Clark Johnson holds up a 29 pound lake trout Game and Fish workers netted, measured, tagged and released on Jackson Lake. (Max Lewis/Wyoming Game and Fish department)
Game and Fish workers plying the waters of Jackson Lake may not have shouted “there she blows!” as they hauled in their nets during their annual lake trout sampling in October. But they landed a junior Moby Dick nevertheless, grappling with a 29 pound lake trout that they tagged, measured and released.
Crews spent four nights catching 161 lake trout as part of their survey, according to a release from the agency. Forty-three were recaptured from previous years and 98 were new fish. Biologists couldn’t explain the increase in captures over previous years — whether it was because of more trout or more experienced net operators.
Nevertheless, the population of the nonnative fish is doing well in the lake, a natural feature in Grand Teton National Park enlarged by the Jackson Lake Dam. The survey helps biologists determine growth and survival of Salvelinus namaycush, AKA mackinaw and lake charr.
Become a supporting member today with a tax deductible donation
Game and Fish wants anglers to photograph any tags of fish they catch and send the picture to the agency.
Junior Moby was far shy of the 50 pound state record lake trout set first in 1983 on Jackson Lake by Doris Budge of Jackson and matched in 1995 on Flaming Gorge Reservoir by Randy Calkins of Green River.
Leave a Reply