Evidence of Natural Reproduction by Stocked Lake Trout in Lake Ontario

Abstract

Seventy-five lake trout fry ( Salvelinus namaycush) were captured in Lake Ontario using emergent fry traps. The capture of these fry provides the first evidence of sizable natural reproduction of hatchery-origin lake trout in Lake Ontario since stocking was begun in 1973. The average catch of lake trout fry per trap in Lake Ontario (0.04 fry/trap day) was similar to that reported from Lake Huron (0.02), but lower than the catch per effort reported from Lake Michigan (0.27) and Lake Superior (0.46). Suction sampling and trawling were also conducted in the same area where fry traps were set. No fry were captured using these methods.