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[chris gadsden]

I have heard rumours of them in kawkawa?

Not a rumour they are there.

[4x4]

There are definitely Lakes in BC that hold landlocked Salmon besides Sockeye.
I know a very well known flyfisher that showed me his pictures of a special days outing. Unreal to see that mix of species all coming from a landlocked lake. He caught Spring, Coho, Kokanee, Rainbows and Cutthroat from one particular lake in one outing. I am going back 10 yrs now but know these fish still exist in these Lakes. The Coho were about 4-6lbs with the biggest Spring around 9lbs but did see pics of 12lb Springs.

The Coho and Springs in these lakes are a result of Salmon escaping pens when they had these operations on them. They have naturally reproduced (many more Coho, than Springs) in the few streams that flow into these Lakes.
I have fished both Lakes where these fish exist. Never did catch any Salmon, since we fished from shore and needed a boat to get to the spots where the Salmon consistently hang around which is where the pens once were. Just to far to get to in a float tube.

[stickler]

Sounds like Lois Lake.

[Nikko]

Are they farming in Lois?

Nikko

[4x4]

soxaroo quote-
"The size of and weight of these salmonids would be direct escapees from these pens. Their progeny would in no way approach these sizes. There are probably LL coho in Coquitlam Lake also."


No these are fish that grow to these sizes once they have escaped from the pens.
Why couldn't they approach these sizes?

[4x4]

I don't think there are herring and needlefish to feed on like in their 2-3 years in the ocean when they bulk up to return to spawn and die. Do you suppose they feed on insects in the lake and grow at the same rate as in the ocean? Of course not.
Your lakers are fed steroided food when in pens and will shrink severley when escaped and die.
A bull trout for example can attain these sizes because they do not necessarily die after spawning...a salmon does.

The pens are gone (unless they put them back since I was there last) but while the pens were there the Salmon did eat pellets that dropped below the pens as well as what the lake had in it. The small salmon that escaped over the years grew to these sizes by eating what the lake had to offer. In this case stunted Dollies, Kokanee (mostly 8" and under in this lake even though you can get the odd bigger one), possibly the smaller Rainbow and Cutts. The lake also has an incredible population of Sticklebacks and Sculpins. There is more than enough food for these landlocked Salmon to thrive and grow. The Cutthroat in these lakes can get to 10 lbs. These low alkaline lakes do not have great bug hatches but small Salmon will eat bugs until they get big enough to tackle fish.

[4x4]

Salmon have a much shorter life span than a Rainbow or cutthroat or char. Dont tell me than penned escaped salmon fed on stunted dollies and kokanees etc. and attained the sizes you stated.
You havent stated what lake.....Would this be Jose Canseco Lake?

Salmon have a shorter life span than Trout? Thanks for letting me know that.
 If you don't believe what I posted fine. I was responding to a post letting people know what I and many others have seen.
If you better understood the circumstances and life cycles of these types of lakes then you might be better educated about understanding what I posted as being true. Springs are not going to get to 20lbs + and the Coho would probably not reach double digits but the sizes I stated are accurate.
I guess you would find it hard to believe that we were catching 6-12lb Cutthroat in that area during our brood stock fishery also.
On some of these lakes you can put on a fly that has any kind of orange or red in it and catch small Kokanee cast after cast once you find the schools and right depth. Some of these school look like herring balls in the ocean. I also know people that scuba dive these lakes and will see nothing  and all of a sudden run into huge schools of baitfish (Kokanees , atrophied Dollies and Sticklebacks).

Soxaroo, I will not post the Lakes (only one of them has the Springs in it that I'm aware of), but I'm sure many members probably know of or can guess the lake if not the area. Hopefully they will keep it off the internet and respond to the people that want to know through e-mail.
Certain lakes in this area have suffered dramtically over the last 10-12 yrs with the loss of some very large Cutthroat from over and illegal fishing.

[Reservoir Dog]

Mother Nature has enough to handle, without the location of small lakes with large fish in them. Once that information gets out, then they'll end up empty, and you'll be back on here crying the blues about no where to catch fish...

[troutbreath]

Better to fish hatchery runs and stocked lakes to keep your fish alright. I like to limit my presence on fisheries that are in trouble. How many fish should you keep from any place is something you should seriously think about. Carp,pike minnow,etc not in the equation