Freshwater shrimp in Moosehead?

[eiderz]

My family has fished the lake since the 60's, primarily trolling at iceout. We always did well with the usual smelt imitation streamers. Recently I started trolling with downriggers, while doing so I noticed massive bait balls on the fishfinder. Around some we slay the togue and salmon and they spit up smelt, around others it's the dead sea. It made me think the fishfinder was seeing things so I dropped a camera down and there were clouds of tiny critters I thought might be copepods.

When I asked around a couple of locals said the lake was stocked with freshwater shrimp years ago in an effort to provide salmon/togue forage. According to them the unfortunate side effect was that the shrimp compete with the smelt for forage, and thereby harmed the smelt population. Also they thought the fish didn't eat the shrimp as much as hoped. I want to ask the biologist but I haven't seen him recently.

This season on the ice I went to the area where I observed the critters on the camera and it appears they are still around. Massive clouds that just sit in one spot, unlike smelt which tend to move through. Anybody know anything about shrimp and whether a shrimp imitation will catch fish? 

[Seamonkey84]

Yes, years ago they put some mysid shrimp (aka opossum shrimp) into the lake, but as you were told, it did not provide the forage they had hopped.
On a related note, there’s a reservoir in Colorado that was infested with these shrimp. The trout in there weren’t eating them either. so to help control the shrimp, and provide a unique fishing opportunity, they stocked arctic char into it. That is now the only place besides Maine in the lower 48 to have char, and they are getting big out there.

[thedirtydirtyfisherman]

I certainly wouldnt mind seeing arctic charr in moosehead

[eiderz]

Yes, years ago they put some mysid shrimp (aka opossum shrimp) into the lake, but as you were told, it did not provide the forage they had hopped.
On a related note, there’s a reservoir in Colorado that was infested with these shrimp. The trout in there weren’t eating them either. so to help control the shrimp, and provide a unique fishing opportunity, they stocked arctic char into it. That is now the only place besides Maine in the lower 48 to have char, and they are getting big out there.

That's interesting, thanks for the info. I wonder if Arctic Char would compete with the brookies if stocked in Moosehead? I ask that because brookies are also a char, aren't they? The brookies have been hot through the ice this year, a week ago we got a good number and one of the kids caught a 4.5 lber.

[Shrinkage]

This is just a piece I copied from a 2001 Lake Trout Management Plan submitted by IFW in 2001..


"In waters where the two species occur together naturally, the opossum shrimp is very
important in the diet of Canadian lake trout. Therefore, in the mid 1970’s opossum shrimp were
introduced into several Maine lakes as a source of forage for young lake trout. It was hoped that
by living in the deepest water of these lakes, and feeding on accumulations of detritus there, they
would improve lake trout growth and survival and help to increase production in our nutrient-poor
lakes. Success at establishing a self-sustaining population of opossum shrimp has been
achieved only at Moosehead Lake. The importance of this forage to young lake trout in
Moosehead; however, has yet to be determined. Winter food habit studies to date have not found
opossum shrimp in the stomachs of legal-size (>14 inches) lake trout harvested by ice fisherman.
Summer netting studies of lake trout as small as 8 inches indicate only occasional use of
opossum shrimp. Other species, such as cusk and smelts, appear to utilize them more
frequently, but they are not a major component of their diets.
Recent studies of the opossum shrimp in Moosehead Lake indicate that, although present
throughout the lake, they are not very abundant. Apparently, Moosehead’s physical, chemical,
and biological characteristics have not been conducive for this invertebrate to become very
abundant or produce any of the devastating effects that have been observed as the result of
introductions in western states. Nevertheless, prudence dictates that until the role of the
opossum shrimp in Moosehead Lake’s ecosystem is fully understood, there should be no further
introductions of Mysis relicta into Maine waters."

[eiderz]

Hmm, I wonder if they have become more or less abundant in the last 18 years. There sure are lots of them in the area I've been fishing. When I get a chance I'll inquire at the F&W station in Greenville, but right now there's fish to catch.   

[Linedogg104]

That's interesting, thanks for the info. I wonder if Arctic Char would compete with the brookies if stocked in Moosehead? I ask that because brookies are also a char, aren't they? The brookies have been hot through the ice this year, a week ago we got a good number and one of the kids caught a 4.5 lber.

You are correct sir. Brookies and togue are part of the char family

[eiderz]

Yes, forgot about the togue! Maybe Arctic Char would gobble up a few of the small togue that infest the lake. LOL....I enjoy catching the togue, while it would be nice to catch more big ones it's a hoot to jig up a bunch of 12-18 inchers.

[zwiggles]

Seems like a bad idea to solve a problem created by introducing a species by introducing another species..... I guarantee the chart would have a negative effect that they did not forsee. “Those who don’t learn from history are dimmed to repeat it” kind of thing.

seamonkey: on the charr, I think there a few other charr populations in the lower 48. I am pretty sure Idaho discovered them in a lake or two out there, and traced the origins back to a F&G exchange program they had with NH way back when. I also have heard rumors of NH having them in a unnamed waterbody that is not open to fishing, but does have the proper habitat for them. I think a few places have them, but people are unaware or smart enough to keep it quiet. Neat fish either way.

[9huskies]

This is just a piece I copied from a 2001 Lake Trout Management Plan submitted by IFW in 2001..


"In waters where the two species occur together naturally, the opossum shrimp is very
important in the diet of Canadian lake trout. Therefore, in the mid 1970’s opossum shrimp were
introduced into several Maine lakes as a source of forage for young lake trout. It was hoped that
by living in the deepest water of these lakes, and feeding on accumulations of detritus there, they
would improve lake trout growth and survival and help to increase production in our nutrient-poor
lakes. Success at establishing a self-sustaining population of opossum shrimp has been
achieved only at Moosehead Lake. The importance of this forage to young lake trout in
Moosehead; however, has yet to be determined. Winter food habit studies to date have not found
opossum shrimp in the stomachs of legal-size (>14 inches) lake trout harvested by ice fisherman.
Summer netting studies of lake trout as small as 8 inches indicate only occasional use of
opossum shrimp. Other species, such as cusk and smelts, appear to utilize them more
frequently, but they are not a major component of their diets.
Recent studies of the opossum shrimp in Moosehead Lake indicate that, although present
throughout the lake, they are not very abundant. Apparently, Moosehead’s physical, chemical,
and biological characteristics have not been conducive for this invertebrate to become very
abundant or produce any of the devastating effects that have been observed as the result of
introductions in western states. Nevertheless, prudence dictates that until the role of the
opossum shrimp in Moosehead Lake’s ecosystem is fully understood, there should be no further
introductions of Mysis relicta into Maine waters."

These shrimp were introduced in the mid 1970's and in 2001 it was still undetermined if they were an important forage for togue. I would think that more than 2 decades would be enough time to evaluate the results of that experiment.

[Shrinkage]

These shrimp were introduced in the mid 1970's and in 2001 it was still undetermined if they were an important forage for togue. I would think that more than 2 decades would be enough time to evaluate the results of that experiment.

You can read the white paper on IFW. Its about 30 40 pages all things togue management. The piece I shared does say make the recommendation to halt anymore shrimp stocking. Interesting that the smelt liked them...

[eiderz]

Glad that the smelt eat them (at least a little), fat smelt make fat brookies, salmon & togue. 

[zwiggles]

Glad that the smelt eat them (at least a little), fat smelt make fat brookies, salmon & togue. 

Smelt are an underrated predator. They wreaked havoc on the Great Lakes system when they got into there.

[eiderz]

Smelt are an underrated predator.

Nasty little teeth they have. I've caught smelt on trolling spoons more than half their size.

[redmerle]

I think there might be some char in the U.P. of MI.

[jacksmelt71]

we have arctic char ( bluebacks) in the deboullie area in the allagash region of Maine. I've caught them many times.

[BeenPerchin315]

Hey everyone. Not sure about the lakes near yall where shrimp are and weather or not those lakes have perch in them but here in upstate ny the perch are tearing them shrimps up. So maybe introduce that native species into the lakes that dont have them or are low in numbers. Just a opinion.

[BeenPerchin315]

Hey everyone. Not sure about the lakes near yall where shrimp are and weather or not those lakes have perch in them but here in upstate ny the perch are tearing them shrimps up. So maybe introduce that native species into the lakes that dont have them or are low in numbers. Just a opinion.

[BeenPerchin315]

Hey everyone. Not sure about the lakes near yall where shrimp are and weather or not those lakes have perch in them but here in upstate ny the perch are tearing them shrimps up. So maybe introduce that native species into the lakes that dont have them or are low in numbers. Just a opinion.

[Squidy]

Putting one fish into a lake to handle another fish that was put into a lake, I'm reminded of old nursery rhyme ... it starts with "there once was an old lady that swallowed a fly, I don't why but she swallowed the fly" ... 
 

[eiderz]

Hey everyone. Not sure about the lakes near yall where shrimp are and weather or not those lakes have perch in them but here in upstate ny the perch are tearing them shrimps up. So maybe introduce that native species into the lakes that dont have them or are low in numbers. Just a opinion.

Moosehead has it's share of yellow perch, I don't know if they eat shrimp. The YP are infested with a healthy  supply of grubs. Had an interesting conversation with one of the biologists on the ice, he doesn't think there are many shrimp in the lake and has only seen them in mature togue stomachs a few times. Speaking with a couple of fishermen at a local bar, they volunteered that Moosehead smelt are loaded with shrimp. Not sure how they know this since it's illegal to take smelt from Moosehead.