Author Topic: -voracious lakers- (Read 5814 times)

BottomDweller · « **on:** Jan 10, 2007, 09:10 AM »

here's some interesting stuff on lake trout and how predatory they are. here in jackson hole, there has always been some wild controversy over whether lakers focus those predatory activities on cutthroat in particular; cutthroat have been here since forever ago, and the lake trout were introduced in the 1920's or so. since then, whether it may be from the lake trout, whirling disease, overfishing, or just habitat destruction, the cutt's numbers have been on the decrease.
the predatory lake trout argument makes a lot of sense to me, in part because of the fact that lakers maintain their deep haunts except to come shallow to feed, and those shallow-water fish are comprised almost completely of cutthroat. this in addition to the fact that the osprey and other fish-eating birds feed almost totally on cutthroat hanging in 1-3 ft of water and are not able to target the deeper-dwelling macks conspire to kill off a lot of these native snake river and yellowstone cutts. also, pics like these help to illustrate what the lake trout's favorite food is in these waters:

this is a 14 lb laker i caught last year on a jig tipped with a bullhead.

later at home, before i smoked it, i opened it up and found this 13 inch cutthroat very-recently swallowed along with what i'm assuming was another similarly-sized cutthoat's nearly-digested spinal remains:

littleoldlady · « **Reply #1 on:** Jan 10, 2007, 09:24 AM »

Great pics, bottom dweller. Was this one out of Jackson Lake, or Yellowstone Lake?
We have found baitfish (tulliby and cisco) up to 8 inches long in the lakers we have
caught....actuallly, when they are not digested and still shiny we use them as bait
the next day.
BTW my sis lives over in Driggs, and used to do a lot of ice fishing in Jackson Lake.

BottomDweller · « **Reply #2 on:** Jan 10, 2007, 09:26 AM »

it's a small world...

perch-man · « **Reply #3 on:** Jan 10, 2007, 10:23 AM »

You should see what 40 lbs lake trout eat

buddah · « **Reply #4 on:** Jan 10, 2007, 03:49 PM »

No pictures here,just the narration for the feeding info:

This is from the 4th Annual Rotary Derby on Sebago Lake .

(#1) AT TOP: 36 inches 18.75 pounds caught by Bob Curran of Bedford, New Hampshire
(#2) RIGHT: 37 1/2 inches 18.10 pounds caught by Dennis Fecteau of Standish
(#3) LEFT: 38 inches 16.20 pounds caught by 14 year old Tyler Holden of South Paris
It was interesting to note 3 of the top 4 togue all had an RV fin clip. These fish were stocked in either 1975 or 1980, which makes them 25 to 30 year old fish! This is quite old considering most other salmonids in Maine waters rarely live beyond 3-6 years of age. We also heard that the 16.2 pound laker spit out a 16 inch salmon, now that's a meal, and he was still trying to eat!

crappieslayer22 · « **Reply #5 on:** Jan 10, 2007, 03:50 PM »

lol thats pretty crazy..

fish_finder · « **Reply #6 on:** Jan 10, 2007, 04:13 PM »

I think that laker must have some pike genes in him!

deadsmelthead · « **Reply #7 on:** Jan 10, 2007, 04:22 PM »

Lakers in my expeience are at the top of the food chain, I have seen them full of Rainbows, perch, small bass, salmon ect they are not to particular about what they are eating, they seem to favor smelt in my area but I have talked to guys who have watched them cruise into shallow flats at dusk and devour recently stocked trout, thats another thing a lot of fisherman think they are stictly in deep water, I seem to think the opostie especialy when they are on the bite, they are extremely fun to catch tho.

littleoldlady · « **Reply #8 on:** Jan 10, 2007, 05:01 PM »

Quote from: deadsmelthead on Jan 10, 2007, 04:22 PM

Lakers in my expeience are at the top of the food chain, I have seen them full of Rainbows, perch, small bass, salmon ect they are not to particular about what they are eating, they seem to favor smelt in my area but I have talked to guys who have watched them cruise into shallow flats at dusk and devour recently stocked trout, thats another thing a lot of fisherman think they are stictly in deep water, I seem to think the opostie especialy when they are on the bite, they are extremely fun to catch tho.

I agree with you about the depth...my husband hooked a lunker ten feet under the ice the other day.And they are definitely at the top of the
food chain.

Big E · « **Reply #9 on:** Jan 10, 2007, 06:01 PM »

Is it just lakers though? I'm inclined to think that any large fish be it pike, laker, walleye, etc will have an appetite for smaller fish.

For instance we just had a state record brookie caught here in SD....30", 11 lbs 3oz, which had a 12" rainbow in its stomach.

fish_finder · « **Reply #10 on:** Jan 10, 2007, 09:37 PM »

Browns can be quite predatory also, when i was fishing in newfoundland last summer i caught a 16 incher that had what look to be the parts of a shrew or mouse in its gut..it had fur whatever it was.

4cator · « **Reply #11 on:** Jan 11, 2007, 01:46 AM »

There was a Mac caught at Flaming Gorge in Utah that had a human finger in it's stomach. True story.

littleoldlady · « **Reply #12 on:** Jan 11, 2007, 09:03 AM »

Quote from: 4cator on Jan 11, 2007, 01:46 AM

There was a Mac caught at Flaming Gorge in Utah that had a human finger in it's stomach. True story.

I don't know....sounds awfully "storyish" to me. But up here they've caught pike with ducklings
in their tummies...

saranacjoe · « **Reply #13 on:** Jan 11, 2007, 09:45 AM »

That's just AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!

Mooter · « **Reply #14 on:** Jan 11, 2007, 09:46 AM »

Quote from: BottomDweller on Jan 10, 2007, 09:10 AM

here's some interesting stuff on lake trout and how predatory they are. here in jackson hole, there has always been some wild controversy over whether lakers focus those predatory activities on cutthroat in particular; cutthroat have been here since forever ago, and the lake trout were introduced in the 1920's or so. since then, whether it may be from the lake trout, whirling disease, overfishing, or just habitat destruction, the cutt's numbers have been on the decrease.
the predatory lake trout argument makes a lot of sense to me, in part because of the fact that lakers maintain their deep haunts except to come shallow to feed, and those shallow-water fish are comprised almost completely of cutthroat. this in addition to the fact that the osprey and other fish-eating birds feed almost totally on cutthroat hanging in 1-3 ft of water and are not able to target the deeper-dwelling macks conspire to kill off a lot of these native snake river and yellowstone cutts. also, pics like these help to illustrate what the lake trout's favorite food is in these waters:
(Image removed from quote.)
this is a 14 lb laker i caught last year on a jig tipped with a bullhead.

You wife lets you put fish in the shower
That's Great

later at home, before i smoked it, i opened it up and found this 13 inch cutthroat very-recently swallowed along with what i'm assuming was another similarly-sized cutthoat's nearly-digested spinal remains:
(Image removed from quote.)

Bigred1 · « **Reply #15 on:** Jan 18, 2007, 08:40 AM »

littleoldlady, true story about the thumb. A water skier lost his thumb in a turning prop while getting back into the boat (dumb, huh) and a few days latter a fisherman caught the laker, found the thumb and turned it over to the Sweetwater county's sheriff dept.. The oddity was publicized and the guy came forward and claimed his thumb.

You should have seen all of the thumb lures that were for sale in this area, it was quite funny, except for the guy losing his thumb.

littleoldlady · « **Reply #16 on:** Jan 18, 2007, 08:45 AM »

Big Red, I guess anything can happen...We find wierd food stuff in laker bellys once in a while, just not thumbs. Thanx for
the reply...

er-e-is · « **Reply #17 on:** Jan 18, 2007, 09:00 PM »

I remember the "Thumb" incident. I was thinking that an ice fisherman caught the fish the following winter though. I remember seeing the guy holding a "Thumb in a Jar" and the story in the Rocket Miner. I also remember the "Thumb Lures"....

er-e-is · « **Reply #18 on:** Jan 18, 2007, 09:04 PM »

A few years ago at the Fremont Ice Derby a friend caught about a 10lb laker and it had at least 20-30 filters from cigarettes in its stomach. Must of had a nicotine habit....

trouter · « **Reply #19 on:** Jan 23, 2007, 05:16 PM »

A COUPLE YEARS AGO I CAUGHT A NICE LAKER AND IT HAD A MOUSE IN ITS MOUTH WITH JUST THE TAIL STICKING OUT, AND IT STILL WANTED MY SUTTON. STRANGE BUT TRUE.

TROUTER

BottomDweller · « **Reply #20 on:** Jan 24, 2007, 07:09 AM »

what is a sutton?

BottomDweller · « **Reply #21 on:** Jan 25, 2007, 11:22 AM »

i would have to say that when it comes to the streams, browns are the meanest waterborne dudes around. it's not uncommon at all to find mice in the stomachs or mouths of browns... but when it comes to lakes, lake-trout are king, not cutthroat. ask the cutthroat in the picture at the beginning of the thread...

Mooter · « **Reply #22 on:** Jan 25, 2007, 11:24 AM »

Quote from: BottomDweller on Jan 25, 2007, 11:22 AM

i would have to say that when it comes to the streams, browns are the meanest waterborne dudes around. it's not uncommon at all to find mice in the stomachs or mouths of browns... but when it comes to lakes, lake-trout are king, not cutthroat. ask the cutthroat in the picture at the beginning of the thread...

Ya but lakers fight like a cold turd compared to cutties

littleoldlady · « **Reply #23 on:** Jan 25, 2007, 11:55 AM »

Quote from: Mooter on Jan 25, 2007, 11:24 AM

Ya but lakers fight like a cold turd compared to cutties

Bite your tongue, Mooter (ps..I did like the bunny photo)..lakers will try and dive, go sideways, pull, and then go nuts when they
see the hole...pullllleeeeeze don't compare them to c*** t***...wash your mouth out with soap for speaking like that about lakers!!

News:

Author Topic: -voracious lakers- (Read 5814 times)