Brook Trout
Salvelinus fontinalis (Mitchill)
Common
names:
brookie, speckled trout,
eastern brook trout, squaretail.
|
 |
Brook
trout are native to eastern regions of
Canada and the U.S. Over the past 100
years they have been introduced to many
rivers, streams and lakes throughout North
America, including southwestern Alberta.
These fish are chars and are closely related
to bull trout. Sometimes, anglers mistake
brook trout for bull trout, or vise-versa.
| Brookies are one of the most beautifully colored fish found in Labrador trout waters. Their back is generally green in color, with pale worm-like markings called vermiculations extending slightly down the sides. Unlike bull trout, brookies have dark markings on the dorsal fin. Numerous pale yellow spots cover the brookies sides, along with fewer red spots encircled by blue halos. The belly color may vary, depending on the time of year, from creamy white to orange-red, crimson or black. The lower fins will often be bright orange or red, with a black stripe beneath a white stripe on the leading edge. These colors can be quite vivid, particularly in spawners. Spawning males develop a hooked lower jaw or "kype". The tail is square-like, with little forked appearance. |
Brook trout prefer cool water temperature and thrive in cold headwater streams or small tributaries fed by springs. Creeks with beaver ponds and mountain lakes also provide good habitat for these colorful fish. |
|
Brook trout are prolific spawners
and will often overpopulate a
stream, pond or lake. When this occurs, fish become stunted; they
will be small and thin, with heads
disproportionately large in relation
to their body size. Unlike other
trout species, brookies are able
to spawn directly in a lake environment,
providing there are upwelling
springs to aerate eggs. Spawning
occurs in the fall. |
Although brook trout can weigh up to 10 pounds, most fish in most provinces and states outside Labrador will seldom reach more than a couple of pounds. Occasionally, a 3 or 4 pound trophy will be caught yet, most are considerably smaller and a 10 to 12 inch brookie is regarded as a good size fish. Whereas in the unspoiled remote wilderness of Labrador, 3 to 4 pound brookies are very common. See our photo gallery of some of the fish caught this past season. |
Northern
Pike
Esox Lucius Linnaeus
Esox is latin for pitiless;
lucius the water wolf.
A
Genuine Igloo Lake Pike
|
 |
Great Northerns, Slough Sharks, Jackfish, Pike...
So is trophy trout not enough for you? Fantastic!!!
Whatever name you call them they are big and mean at Igloo Lake.
Even without our trout we could still offer outstanding, world-class fishing with just our Northern Pike!
The northern pike is the ultimate freshwater predator! This fish was designed for one thing... Attacking smaller fish!!! It's sleek body built for speed, it's vise-like jaws to engul it's prey, and teeth... Anyone looking at those teeth just knows what these bruisers were created for!!!
Their range extends from the Alberta-Montana border, north to its boundary with the Northwest Territories and then East to the Northeastern US and north to Labrador. In some northern waters, they can live up to 25 years and may attain weights of 35 pounds or more.
Pike have an elongated head and body, with a snout shaped similar to a duck's bill. Their jaws, tongue and the roof of the mouth are lined with needle-sharp teeth. Body
coloration may vary, depending on habitat. The sides are dark brown to an olive or brownish-green with irregular rows of light olive spots. The belly color is cream to pale yellow. Fins have darker spots and often a reddish tinge.
Northern pike spawn in early spring, often before lakes become completely free of ice. Large females may carry up to 250,000 eggs. The eggs are laid at random in shallow water. Adults do not build a nest or guard the young. Their diet consists mainly of other fish, but they will eat almost anything including frogs, ducklings, mice, muskrats, crustaceans and insects.
The pike are usually found in the warmer areas by shore around the lake, so they never really go deep. We like to slowly cruise these bays, casting to the submerged
weedbeds.
TACKLE
We
permit spin casting for
Northern Pike, with restrictions,such
as, single hooks.
Add steel leaders (pike's
teeth are like razors,
not needles)
Use slightly smaller hooks
(this makes it easier
to cast)
Just
about any kind of hook
works. If it has movement
and/or flash, it's great
for pike. |
|
CUISINE
TIPS
"Excellent
Pike au Gratin"
Pike
are delicious when prepared
properly. Our cook would
rival the Soup Nazi for
taste...he knows how to
prepare them just right. |
|
|
