We welcome Guest Posts on a variety of subjects. Today we hear about Tiger Trout from Jim Ledbetter, Member of the WDFW, Inland Fish Policy Advisory Group.
For the past couple of years I’ve been working on a proposal to introduce tiger trout to Merritt Lake. I’m sure a lot of people know what a tiger trout is but for those who haven’t here is its history.
A tiger trout is a sterile hybrid of a brown trout X brook trout and the WDFW hatchery system has been using it in selected locations since around 2001. It has an excellent growth rate and likes to eat smaller fish. The picture of this fish clearly shows a striking pattern of marking along its side. These markings are called chain mail vermiculations and this specimen has an outstanding pattern.
Tiger trout have a life span equivalent to other trout but since they are sterile not a lot of energy is spent on reproduction. Instead, that energy is spent of growth. These fish are aggressive and will readily take a variety of baits. When hooked, they will surprise even the most seasoned angler with their high, arching leaps.
Growth is phenomenal. Both Utah, and Wyoming, have used them to control unwanted populations of chubs in reservoirs. Wyoming reported growth of one fish at 22″ in 2.5 yrs. Utah reported growth to 12″, from fingerling size, in just one year. They have been used in the Spokane area and I’ve heard a 12 lb. fish was taken. I’ve not seen any pictures so I can only say that it’s perhaps a fish story but I know these fish are certainly capable of attaining that size.
Merritt Lake was chosen for this introduction because it has an abundance of small fish, or dinks, in angler terminology. In the survey phase, 41 otoliths, a small bone in a fish’s head, were sent to the aging lab in Olympia for analysis. These bones have rings and are read much like tree rings. The age range was 2 to 9 years old. The largest brookie was 9″ and 8 years old. The oldest fish was 6.5″ and 9 years old with the smallest, at 4″, being 4 years old. Small fish, like these, are a perfect prey base for hungry tiger trout and Merritt, in 3 – 4 years, would certainly have some trophy fish.
In a few days, I’ll post Part 2 providing a definitive explanation about the proposal.
Jim Ledbetter
Member, WDFW, Inland Fish Policy Advisory Group
Chiwawa Pines
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Interesting Jim,
This would appear to be a great alternative to poisoning the lake completely.
Some questions:
Is this just a trial or intended for other alpine lakes?
Is it expected that the Tiger Trout would be planted in numbers high enough to extirpate the Brook Trout or just moderate their quantities?
What is WDFW’s plan to continue the effort as the sterile fish die-off?
Were there extirpated native fish that’d be reintroduced to sustain a fishery?
How will the rules and catch limits be altered?
Thanks, Brett
Brett,
This is a trial. If it works it could possibly be used in other alpine lakes with stunted populations of fish.
It’s doubtful the brook trout will ever disappear in this lake so I expect to see less, but larger, brookies in the coming years.
The plan calls to continue stocking tiger trout, 210 per year, for the next few years.
Merritt was a barren lake and planted with non-native brook trout in 1937. It’s possible that native RB or CT could be planted at some point in the future.
Merritt currently has a catch limit of 16 fish. We would ask the Wildlife Commission to specify the fish be brook trout.
Jim Ledbetter
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