Do stocked fish survive the winter?

[radke22]

I do not know if its true, but i heard a local lake that gets stocked with brook trout only supplies brookies through the fall because they dont survive until the next year. Will the winter kill of freshly stocked fish?

[Surface Tension]

I can't speak for the rest of the state but any Trout lakes stocked north of Duluth have no problems. Still considered a put and take fishery these lakes are normally stocked with fingerling's and will easily grow to catchable size which for me is 14"+
Some of these designated trout lakes once held the title for state record.

[Flash King]

Depends on a lot of things: Water Temp,size of body of water,depth,O2 base,type of forage available,predators(those trout are tasty with none of those spiny fins),fishing pressure.Most stocked brook trout have an life of 3-5 years and their growth/survival rate would depend on the above.If the conditions are right there should be some brookies still around in the winter.

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[Lunker]

The only circumstance that I could see stocked fish regularly dying off in the winter is if the pond being stocked suffered bad winterkill, and in most situations the dnr would aerate the lake unstead of fruitlessly stocking it.

[radke22]

The lake i'm talking about is spring-fed and around thirty feet deep. its around a hundred acres and has bass,crappies sunnies, and stocked brookies. The guy who showed me this lake said all the stocked trout die off over winter, but i wonder if it makes sense. these brookies do exceed 4lbs so maybe the water is too warm?

[Surface Tension]

Well a brookie isn't going to grow 4 lbs in one summer. The DNR isn't about to waste money stocking waters for trout if the lake isn't suitable. Oxygen levels are sampled along with a lake survey long before any stocking. I don't know of any Designated trout lakes that freeze out or of any summer die off. Now in your case were not talking about a designated trout lake. If we knew the name of the lake it would help but I don't think your going to tell us.

[Chris Haley]

If it's like a lot of stocked trout lakes, it just could be getting such fishing pressure that the population are fished down each year and people think they are dying off. We have a lake around Bemidji that is that way, they stock it every year. It gets hammered all summer and then they go thriugh the same thing again next year. When you see bigger fish in a system they have to be surviving, just not a lot of them miss the frying pan.

[can it be luck?]

Are brookies planted in the fall because they spawn in the fall? Are brookies the only trout that are stocked in the fall?

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[radke22]

thats the question of the hour. Yes they do spawn in the fall and this lake is stocked in the fall. Every brookie over 16" is filled with eggs like a carp in may, they just run everywhere.

[radke22]

This lake recieves veary little fishing pressure, and the trout have an averge length of 18" when the DNR stocks it. I've heard they put some in every year over 5lbs and i was fortunte to get one 4.10. But what i'm understanding from you guys is they should be fishable in the summer.

[Lake Alice]

I have a trip planned to a stocked lake in the BWCA in June. I also plan to fish one near Itasca state park next summer. I've never fished brookies in a lake before--what is the approach? Summer and winter? Any tips are appreciated.

[can it be luck?]

I caught a bunch of brookies last spring on a little lake around Ely. I never ice fished them, but would catch them on worms either slip bobbered or cast out with a split shot. Caught a few rainbows trolling raps, but all the brookies came off some flooded wood in deep water and shoreline wood. It was a neat experience fishing clear, deep, water and wood, actually seeing the strike when I eased my boat into the submerged trees in shallower 15'-25' of water. I can't remember the name of the lake. I do remember that the launch sort of sucked and dropped off in a hurry! Oh well, I consider tha a miner problem considering that I was able to enjoy some decent fishing. There are a few lakes in that area I'd like to try for trout. I heard of one not to far from there which I'd like to try, Tofte(sp?). Any info on that one? Are there splake there? .....................EDITED: Darn it!!! I thought I was in the BWCA/Duluth/Range forum! OOPS.

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[This message has been edited by can it be luck? (edited 02-03-2004).]

[Lake Alice]

Can it be
Thanks for the response. That's just what I was looking for. Can't wait to give it a shot.