Posts: 767
Location: Ames, Iowa | I know of a small Mn lake where shoepak were stocked. I've heard that they are consistently smaller than their same age WI or Leech Lake strain counterparts, maxing out at around 40 inches. But in reading an article in MN Sportsman (I've always felt that they are way overly optimistic to say the least), it mentioned that this lake kicks out 50 inch fish each year.
Could those bigger fish be of a different strain? Multiple strains in one small lake? Article full of it?
What do you think about this?
Don |
Posts: 3480
Location: Elk River, Minnesota | I grew up and cut my muskie teeth on Baby Lake. Don't fish it as much now as I used to, but...
Years ago, Baby lake was stocked with Shoepac strain fish. That took place back in the 70's and I think possibly into the very early 80's but that has since been stopped and no other stocking has been taking place for muskies. So..the population, although decent for numbers (and declining rapidly from the amount of pressure it receives) the size structure is fairly limited because I feel the genetic structure of the population possibly contains that of the shoepac strain. I don't have any evidence of this, nor do I know of any research that has been completed on the lake, so I can only go off of my own observations.
There are some 50 inchers swimming in there, but there will be few and they will be far between...probably one 50" every third or 4th year is caught....and chances are, that fish migrated from the East. I have not heard of a 50 incher since about 2000 out of there and I am up there all summer.
Over the past 15 years or so, my average sze fish has been pretty steady around 34 - 36 inches, and that is coming from all parts of the lake..deep, over ciscos, trolling, and all the structure. Largest fish I have to date out of there is a 44 incher which came in 1997, right about the time they build the public access. Back then, you could easily have multiple fish days, but with no stocking going on, and the extra pressure over the past 9 years, the population is declining.
If you are looking for size, Baby is definitely NOT the lake to fish. If you want some action, but not a bunch...then baby would fit the bill. Expect to get in line...
Steve
Edited by VMS 2/10/2007 10:50 AM
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