Loopers

[Steve Foss]

f4f, Kamloops and steelhead are two distinct strains of rainbow trout. There are general differences, but there's so much variation between individual fish in color that it's often hard to tell which is which unless you have a fair amount of practice. So the clipped adipose fin is the way to tell. Clipped = looper you can keep. Unclipped = steelhead you have to release.

Now, there could well be some naturally spawned loopers swimming around L.S. without the clipped adipose, but by and large it's clipped/looper and unclipped/steelhead.

The loopers on L.S. run up to about 10 lbs. Steelhead can and routinely do get bigger than that, but it's hard to say just how big a looper MIGHT eventually get. Steelhead are the stronger and more acrobatic fighters, as a rule, but loopers can make powerful runs of their own, and they jump as well.

[fish_4_fun]

ok, thanks for the info, i will keep that fin clipped as a rule, and not try to distinguish a looper by its color.

now another question. whats the ratio between clipped and unclipped rainbows you catch. i would imagine there is more unclipped than clipped. but i could be wrong.

[Steve Foss]

You'll catch far more clipped loopers than unclipped steelhead fishing the shore around the French and Lester.

[skolfoppa]

i would imagine there is more unclipped than clipped. but i could be wrong.

To c/r an unclipped fish, imho, is worth taking a few minutes to reflect on the battle, thank the fishing gods, and later maybe even sip a celebratory night-cap of a suitably aged scotch. Maybe for some it does not warrant such reverance. For myself, landing a native is an event worth noting. Skol.

[Steve Foss]

Maybe for some it does not warrant such reverance. For myself, landing a native is an event worth noting. Skol.

It always felt that way to me, too. Very first fish I caught out of Lake Superior was a 25-inch steelhead. Came on a crawler/slip bobber off the Two Harbors breakwall. Man, I'll never forget how fast and hard the fish fought, or the four times it went airborne.

Just in the FWIW category, steelhead are not native to Lake Superior.

[lakerunner]

Corey caught one, had another on, and had multiple times where he was "keeping his arm warm". There was another caught just down the shore and one other one (both of those were a long ways out). I saw 2 caught in the am.

[skolfoppa]

Just in the FWIW category, steelhead are not native to Lake Superior.

Yes. How about naturally reproduced? Thats where I was heading w/ the unclipped fish thoughts. Thanks for the correction.

My first hookup was off the rocks at the Gooseberry mouth. I was ten. Scrambled down the ledge to land her, got her out of the lake, rooster tail popped off, and in a flash I was alone. I remember crying back at camp and my mom asking "whats wrong with you?" Skol.

[Steve Foss]

It's no biggie to me at all, skol. Just being a picky writer/editor guy. And I find myself saying "native" when I see an unclipped lake trout in Burntside, too, even though I know "naturally reproduced" is the more correct expression.

[upnorth]

What defines a native fish? How long does it have to be in the system to be consider a "native"? I think Steelies have been in the big lake for well over 100 years and pretty much self sustaining(until people got a little piggish, and I used to work with some or em years ago) for pretty much the entire time.

If I catch a Lake Superior Steelhead I have and will continue to call it a native:-) And anyone who has really fished for them will be able to tell a Steelie immediately just from the looks. Although there is nothing wrong with a Looper, a "native" Lake Superior Steelhead is a streamlined silver bullet compared to the not nearly so streamlined Looper. And for the most part the Loopers are more colorful than the Steelheads.

[Steve Foss]

I have had trouble telling a pale looper hen from a steelhead. Looked for all the world like a steelie to me but had a clipped adipose. That's just my experience, and I am in no way a steelhead expert, and have only caught 12-15 of them over the years.

And I'm not trying to be the Word Nazi, either. In the sense that you are a native of the place in which you are born, a steelie certainly can be a native of a Lake Superior trib. So can a looper if some successfully spawn. So can pink salmon. In the sense of the whole species being native to the lake, well, if we introduced it, it's not a native species.

Again, that's just how I'm looking at it, and it's just one man's opinion. I honestly don't give a rat's patooty whether you or others call steelhead natives, which is why when I pointed out the distinction I put it in the FWIW (for what it's worth) category. It's all good in the hood as far as I'm concerned.

I think it's time for me to shut up and fish.

[upnorth]

Steve I wasn't trying yo be contentious with my reply, merely stating my thinking on the subject.

[jigginjim]

Living in Buffalo, I would like to hit the sreams for a looper. How long would the bite last? I have not up to the north shore in 4 yrs. Could use some tips, since I spend most of my time chase warmwater fish. I would like to get 1-2 loopers.

[skolfoppa]

It's all good in the hood as far as I'm concerned.

Foss, you keep us on our toes and make us edit our posts. Your northwoods knowledge does not go unnoticed. Now was that quote Robert Frost or Ed Abbey?

Skol.

[Woodsman]

I'm hitting the shore this weekend, will let everyone know if I get anything. Hopefully at least one person in my group does.

[JoshM]

Anybody picking up any fish from the shore or is everybody concentrating on river fishing now?

[MnMike58]

We will be fishing the shore between the lester and two harbors Sat.

[SKIPPERS KID]

MnMike58,

We will need some rain the rivers are clear and getting low, You may need to go farther north to find good water like starting at the gooseberry and north. But if we get rain you will be fine on you first choice and good fishing to you.

[GottaGo]

Anybody having any luck still on any of the lower rivers or shore for loopers?

I made it out to Lester today for a few hours and it looks like most people have given up on loopers. I did see a handful of fish swimming around and had 1 on for a few seconds, but they looked pretty beat up like they've been in the river awhile.

[jim carpenter]

the lester river fish have been so whiplashed it is amazing they can still swim. the snagging and pee pounding has not stopped. just stopped there and watched over the bridge again the other day. some guys think getting a fish on means you can rip and snag your way to success. personally, i like catching fish in the mouth and enjoy when other anglers do the same.

[hound32]

the lester river fish have been so whiplashed it is amazing they can still swim. the snagging and pee pounding has not stopped. just stopped there and watched over the bridge again the other day. some guys think getting a fish on means you can rip and snag your way to success. personally, i like catching fish in the mouth and enjoy when other anglers do the same.

Exactly!! Its crazy what some people do day after day.