Pictured above: Photo of 26 pound lake trout by MassWildlife
MassWildlife biologists sampling Quabbin and Wachusett reservoirs this fall captured and released 230 lake trout, including a massive 26-pound male in the Quabbin. This exceptional lake trout was originally caught and recorded in 2014 and biologists were excited to see a fish of this size and release it yet again.
Each year, when the water temperatures in Massachusetts reservoirs drop to around 50°F (typically in late October and November) lake trout begin to spawn. MassWildlife makes a strong effort to monitor the lake trout populations during this time in both the Quabbin and Wachusett reservoirs. Despite a cold and wet November, this year crews at Quabbin captured and released 163 lake trout. Over on Wachusett, 65 lake trout were captured and release, including two 18-pounders.
To get their hands on these lake trout, field crews set out nets on spawning areas at sunset. Lake trout tend to spawn in shallow, rocky, and windy shores sometime after dusk. Checking them every 20 minutes to make sure it is as safe as possible for the fish, biologists capture fish in their nets and immediately placed into livewells. After capture the trout’s length, weight, and sex are recorded. Unique to lake trout, a Passive Integrated Tag (PIT) is also implanted in the fish. Prior to releasing, the crew also clips the adipose fin. This will leave an external mark indicating that the fish has been captured before.
Collecting these fish allows biologists to retrieve the data they need to understand the current condition of the lake trout populations. Recaptured fish enable biologists to track the individual growth rates. Lake Trout can live exceptionally long lives and typically grow at a very slow rate. It’s not uncommon for tagged fish to be recaptured ten years later. The longest recapture interval recorded was 24 years!
Sampling on these big waters in the dark, cold, and wet is no easy task. But the information gathered by biologists makes the mission well worthwhile. These sampling efforts are just one way that MassWildlife can monitor the health of these remarkable fish.
Interesting read, however would love to know what the 26 pounder caught and released this fall weighed when caught in 2014.
I looked for that to
Boy, I would like to eat that sucker
IT WAS ONLY 6 POUNDS IN 2014, MUST OF BEEN ON AN EATING BINGE .
How about a LM or SM Bass story to keep us warm while we wait for spring?
Martin in Freeport
We need work done on smelt and herring runs with the exsplotion of commerants all small fish are in trouble ,we have to get rid of these birds they wipe out ponds also. There not native ,Asian carp ,commerants same problem
When I was a kid no one told me being a biologist meant getting paid to fish!
What a great gig….I’m so jealous!
Great place to fish and I had good success thanks to Al’d Goldfish.
I USE THE BANJO MINNOW AND HAVE 14 WORLDS RECORDS TO MY NAME. P.S. AND IF YOURE NOT IN THE CLICK YOULL NEVER GET A STATE JOB DOING NOTHING. AND A BIG PENSION.
Lou . Let know next time when There’s a state of Emergency because of a nor’easter that keeps you home off the roads but the next day you can go to your nine to five job with a clear road because what you call ” A do nothing State Worker ( Mass DOT) with a big pension is plowing the roads all day and night so you can get up a 8am and drive to Dunkie’s was doing nothing . ok now that a got out of the way…. I heard there are thirty pound Lakers roaming around the dam in the Chu