Lake Trout Vs Splake..How to tell the Difference?

[bassjunky]

I need a hand here............

A Lake that I have been fishing this year has both Lakers and Splake in it and I have no idea how to tell the difference..the problem being, Laker season is closed and Splake is open?

SO how do I tell? I caught a nice specimen yesterday that would have made great eating, but I let him go because I was not sure if it was a splake or not.

Any help would be appreciated.

[bigredfishing]

Look at the fish's back.  Brook Trout have wormlike markings across their back called vermiculations...when they get crossed with lakers to produce splake, the vermiculations disappear.

[MickeyFinn]

How many Lake trout have you caught ? Because to me they look nothing alike. Splake will look more like a brook trout than anything. The only similarity I have ever noticed is that Splake will have a forked tail like Lakers other than that I can't even think of how one would confuse the 2.

[bassjunky]

See thats the problem I have....both lakes that I fish and have caught Lakers/Splake are lakes that contain both. So Im not 100% sure what fish I have been catching

The fish I caught yesterday looks a lot like a Brook Trout

[akdg]

Here are the best pics I could find,  do a search and you will find more. Hope this helps

  laker

splake

[MickeyFinn]

Bassjunky I would bet the farm that if that fish looked like a brookie then it was a splake. But if your not sure its better to be safe than sorry. One question though why is Lake trout fishing closed up there this time of year.

[Hood]

Laker:


Splake: notice the "laker" head on it, but brookie halos, fins and side markings up to the lateral line and the its  laker markings again instead of the worming of a brookie


Be careful...splake dont always have a forked tail, this is from the above splake:


I went through this with a lot of members and we got to the bottom of it, they are tricky, some will take more of a laker appearance and others a brookie....

[bassjunky]

Thanx guys...looking that these photo's i think it was a Laker. it was much lighter in colour then all the splake photo's.

Splake are open year round here but in my part of Ontario Lakers are only open June to September

[adkRoy]

Splake: have peanut shaped spots. more of a purple shine to them.


Lake Trout: Not always lighter but they do have more oval shaped spots.

[bassjunky]

I cleared everyhting up....this lake has been fully stocked with splake, and although there is some lakers in there about 80-90% of the fish are Splake, because of this the Ministry has labeled it a Splake lake, and it is open all year round although all other Laker fishing in my region is closed.

[billybono]

you need one of these........but the splake version




  billybono

[jrelaxin]

lake trout have a definite fishey smell to them also........................

[Buckski]

The true essence of a forum!!!
Good JOB guys!