Stocked brook trout-lakes

[laker1]

About 6 years ago the DNR switched strains of brook trout stocked into lakes to a strain called the Minnesota wild strain originating from streams in southeastern Minnesota. It seems to do find in streams but has had limited success in lakes in growth and also survival is less in my opinion and also shows up in DNR's lake assessment. The question is if they should switch to another strain?

You big time brook trout fisher people,what is your experience on lake brook trout fishing? Are you seeing numbers caught and size changing at all?

There is actually strains of brook trout in like Maine and Canada there normal life span is 1-2 years longer than the present strain. That would also help in seeing bigger fish.

Your opinion and observations would be appreciated?

[laker1]

Also one of the reasons I started this post,some DNR Fisheries offices are starting to stop stocking brookies in lakes because failure and low survival and switching to brown trout which you wonder even belong being stocked in northern Minnesota,especially areas like the Gunflint area.

Brook trout are favored by many and hope it is continued,but witha strain that provides a fishery.

[monstermoose78]

I think they could be helpful and giving them another year or 2 would make them bigger. If you are going to stock any brook trout why not stock the coaster strain from Lake Superior. They live a long time and grow huge.

[certified jumbo]

I don't have a lot of knowledge on brook trout strains. We do fish them, in general fish size has been 10-14 inches, with a occasional bigger one. I do know of a few large brookies caught this winter through the ice.

Another problem in a lot of the NE MN lakes is the smallmouth bass. I see the DNR killed off a fair amount of lakes last summer. They are really struggling keeping the bass out of many of the lakes they stock. It can really affect trout size.

Steve Parsons with the MN DNR has always been good to visit with about trout related concerns for me. Perhaps you could call or email him.

[laker1]

Jumbo you are absolutely correct,especially in the northern half of the state, many of our Stream Trout lakes the smallmouth bass have been introduced by people or somehow by nature. They have completely desimated(sp) trout populations in these lakes and in some cases the DNR has abandoned the lakes as Managed Stream Trout lakes. Too bad. Yes I hope with the verbal support from us, the DNR does takes a active role in reclaiming these lakes. Like you mentioned they are reclaiming lakes now or in the near future.

The Grand Marais office along with many other Fisheries stations will tell the Wild Strain brook trout now used in lakes,has had low survival in many of the brook trout lakes(not all,but a very high percentage),growth rate is usually slower than past strains. This strain survived and done well in streams in the wild.. This strain even when stocked does poorly in many of the lakes brook trout once did ggreat in with a different strain.Even in the hatchery they are harder to raise and get substantial growth. The DNR fisheries tried it and now its time to move on. If you do a lot of brook trout fishing in lakes,just be observant and if above is true,pass it on to your DNR fisheries personnel your comments.

Some DNR stations are already thinking going away from brook trout stocking when even their nets show low survival of this strain.