You are not logged in. Would you like to login or register?

5/25/2017 3:36 pm  #1


Splake?

Hey folks, I'm a rookie fisherman, took it up last summer, mostly smallmouth fishing. I did some AP trout fishing over the long weekend, and had some success. I was under the impression the lake we were fishing (not sure I can name it, don't know what rules are for that) had only brookies and lakers, so I thought this was a Brook trout. When I got home I showed a friend pictures of our catch, and his opinion was that they were splake.

Last edited by Catto9 (5/25/2017 3:37 pm)

 

5/25/2017 6:04 pm  #2


Re: Splake?

Thanks John!

     Thread Starter
 

5/26/2017 7:47 am  #3


Re: Splake?

I too think that's a brookie. There really aren't any lake trout-specific characteristics. It has a bit of a lake trouty look in the sense that there isn't much of an orange tint on the lower sides, but that doesn't prove anything... it has a square tail, black-bordered white edges on the fins, a few red spots in blue haloes, and (as far as I can see) no spots on the face. Checks out as a brookie.

 

5/26/2017 8:23 am  #4


Re: Splake?

Yep, it's a brook trout. Good angling! I understand the purpose of splake (fast growing fish, takes pressure of native lake and brook trout) but would much rather fish for lake trout or brook trout than a frankenfish made in Dexter's labratory. 

 

5/26/2017 8:37 am  #5


Re: Splake?

Thanks for the compliments and help! Glad to hear you all think it's a brookie, that's what I really wanted to hear!

     Thread Starter
 

5/26/2017 2:54 pm  #6


Re: Splake?

Looks like a brook trout to me. This is a splake I caught a couple weeks ago outside of Algonquin. Slight fork in the tail, and other features as described by DanPM, but the primary give-away: it came from a stocked splake lake. I can't imagine the odds of catching a natural splake hybrid would be very high- that must be a rare occurrence. That said, splake are far from 'frankenfish.' All cultured fish are products of artificial fertilization, so whether the milt came from a brook trout or lake trout is moot IMO. It's no more a lab animal than any stocked brook trout, laker, walleye or musky. Those Atlantic Salmon you can buy in the grocery store however....

This splake was a large, healthy, hard fighting, delicious fish, and I'm happy to see them stocked and have the opportunity to catch them, helping to take the pressure of the sensitive natural trout populations.

And, so long as the Algonquin lake is stocked, my impression is that it's free to name. I would assume the lake in question is not stocked, or you would have known splake would be on the menu.

Last edited by nvm (5/26/2017 2:57 pm)

 

5/27/2017 8:13 am  #7


Re: Splake?

Brook trout

 

5/27/2017 8:41 am  #8


Re: Splake?

That's a very nice Spec. I will try and post a splake and a spec side by side so you can see the difference 

Shawn

 

Board footera

LNT Canada is a national non-profit organization dedicated to promoting responsible outdoor recreation through education, research and partnerships.