I have been going my entire life to our family cottage on a small lake trout and bass lake in the Bancroft area, and all the hours I have spent fishing there became worth while last weekend.
The lake was stocked with lakers on a rotating every other year schedule in the late 70's, 80's and ended in the early 90's. After many years of over fishing and degrading spawning areas the lake trout population began to suffer terribly. During the 90's and early 2000's it quickly went from a lake that my uncles, grandfathers and the locals could fill the boat with 8+lb lakers, to a lake that VERY seldom gave up a trout. I spent many summers trolling and jigging with zero success.
During the last 5 years I have started to notice a SLOW return of some small natural lakers in the 2-4lb range. I am actually currently measuring the fish and collecting small fin clips from these fish for the MNR to study and DNA test to see if they are from spawnig stocked trout or some of the "Bancroft Stain" If they are actually the Bancroft fish, we may get our lake back onto a stocking schedule with some of the fish from the NHCFH Hatchery located in Bancroft.
So enough of the back story and to the fish story
So after another tough weekend of only landing one 3lb laker, I headed out sunday morning for one last spin around the lake before the rain started and we had to pack up. I get all sorted out hook a small minnow to the back of my favorite gold mepps spinner and cast it back, let out a couple rod lengths of line and put it in the rod holder. Not more than ten minutes into the troll my rod DOUBLES over and line is peeling off my poor little Shimano spinning reel. Its only 10lb test so I quickly back the drag off a touch more, and begin what is to me the battle of a lifetime.. Thinking to myself that if I don't land this fish nobody is gonna believe me, I very carfully fight the fish for the next 35-45 minutes without ever getting a look at it. Then it finally comes in and under the boat for my first look, and I instantly started shaking at the knees. Net over the side, under the fish and SUCCESS..
I was straight out from the cottage, so I quickly measure and weigh the fish and get it into the livewell for lots of aerated water and head in for a quick picture. After the picture the best part of all.. The release. It was almost majestic watching such a beautiful fish swim away.
After a quick conversation with Steve Lawrence at the Bancroft MNR he says judging by its measurements and CLIP the fish was hatched in 1985 and stocked into our lake with 700 others in 1987. He says maybe 1982, but 99.9% 1987. Thats 28 years old
The specs:
38" long
20.6lbs
RV fin clip
You never know what could be lurking down there, and unless you are ready to spend the time on the water you may never know
Adam
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