MotoBoat
5/12/2010 10:35:00 AMAs always, another great report. I am curious why Lake Chelan is not heavily fished for trout. There is a bunch of fingerlings planted there every year. If not fished for........what becomes of them? Do many become fish food to pike minnow, kings, and other larger trout. At some point, are Lakers shallow enough to feed on the fingerlings?
Thanks Anton.
Thanks Anton.
MotoBoat
5/12/2010 10:38:00 AMI hope you understand my question is not about the Lake trout you target, but the other trout species planted yearly!
bionic_one
5/12/2010 2:07:00 PMIf you check the main page, you can find a link to a very thorough article on the Lake Chelan Fishery (Written by Anton). The kokanee are small and often get out-competed by the mysis shrimp. The rainbows out-compete the dolly varden and cutthroats. You can google and find an old fisheries study done around 1998 (if memory serves) that went into all the competition and other issues out there. I also found an OLD newspaper article that highlighted the rediculously crazy high numbers of trout that used to be in the lake and the rivers near Stehekin a long time ago before the area was settled.
Darrell and Dad's
5/12/2010 2:53:00 PMAs follow up on the bionic_one's comment. Apparently, the rainbow stocking will be discontinued. Also, the cutthroat seem to immediately leave the lower basin for the upper lake creek mouths. Thanks, Anton
MotoBoat
5/12/2010 9:42:00 PMAnton, I have another question: Is your expertise mainly the lower half of the lake, the half nearest Chelan proper?