Speck or Splake?

[GreenCanada]

I need some help identifying this trout. I was out shore fishing Georgian Bay this past weekend and happened to land this nice 13" brook trout. I was kind of surprised as I was expecting a rainbow or maybe a small laker.

 

Now I'm not too sure if it's a speck or a splake. If you could offer your expertise it would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Fishing yoda]

looks to me like a splake.. the colors and the square tail leed me to believe what you got there was a splake, now mind you some brookies aren't very colorfull but at a first glance looks like it to me.

[jigsnreels]

I thought a brookie had more of a square tail than a splake...

[GreenCanada]

A higher resolution photo

 

 

My vote is for speck, but I haven't heard of anyone catching a speck in Georgian Bay before...

 

hmmm

[Gregoire]

Looks like a brookie to me.

[Joeytier]

The slight forked tail and all-white spots make me think splake, but their snouts usually aren't so stout. I believe Gbay splake stocking ended a very long time ago, but apparently they will successfully spawn on the odd occassion. I believe it's a splake.

[northernpike56]

Looks like a brookie to me.

Edited September 2, 2012 by northernpike56

[dave524]

The slight forked tail and all-white spots make me think splake, but their snouts usually aren't so stout. I believe Gbay splake stocking ended a very long time ago, but apparently they will successfully spawn on the odd occassion. I believe it's a splake.

 

The splake that were stocked in Georgian Bay last were the laker backcross splake, splake X laker, definitely not one of them, they were quite laker like in appearance. I would say a lake run spec.

[Bluegill]

-

Edited November 6, 2014 by Bluegill

[Christopheraaron]

looks to me like a splake.. the colors and the square tail leed me to believe what you got there was a splake, now mind you some brookies aren't very colorfull but at a first glance looks like it to me.

 

Another nickname for a brookie is squaretail.

[jigsnreels]

Here's a pretty good resource to show the differences between lake, splake, and brookie:

 

http://dnr.wi.gov/fish/lakesup/ltspcbt_id.html

 

The snub nose and the square tail say brookie to me. Can't really go by the spots, as there seem to be several different variants.

[johnnyb]

When in doubt......Atlantic

[wallacio]

The splake that were stocked in Georgian Bay last were the laker backcross splake, splake X laker, definitely not one of them, they were quite laker like in appearance. I would say a lake run spec.

 

Correct. Splake backcross stocking in Huron/GB stopped in 1995 which is well before the life span of the fish in the OP's picture. Currently Splake are only stocked in inland lakes in Ontario.

 

More info:

 

http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/stdprodconsume/groups/lr/@mnr/@letsfish/documents/document/226919.pdf

http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Business/SORR/2ColumnSubPage/STDPROD_086085.html

Edited May 23, 2012 by wallacio

[GreenCanada]

Correct. Splake backcross stocking in Huron/GB stopped in 1995 which is well before the life span of the fish in the OP's picture. Currently Splake are only stocked in inland lakes in Ontario.

 

More info:

 

http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/stdprodconsume/groups/lr/@mnr/@letsfish/documents/document/226919.pdf

http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Business/SORR/2ColumnSubPage/STDPROD_086085.html

 

That's some really interesting information.

[camillj]

Id actually say laker

[danc]

I can definately see a couple of red specks amongst the spots on the side, so there is some Brook Trout in there for sure. The thing that throws me off is the pale fins and the rouded edges on the tips of tail. I've caught my share of May coaster Brook Trout that look just like that. Very silver and pale. But it seems to me that the fins should have more color in them and a more pronounced leading white edge.

[GreenCanada]

There is definitely some Brook Trout in it, in my opinion. Blackened mouth, both internally and along the lips. White leading edge on fins, with red specks and blue halos.

 

It really is one of the more interesting specimens that I have caught.

 

My thought is still more Brookie than Laker, but most likely it's a hybrid of some sort.

 

Anyone ever catch a Brook Trout in Georgian Bay?

Edited May 24, 2012 by GreenCanada

[wallacio]

I caught this one in a GB tributary while targetting Steelhead. I can't say with absolute certainty as it was caught in a tributary that does hold resident Brookies but it was also likely a lake-run fish given it's appearance (washed out colours)...very similar to your fish.

 

[Spiel]

I caught this one in a GB tributary while targetting Steelhead. I can't say with absolute certainty as it was caught in a tributary that does hold resident Brookies but it was also likely a lake-run fish given it's appearance (washed out colours)...very similar to your fish.

 

 

 

I've caught lots of spring resis Wallico that resembled yours in colour that also had the apparent black grubs, I'd guess thats a resi too and a big one!

 

I think the first fish pic in question is a Brookie though, but it looks like some sort of hatchery or net escapee.

[dave524]

I caught this one in a GB tributary while targetting Steelhead. I can't say with absolute certainty as it was caught in a tributary that does hold resident Brookies but it was also likely a lake-run fish given it's appearance (washed out colours)...very similar to your fish.

 

 

There is a least 1 male brookie that has been lifted in the fall in the cage on the Credit on muliple occasions, being fall the pics I saw his colour was very intense though. There are a few lake run brookies around.

[Barry Willis]

That is not a speck. Specks have a square tail as well as halos around their spots especially on their back. This fish has a slightly forked tail. A lake trout has more of a forked tail than this fish. It's a splake. I have been fishing for them regularly and successfully since the 70's. Regardless, nice fish. 

[Dara]

From what I have read, there is no way to tell if a fish is a splake or not by outward appearance.

You need a scientific knowledge of anatomy and a sharp knife.

 

A few years back I was fishing a splake lake between Christmas and new year day when trout season opens, but splake is year round.

We caught a fish and couldn't be sure if it was splake or spec so we released it

 

After this I researched a bit and found that it is impossible to determine even for a CO.

Thus,if a lake has been stocked with splake, all trout in that lake are specs and you can't be charged for OOS fish

[BillM]

Let's hope in almost 10 years since this thread was started we've come to the conclusion that this in fact is an Atlantic.

[Terry]

Greencanada has be on this forum since 2014. So I’m pretty sure he’s not going to give a damn what kind of fish it was at this point 

[Sinker]

On 5/23/2012 at 10:06 PM, camillj said:

Id actually say laker

Me too. I dont see any speck in there at all. Pure laker. Makes sense where it was caught too. If that was a coaster brookie, you wouldn't have to wonder what it is, you would know right away. 

S.