Brook Trout, Rainbow Trout or Both?

[British Columbia]

I have seen a few posts regarding the nature of what Ise De By posted regarding brook trout lakes ruined by the addition of rainbow trout stocking. 

Just another lake ruined by stocking it with Rainbows.           should have stuck with just Brookies

This is interesting on a couple fronts mainly because I also fished those lakes pre- rainbow stocking and have held the same notion that brook trout lakes should remain brook trout lakes given their propensity to provide a very popular winter fishery and the result of rainbow stocking having a negative effect on brook trout.  But heresay thoughts need to be backed up ........ so I did some digging around and some very interesting results regarding interspecific competition between co-stocked lakes (brook and rainbow) where brook trout do not do well.  A relative recent one here from American Fisheries Society (2000) ..... info from a paper from Ontario Minstry of Natural Resources. 

 ISLEY, J. J. and C. KEMPTON. 2000. Influence of costocking on growth of young-of-year brook trout and rainbow trout. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 129 : 613-617.

We examined the effects of costocking on growth of hatchery-produced young-of-year brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in the laboratory. Fry of both species (brook trout = 0.16 ± 0.01 gm; rainbow trout = 0.18 ± 0.01 gm; mean weight ± standard deviation) were stocked into 400 L recirculation raceways at a rate of 100 fish/raceway and were held at 12º C. Raceways received either rainbow trout only (N=3), brook trout only (N=3) or half brook trout and half rainbow trout (N=3). Trout were fed a commercial trout feed three times per day at an initial rate of 10% body weight/day, which was reduced to 3% body weight/day by the 6th week of the study as a result of a buildup of excess feed. After 8 weeks of similar treatment, brook trout were significantly larger than rainbow trout (in terms of length and weight) when they were stocked alone. However, rainbow trout were significantly larger than brook trout (in terms of length and weight) in the costocked treatment. A second phase of the study was conducted to evaluate the effect of ration level on growth of costocked brook and rainbow trout using low (2% body weight/day), medium (4% body weight/day) and high (6% body weight/day) ration levels. After 8 weeks, rainbow trout were significantly larger than brook trout (in terms of length and weight) in all costocked feeding treatments. This suggests that behavioral interaction might have resulted in decreased growth of brook trout when they were costocked with rainbow trout.

Several other papers regarding brook trout and interspecific competition where they do not do well and one paper from Thomas (1993) makes me think of Ness Lake with the variety of native species already present on a similar front. 

Digging further, the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Core in Vermont have said brook trout do not do well when introduced fish, in particular,  rainbow trout, brown trout, perch and bass are put in waters where brook trout are the dominating species.

Interesting.  Perhaps we can collect data on Echo Lake and Co-op Lake and then stock it with rainbow trout and see if the above findings have any substance.

I'm curious!

[Ise De By]

    Jeeze B.C.,  if I knew you were going to write a novel like that, I wouldent have said anything about the rainbows and the brookies in the same lake.         I was just blabbing when I typed that, it was just my opinion and I have no facts to back up my statement,  I feel these lakes that have both species dont offer as good Brookie fishing, as compared to lakes that have solely Brookies.   I like Brookie fishing, and wish there was more lakes that held them exclusively.   Interesting report you posted.  makes ya think.   Oh, and good luck getting data from the MOE folks on Echo and CO-OP   

[ianwuzhere]

holy mackeral
-ya brook trout dont get as big as rainbows..
-i think ise de by will have tuff time beating the monster brookie im gonna be sandbagging this tourney year...

[Bill Dance]

That's a interesting read B.C. I never knew.

[Ise De By]

holy mackeral
-ya brook trout dont get as big as rainbows..
-i think ise de by will have tuff time beating the monster brookie im gonna be sandbagging this tourney year...

     and the smack-talk begins...            I dont know how to respond to being called out like this,    I'm willing to put $$$ down on a side bet, thats how confident I got that category locked up   lol        Only me and TGF knows where our last years fish came from.   My kids dont even know              
            Yes, we both sandbagged last year,   but I had a reason for that last year   lol

[dukes69]

So it begins.   I think Ian has a trick or two up his sleve this year I'll have to beat it out of him so I can stay in contention.

[British Columbia]

Only me and TGF knows where our last years fish came from.

You forgot this kid knows. 

I might have to just tell everyone on this board where in order to keep it all fair and square between you all even though I'm not entered in the derby.

[Ise De By]

You forgot this kid knows. 

I might have to just tell everyone on this board where in order to keep it all fair and square between you all even though I'm not entered in the derby.

BC....      you and I went through this last winter,  and you never did find out where last years fish came from       I still have all those PM's from you bugging me to tell you which lake it was.        which leads me to my next point,   I did you a favor today when you had a request, and I would expect you would show the same respect.       everyone has secret lakes, and 1 person should not feel they have to go and "out" a persons secret.                  even though you have no clue where this lake is     

[ram3432]

 We have a lake here in Quesnel that is stocked with both rainbows and brookies and the fish seem to get to about the same size of 3 lbs. I fish there quite often and you could catch 15-20 fish in 3-4 hrs most days so I don't think there is a problem with stocking both I think it is finding what the fish are eating and imitating that. I think BC stocking programs are now better than ever before. One person can fish and catch nothing the next guy can catch one every 5 mins thats fishing. Just cause you have 1 or 2 or 10 bad days fishing at a lake DOES NOT mean the lake is fished out or bad. Just my opinion though. Good luck and tight lines.

[dukes69]

You forgot this kid knows. 

I might have to just tell everyone on this board where in order to keep it all fair and square between you all even though I'm not entered in the derby.

Your not entered in the derby!!!!     I gues the saying is true those who aren't good enough to play,  coach.   

[British Columbia]

I should reword it ...... There is a lake I fished the first time in 1998 and a good few times since that I am willing to share with people to have the same experiences as I did with very nice brook trout fishing and ones with some size to them.  The lake is not a secret to me nor is it to a lot of other people.

I've caught my share of big brook trout and don't mind sharing with folks if they ask nicely. 

Is that better?

[British Columbia]

Your not entered in the derby!!!!     I gues the saying is true those who aren't good enough to play,  coach.   

   You nailed it.   I've been out a couple times this week and I didn't fish once.....busy coaching / helping my young ones.  6 yr old nailed a beaut most guys try for a long time to get.

[Ise De By]

  You nailed it.   I've been out a couple times this week and I didn't fish once.....busy coaching / helping my young ones.  6 yr old nailed a beaut most guys try for a long time to get.

Pictures are worth a thousand words,             Lets see some

[hallyslayer]

I betcha I know the lake you went to Ise!!!    don't worry.. i'll keep your secret i've got no means of going there! haha

[Rainbow Sniper]

Oh don't worry he's taking me there  at lest he better be

[hallyslayer]

Oh don't worry he's taking me there  at lest he better be

You better hope buddy! i don't if he'll take anybody there! 

[Ise De By]

    It dont think we should even try anymore,  MERV is gonna spank is in Brookies       Did you see the hog he just posted,   it is a new record          maybe I'll focus on burbot