Yearling Lake Trout

[JBMasterAngler]

What time of year does the DNR typically stock yearling lakers? Also, if a lake was first introduced with yearlings in 2007, would they be big enough for table fare by march of next year (this particular lake has a high population of small cisco)?

[Surface Tension]

Lake Trout growth is different from lake to lake.

Traditionally lake trout in Northern Mn lakes are slow growth their first years for the reason they aren't big enough to take advantage of the forage base. Then there are some lakes that seem to have a hard time of producing lake trout over 3 lbs.

Having said that IMO there are few lakes that will grow a laker from a yearling to harvestable size in 1.5 years. What is harvestable size? Depends on the lake. Lake trout lakes that are capable producing large lake trout, IMO keeping small lakers is taking them out before they reach their potential. I'll tend to release the small lake trout.

[Deep_Sinker]

A 14lb laker caught by a buddy this winter in Canada was tagged. From the statistics received from the Ministry, it had a growth rate .32" and 4/10ths of a pound per year from the time it was originally tagged in 1998. When caught it was 23 years old...and released to grow more. Very slow growing, but as Frank said lake to lake growth rates vary.

[grousehunter]

Lake trout are very slow growing fish. They do not even reach sexual maturity until the age of 8 or later. A study done at lake isle, lake superior shows that lake trout at the age of 8 years old were only 1 and a half pounds and at the age of 11 were 5 pounds. So in other words there is no possible way you will be harvesting stocked lake trout the following year.

[JBMasterAngler]

Well, it'd be 3 years, but yeah, I was expecting pretty much what all of you said...I'll give it a few more years. The lake I was refering to by the way is hanging horn lake in moose lake. I'll stick with grindstone for now

[laker1]

They are stocking the yearling lake trout this year at the end of April or at ice out. Lake trout are very very slow going and next year depending on the lake they will still be under 10 inches. A 20 inch lake trout could be any where from 7 to 15 years old. I know many 4 pound lake trout up north our about 15 years old.