Clipped fins, Laker age

[coifishima]

Fishing the Haliburton area and I’ve caught a few Lakers with the left pectoral fin clipped. They are about 8-10” long. Any idea how I would find out the year class? Is my best bet to contact MNRF to ask them? I’m more curious then anything else

[mykola]

Contact the HHOA hatchery, they can identify the strain and which fin is clipped for what year (though it’s usually the right peck for each year). Based on the size I’d say they were stocked within the last 18months. Contact the hatchery they have great info over there, but they’re busy so don’t expect instant reply. Email them and that’s the best way.

[Fishnhunt]

I contacted Minden MCR and the fisheries biologist told me the year they were stocked, numbers and other info. Really interesting.

[Fishinbeatsworkin]

Not sure if this helps, typical government they don’t specify if this was province wide or certain lakes. I’m thinking any lake trout stocked by mnr are all clipped the same for that year they are stocked though. That makes sense to me, so perhaps they might also do the opposite of that being the provincial government and all! I was also under the impression they don’t fin clip in lakes where they just stock for put and take and there are no native fish.

[Nuclear]

If you get stock sheets printed they will tell you what was clipped and how many were put in which year