Merrill Creek Res lake trout question:

[AndyS]

If there is no natural reproduction of lake trout, then why is there a closed season for them in the fall ??????

[acabtp]

what makes them say that there is no natural reproduction in there? nobody catches shorts?

[catfishonthelake]

Andy, this could be a wild guess, but if they electroshock for egg collection, they don't want anyone taking fish that can provide sperm and eggs. I've wondered the same thing about musky. I'm fairly sure that musky go through the motions and don't actually spawn, but "Trophy Musky Lakes," (Echo, Mountain, Mercer and one other, I think) have a "catch and release" season from April through May. I thought it could be for collecting eggs, but I also could be really wrong.

[AndyS]

They get the lake trout eggs from Vermont.

[catfishonthelake]

Gotcha. Don't they electroshock the Valley though?

[AJFISH13]

I thought the reproduction was extremely minimal, not nonexistant?