History of Trout and Salmon In The Great Lakes - Part 2 - The Trout

Lake Trout - This is original apex predator of the Great Lakes and native to all the Great Lakes. They are long lived, slow growing, and get big. There are also many different strains in the Great Lakes. Some natural and some related to hatchery brood stock. That’s a whole different conversation for another time though. Lake trout often related to the bottom and were really susceptible to sea lamprey. A combination of factors really hurt lake trout but sea lamprey were a main driver of their decline. In one of the greatest stories of invasive species control ever, scientists got the sea lampreys under control and gave the trout a chance for recovery. They faced another challenge with the invasion of alewives. While they were a great food source for the lakers, alewife contain an enzyme called thiaminase. That enzyme destroys thiamine (vitamin B1) in the trout and any successful spawning would lead to early mortality in newly hatched fry. Lake trout populations are still widely supported by stocking although studies have shown that natural reproduction is improving in both Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. Lake Superior lake trout stocks are considered recovered. There are plenty of angling opportunities for lakers in the Great Lakes and I personally have a soft spot for them. I have had some epic experiences jigging/casting for them with bass tackle. Those experiences are vastly different than their reputation as being a poor fighter on trolling gear. They also have a more diversified diet with the introduction of round goby and that has has made them better table fare than strictly eating alewife.

Brown Trout - Another one of those fish that rich history because of how long its been here but is a non native fish. The original browns came from Germany in 1883 although it is unclear where exactly those fish ended up. Introductions into the Lake Michigan and Lake Ontario basins occurred in 1883. A unique thing about browns is that they can tolerate warmer water than many other trout and salmon species. That opens up a broader range of habitat for them and allows them to thrive. Great Lakes brown trout can get big too with Michigan’s state record at 41.45 pounds from the Manistee River, that fish also stood as the world record at one time. Great Lakes browns are fall spawners with little to no reproductive success. The popular nearshore big lake fishery must be sustained through stocking. The Wisconsin shoreline of Lake Michigan is an incredibly popular and productive spot for giant browns as well as the south east end of Lake Ontario. They are super fun to catch and I really appreciate the shallow water they occupy at times. That makes them susceptible to unconventional Great Lakes trout and salmon tactics when the water is cold. While big browns are exciting, I will warn you that can be extremely fatty and they might taste a little “fishy”. Little browns are happily thrown in the cooler in my boat while big browns get sent back to the lake.

Rainbow Trout/Steelhead - It always confused me when I was young that these fish were the same species but had different names. A steelhead is just a rainbow trout that spends much of its time in a lake/ocean then returns to the rivers to spawn (anadromous). Because of that they are have a better environment to grow and are bigger than rainbow trout that reside in the same rivers year round. The rainbow trout seams so ingrained in Michigan angling culture that many people aren’t aware it isn’t a native fish. The first bows were brought here in 1876 when they were stocked into a tributary of Lake Huron. Steelhead strains were not stocked until the late 1800s and stocking still continues today. Who doesn’t love catching Great Lakes Steelhead? Their acrobatics when caught trolling on the Great Lakes are always entertaining and they help to diversify that fishery year round. They also provide opportunity for pier anglers and their is whole contingent of wintertime trout bums that await their returns in the fall/winter/spring. Their is a summer run strain called skamania stocked too. The skams provide good pier opportunity in May/June near the rivers they are stocked in.

Splake - A hybrid of 2 native species, a brook trout crossed with a lake trout. They are stocked for the sole purpose of providing angler opportunity. Lake Superior is going to be the best place for that with Lake Huron being the next best bet. You can check out the Michigan Stocking Database to figure out likely places to find them. One of the big benefits is that they can produce angling opportunities close to shore. They look about like what you would expect a cross between a brook trout and a lake trout although they are more lake trout sized with the state record being 17.5 pounds. The only sure way to tell you have a splake is to count the pyloric caeca which are part of the splakes digestive tract. Another interesting fact is that they are reproductively viable although natural reproduction is unlikely to be successful. They also have been documented breeding with brook trout or lake trout. Stocking dates back to the 70’s and still continues in some Michigan Locations today.

Brook Trout - You’ll have to travel to Lake Superior for a chance at a Great Lakes “coaster” brook trout. Similar to a steelhead this is a brook trout who spends time out in the lake. In the lake they have better food sources and growing conditions and they get much bigger than a brook trout that spends its whole life in a stream. Your best chance at encountering a coaster is on Isle Royale although there are other areas in the Upper Peninsula where you have a chance. They are a rare and special fish. Efforts to improve habitat and coaster populations are currently ongoing.

Others - Once again it was an interesting time to be “fisheries biologist” in the 1800’s. In 1871 an attempt at stocking arctic char in Lake Ontario was made. The char originated from England and were stocked near New Castle, Ontario. A total of 105,000 cutthroat trout were stocked into the Pere Marquette River between the years of 1895-1940. Both stockings were considered unsuccessful.