Shannon Lake Brook Trout

[fuzzy39]

So I finally made it out again after a 6 week hiatus. My buddy, his dad, and I went up to Shannon Lake (Narrow Hills) to pursue some brownies through the ice. I have fished most of the trout lakes with the fly rod throughout the Narrow Hills and some through the ice. Unfortunately, the brown trout has remained elusive after many multiple outing on Shannon Lake and a few on Opal Lake. It was this past Tuesday when we went out and it was bloody cold (-32). My propane heater was so cold that it malfunctioned and we were left with just cover from a pop-up shack. The ice was covered with a thick layer of slush and anywhere from 8-12 inches of OK ice below that. We had no success after the first 90 minutes so moved midway down the lake where my buddy had landed some nice browns on the fly this passed summer. He soon was into a nice 18 inch skinny brown trout. Things went dead after that until another small (6 inch brown breezed by but was not interested). We moved again just after lunch and had no success for the next 90 minutes. Finally a nice trout came by and grabbed my buddy's minnow and spit it and started mouthing mine. I set the hook and missed but watched him come back on the flasher. HE took it again and wham I had him. After a decent tussle he was up the hole and on the ice. Dave exclaimed that it was a brookie. I stated there was no brookies in Shannon. We opened the windows for light and to my surprise it was a beautiful male brook trout (kype and all) about 18 inches with a huge belly. I was so shocked that there was a brookie in Shannon that I had no choice to let it swim another day (he is still out there). Ironically my brown trout drought still remains. I didn't mind though after getting that surprise. I am curious as to how there is a brook trout in this lake as there is no mention in any recent SERM stocking reports. And yes, to all the naysayers, it WAS a brook trout.

[SaskWatch]

It would be tough to confuse the two species. Is there any brook trout lake near by that could have flooded over? I know I pulled a couple brookies out of Kit in the last year, only because Ridge had flooded over and they found their way over.

[saskoutdoorsman]

Could have been a mix up at the hatchery. When I was really young I remember seeing a cutthroat in the rainbow tank at a hatchery in Alberta, and talked to a guy this summer who said he caught a small brook trout in teds lake (rainbow only)

[Water Wolf]

Hi guys,
I have the magazine "Saskatchewan Anglers Almanac 2012" and on page 48 it lists Shannon Lake in the narrow hills as having brook trout, but no mention of brown trout that I know it has.

For myself I have fished Shannon Lake twice and both times I was skunked, but I always saw lots of fish rising, usually just beyond my casting distance.

The first time I tried it I had a BIG brown trout follow me right to shore with it's nose right on the spoon but that's a it. Once it got too shallow it just continued down the shoreline. Man, I wish I could have caught that one. If I had to guess by it's size, it looked to be 7 - 8 lbs. There area some big wary trout in that lake.

WW

[gomwitdawind]

Unfortunately, the government discontinued stocking of brook trout in Shannon, after 1995. but, that is when the lake really turned into a trophy brown trout lake! I remember on my first trip there in late oct. of 97 and having big browns follow my lure back to the boat without commiting themselves, then finally hooking a fish in the far north end that almost spooled me and then broke off!! Then catching  a fat 17" spawning male brookie and an almost 7 lb. brown at dark. Talk about exciting, i was hooked for good, after that. Since then i've refined a few of my techniques and have been successful throughout the season!
Unfortunately, due to public outcry, fisheries have doubled up on their stocking to increase numbers, but have created a lot of thin underfed fish! I have caught dozens of fish since they did this and pretty much never catch anything over 6 lbs.. Mind you, not because of shortage of length, but because of shortage of girth. A typical big brown in there now tapes 23 - 25"but weighs only 4 - 5 lbs. whereas before that same fish would weigh anywhere between 6 & 8 lbs. but i guess, it is what it is, the lesser is always sacrified to the greater!
But it is exciting to know that you caught a brook in there, and the odd one still jumps out of their respective tank, and goes AWOL only to end up on some surprised and happy anglers line!
Anyone interested in getting more details on not getting the old Shannon Lake skunking, can PM me.

[FishingForever]

I would love to know some tips on catching big browns at Shannon. It’s a long drive for me but I have been after a large brown for a while...please help.

[sandman66]

I would suggest the real biggies are all but gone. I have a beautiful skin mount from 2001 of a Brown just short of 10lb, done by Vince West, and still looks perfect.
So I might sound like a bit of a hypocrite when I say this.... That huger I landed on the fly was and is the only Brown I never returned to the lake, but I have spent hours dragging flies watching guys fill their stringers with gangtroll caught trout. It used to be a fairly quiet lake but then word got out.