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Answers from John Viar in response to our/my questions on Salmon and Rainbow size when stocked, etc

I posted this below under the appropriate question, but to be sure everyone can see it I am posting it again here. Very interesting reponse from.

Below is a detail response from every NH fishermans friend John A. Viar, Fisheries Biologist I, New Hampshire Fish and Game Department. A very detailed
response I might add, Thanks John.

Both landlocked salmon and rainbow trout achieve excellent growth rates with ample forage fish (primarily rainbow smelt) abundance in New Hampshire lakes. Yearling salmon are stocked at approximately 6-7 inches and will double in size by the end of their first growing season (12-15 inches); by age-2 they will be over 18 inches (our management goal/benchmark). In netting studies on Winni, yearling rainbows stocked at 10-12 inches grew over 5-6 inches in one growing season! Although not common overall, we certainly see 4-5 lbs. rainbow trout in our netting activities, as well as Trophy Fish Applications and angler reports. However, confirmed 6+ lbs. rainbows are indeed a rare commodity - a true trophy in NH water bodies (those which have grown from yearling stock that is, not brood fish, obviously). For landlocked salmon, the percentage of more quality-sized fish in the 4-5 lbs. range is much greater and occasional 7-9 lbs. fish are taken, depending on the particular lake and status of the smelt population and corresponding stocking rates.

The size of yearling salmon currently stocked provides the best combination of numbers/biomass/stocking rate, survival, size for preying upon invertebrates immediately upon stocking and soon thereafter age-0 smelt (key to explosive growth), and hatchery cost efficacy/logistics. Yearling rainbows are stocked at a larger size (10-12 inches) since unlike landlocked salmon, they simply disappeared (predation and/or downstream or upstream emigration) and did not provide a fishery when stocked at smaller sizes, per past experiments in the early '90's at the onset of the large-lake rainbow program. Additionally, since rainbows frequently emigrate out of lake systems, this stocking size allows them to be taken when they achieve legal/quality size after 1-2 years before they may head out of the lake (in fall or spring heavy rain/flow events such as this past year, there is definite and confirmed emigration by both salmon and rainbows out of our lakes and into rivers and/or other lakes - anyone who fished the Winnipesaukee River in Laconia is well aware of this fact!). Another factor for fewer rainbows in general in particular lakes such as Winnipesaukee is simply the lower stocking rate/fewer chances of encountering them compared to landlocked salmon; although rainbows will feed on a wide variety of food items they will consume smelt, hence conservative stocking rates (even if high smelt abundance) when stocked in the same lakes as landlocked salmon. Additionally, rainbows can be harvested through the ice (which was the genesis of the large-lake rainbow program, although they obviously have become very popular open water as well), while it is illegal to take salmon.

John Viar goes on to say in response to my question stocked Salmon, Rainbows, etc. being eaten by Lakers.

Also keep in mind truly big lakers will eat 12-16 inch prey (salmon, trout, sucker, perch, bass, you name it) without even blinking (actually they can't blink they don't have eyelids). Trophy NH lakers 15-20 lbs. taken the last several years, when sent to the taxidermist, have contained up to four 12-14 inch rainbows in their stomachs, and big lakers taken in Sebago have been confirmed to eat 12-15 inch salmon. No doubt it's a jungle down there. (end of John Viar's response)


Back to me, again I want to thank John Viar and the entire NH Fish and Game for it's dedication to provide an excellent fishery of all species for in all NH lakes, rivers and streams.

John S.

Re: Answers from John Viar in response to our/my questions on Salmon and Rainbow size when stocked,

Thanks John and John...

Lots of good info there.