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I would guess less stocking had taken place, or that the bait has taken a down turn from either too much predator pressure, or perhaps low water levels effected their ability to spawn. Basically what Roccus said makes sense.I know for example on Winni they really try to balance the salmon/bows they stock and keep it in line with the amount of feed. Way before I was fishing Winni regularly I have heard that too many stocked trout caused the smelt pop to crash along with a few other factors. I believe at the time they could still trap smelt on Winni for sale, and dip them in the tribs so that definitely had an effect. But the result was skinny, ugly, underfed fish.Did your lake recently get stocked with surplus salmon a few years back? If so I could see them really working over a small body of waters bait fish. If there’s no feed the trout will start focusing on plankton type feed, and I wonder if maybe that’s what’s going on here?
very interesting, lots of science here. I know some lakes that got surplus salmon were hurt interesting theory about bows seeking alternate bait sources. as far as the brown trout, look at the full annual stocking report and compare numbers, maybe they changed it.
I appreciate the kind words, but I’m a “computer scientist” not a “fisheries biologist”. I definitely picked the ring degree in college (history). This is all from conversations I’ve had with actual fisheries biologists, and a lot from this forum and MFF, and first hand observations.All.of our guesses are based on experience, something some(not all) of these science nerds lack...we've all seen the cause effect of bait fluctuations, it's a delicate balance..I remember the days when they loaded Winning with salmon, as was stated skinny, malnutrition over populated fish were the result . . Fresh or salt water, the same principle applies, fix the bait =fix the fish. My post is honestly just a guess. I’d love for someone who actually knows this stuff to come on here and tell me I’m wrong. I love learning about our favorite pastime.
Just an aside on Winni (and many other lakes) for those that don't know....Smelt aren't the only forage. YOY (young of the year) white perch, typically are a big source of feed for trout, salmon, and other fish. There's a lot of predator and bait species in there. Heck, when the salmon are stocked too small, (it happens more than one might think) they become prey.Eggs of most species of fish and their juvenile stage become forage also. [/quoteWhich to my point is why the smelt are so important for trout and salmon as well as the other fish, when the salmonoids. Turn to YOY,perch, blue gill etc. As their main food sorce, the numbers of those other fish go in decline due to excess predation,unfortunately, that food sorce is limited, and during the summer months lives in a different water collum than trout and salmon...I know my go.to.lake was not the same when the smelt numbers diminished, now that they reboundrd, the fishing once again is top notch, I actually caught smelt on a jig last week, that hadn't happened in 5 years.
True, Joe.It's a delicate balance to maintain and often times both predator and prey numbers swing conversely like a pendulum.I'm not privy to smelt numbers on your lake, but for the last two years, Winni has had robust smelt numbers!One very important benefit of smelt to both salmon and trout is the thiamine they provide. They're essential.
CD!Wel forgot an alternative food sorce ...senkos!
Didn't we lose a stocking facility last year or maybe the year before? That can't help overall stocking numbers. Some lakes probably draw a short straw.
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Topic: Understanding Fish populations (Read 1676 times)
