would it be to pull a 30 lb laker out from the 60ft through the ice..... Ive asked around a bit in the fisheries world and could not get much of an answer..... armchair ichthyologists.....what say you?

MSA · Jul 1, 2018

Sakakawea is just a few degrees too warm for them in the fall after the lake turns over.

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Lots of lake trout stocked in sakakawea for many years, they just never made it. I've caught two in the tailrace, but I suspect those were washed down from ft peck, since it was during high flow years.

Brian Renville · Jul 1, 2018

I was with when a guy caught one on a tip up on the west end. In about ‘88 or ‘89. Nobody knew what it was until they got it home and found a book. Cool fish, would be awesome if they could make it.

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I was with when a guy caught one on a tip up on the west end. In about ‘88 or ‘89. Nobody knew what it was until they got it home and found a book. Cool fish, would be awesome if they could make it.

Trip McNeely · Jul 2, 2018

fair enough. so how can ft.peck support them? colder mountain water? higher elevation? could a viable population be supported downstream of the dam? how does sak support salmon but not lakers which are more natural to midwestern states and provinces? this may be a discussion next time at knights msa. ill get the first round.

MSA · Jul 2, 2018

Ft peck is just a bit colder than sak. I believe it's deeper to. Lakers don't tolerate warmer water like salmon do.

Phill Latio · Jul 2, 2018

you know what they say, if it smells like trout, get the .......... well you know...

JayKay · Jul 2, 2018

I've caught ONE in the tailrace too, in 40 yrs of fishing there. They can't be common.

Kentucky Windage · Jul 2, 2018

My uncle caught one probably 20 years ago out of government bay. Threw it back. It was a nice fish.

KDM · Jul 2, 2018

NOT a walleye snob by any stretch, but given my druthers, I'd rather convert smelt into walleye fillets vs. lake trout fillets. Don't get me wrong, lakers are fun to catch and make a great smoked fish, but if I want lakers, I'll make the trip to where they are to get'em. Additionally, stocking salmonids is an expensive proposition as well from what I understand and takes lots of room in the hatcheries. LOW isn't that far away.

guywhofishes · Jul 2, 2018

this is going to sound strange but I recall smelt-fed walleyes seemed oilier and fishier than other walleyes

this is a 20 year old memory - thoughts?

MSA · Jul 2, 2018

Everything I'm finding says Lakers stress at 60 degrees. I see temps in the mid 60s in the tailrace, which comes from the deepest part of the lake.

Fishmission · Jul 2, 2018

guywhofishes said:
this is going to sound strange but I recall smelt-fed walleyes seemed oilier and fishier than other walleyes

this is a 20 year old memory - thoughts?

Agree. I have been reprimanded for saying that before.

guywhofishes · Jul 2, 2018

ha ha

I remember a “fat slick” floating on the water they were cleaned in

it was sorta gross

Trip McNeely · Jul 2, 2018

Ill have to trust msa's insight on this matter but dammit I want some lake trout! being a coldwater fish i wouldnt think they compete too much with walleyes but salmon i can see. i definitely see your point kdm id imagine our salmon program comes with a hefty price tag, but well worth it imho. everything ive read indicated lake trout are good natural reproducers in their respective fisheries plus they are active summer and winter. I love salmon fishing but the window is small and the fish cant sustain themselves without stocking. what if the gnf just did one more
"test" run too see if anything shows up in the creel surveys.... haha surely weve wasted tax dollars alot stupider than that.

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where is the best place closest to bismarck to get into some lakers? may have to plan a trip in the near future

Auggie · Jul 2, 2018

Fort Peck would be the closest lake with Lakers. There's also one lake in the Black Hills (only sustainable Dakota population) that has them. Clearwater lake is on my bucket list.

KDM · Jul 3, 2018

If I were to head out for lakers I'd go to Duluth and fish Superior or Sioux Narrows on LOW Ontario. Both places have'em and if you limit early, there are other target fish species available to fill the void. That and I like the change of scenery.

Kurtr · Jul 3, 2018

Auggie said:
Fort Peck would be the closest lake with Lakers. There's also one lake in the Black Hills (only sustainable Dakota population) that has them. Clearwater lake is on my bucket list.

pactola is the lake

KDM · Jul 3, 2018

Kurtr said:
pactola is the lake

Didn't know you guys had a reproducing population of lakers. Hmm. Learned something new today. Now I can take a nap.

zoops · Jul 3, 2018

My armchair biology degree makes me think having lakers and salmon in sak would be challenging. I know they're trying to eradicate them from Yellowstone lake in WY, is that just because their focus is all on the native trout species?

Allen · Jul 3, 2018

zoops said:
My armchair biology degree makes me think having lakers and salmon in sak would be challenging. I know they're trying to eradicate them from Yellowstone lake in WY, is that just because their focus is all on the native trout species?

Yes, I think some of the native trout species are in trouble because the introduced ones are eating them. I read/heard that while out at Yellowstone a few years ago.

lake trout

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