MyFishFinder.com Just like iceshanty but warmer
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.
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.
Glad that the smelt eat them (at least a little), fat smelt make fat brookies, salmon & togue.
Smelt are an underrated predator.
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.