Me and my “Licence to Collect Fish for Scientific Purposes”…….

If you recall from last year, the MNR was conducting a tracking survey on a number of lake trout that were implanted with transponders. If you’re not familiar with this just go and click on the “old posts” button to see some of the preliminary results of 2009. This spring the MNR is hoping to capture a few more trout……..somehow I have wrangled this special licence which allows me to catch up to 5 trout for “scientific purposes”. Shown above is the floating holding pen which I am about to set out in the lake to hold my potential prisoners.

On my brief forays to find some trout these other “rough fish”, walleyes etc. , must be avoided. If caught they are immediately released……I’m using barb less hooks to make this easier.

Finally, on Sunday evening, Susanne & I took a few passes nearby and I caught this lively trout…..maybe 6 or 7 pounds. It would have made some nice fish cakes, but this was it’s lucky day! Into the holding pen…….the MNR bio’s are notified.

The next day the fish is drugged (clove oil of all things!) and the process begins. Here the fish is receiving a dorsal tag. A pectoral fin is also clipped for ageing purposes. Note the aerator tubes in the fishes mouth to allow water to flow over the gills.

Now on the bottom side the scales are removed from the insertion site.

An opening is created and the transponder (the black cylinder) is inserted.


Things are stitched back up……..good as new. A bionic lake trout!
The fish is then put into a bin to recover. After about ten minutes the drug has worn off and the fish looked pretty lively. It’s then back to the lake. Since I caught the fish it was up to me to assign a name for the fish………..it is now referred to as “Susanne”. May she have many adventures and safe travels………
I’m hoping to be able to catch a few more to add to the study. Any suggestions for future names?

7 thoughts on “Me and my “Licence to Collect Fish for Scientific Purposes”…….”

  1. Andy Lewis
    Reply

    Based on one of the previous posts, I would go for "Keith". Of course maybe another contest with naming rights would be in order?

    Andy

  2. Andy Lewis
    Reply

    Gord,

    Here's another thought. Do you suppose you could talk the MNR to lending you a few of those holding tanks in the fall. They could be used to hold some of those deeper water walleyes that are released to determine survival rates?

    Andy

  3. Andy Lewis
    Reply

    I see these are floating holding pens. They would have to be weighted in the fall to get them back to deeper water.

    Andy

  4. Perchmaster
    Reply

    First off GREAT post Gord…
    It is interesting on how they do this tracking and how the transponder is inserted into the fish, I would have thought this would be impossible to do with out harming the fish.
    So anyone who visits the blog will now learn something.
    Now for a name I am thinking a female name would be in order so how about these.
    Jillian,Kara,Betty,a male name how about Brewski for the camp.
    Great job Gord and keep us posted and don't forget less than 3 weeks till guest arrive..
    Less than 4 weeks and the perchmaster will be wanting to hear how your going to get my ass to my honey hole…..

  6. erniehull
    Reply

    Gord
    Good evening from Kansas. Enjoyed reading this information and enjoyed the pics. Who is tracking these and is the informtion available. I would think that if you caught the fish you should have tracking rights. Ha

    Take care see you in July for a week.
    ernie hull

  7. Professor
    Reply

    Hi Gord…Here's some alternative names for your consideration. Wild Bill, Tasty, Tricky Dick, and if you get a real brute, Slobosaurus.

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On behalf of the Boyes Group, I would like to pass on our sincere thanks for hosting the Muskie Madness Week and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay at VBL and had a great time!! This was our 7th year on Eagle Lake and we have stayed at a few other lodges but VBL takes the cake hands down! You can definitely count us in for next year. I’m happy to see you post some of my pics, they turned out well. Thanks again Gord for a wonderful week of fishing and your stellar hospitality, you run a first class operation, we look forward to seeing you next year!

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