Ontario Fishing Network
Newsletter
www.ontariofishing.net
Volume 4,  Issue 12 -  Dec.   2004

Lake Temagami
October Lake Trout Spawning Observations

Since 1998 fall night time lake trout observations have been taking place on Lake Temagami to confirm old non GPS records of lake trout spawning locations from MNR files. The purposes of this exercise is to:1) Locate spawning areas and 2) characterize their depth, bottom type, level of use and extent in order to understand how best to protect these critical habitats.

For 2004 two crews of MNR staff (Dave Beaver, Lori Costello, Chuck McCrudden, Graham Mewett, Claude Desjardin and Melanie Alkins) were assisted by Temagami Stewardship Director Peter Sword . The crews investigated a number of shoals mapped by the Stewardship crew of Steve Read and Alexander Robertson as part oft the Temagami Stewardship Council's Spawning Area Project in the summer of 2004. Information on the spawning areas was provided by tourist operators, Bear Island residents, cottagers and local residents. The focus of the October 2004 observation was the Southwest Arm and Northeast Arm, neither of which had been previously inventoried.

Dave Beaver of MNR North bay with a 25 lb. + lake trout

Among the sampling activities was the removal of a small piece of fin from each lake trout captured and released. This adipose fin piece is the cornerstone of a cooperative DNA investigation into the variability of lake trout genetics being undertaken by Dr. Tony Parkes, and Greg Pyle of Nipissing University and initiated in 2003. Dr. Parkes believes that Lake Temagami may well have a number of different genetic populations given its isolated deepwater basins and its historic placement in the receding of the continental ice sheets.

Claude Desjardin of MNR North Bay with a 30 lb. + lake trout

In the dark and cold of mid October lake trout were captured, measured and released from 3 sites in the Southwest Arm while only one of the lake trout sites in the Northeast Arm provided any lake trout activity. The largest lake trout captured during the 4 night project was a behemoth measuring approximately 106cm at the fork length and estimated to weigh well in excess of 25lbs. All 15 of the lake trout were successfully released upon the completion of sampling. While there is more work to be done next fall, particularly in the extreme northerly portions of the lake, a significant portion of the lake has been investigated.