Today's Splake Fishing Report

Fishing for Splake

Splake is the name given to a hybrid species of fish resulting between the cross of a male brook trout and a female lake trout. The name itself is a hybrid between 'SP'eckled trout (another name for brook trout) and 'LAKE' trout, and may have been used to describe such hybrid "trout" as early as the 1880s (Kerr, S.J. 2000). The genus Salvelinus identifies this species as a Char. Both the brook "trout" and the lake "trout" are actually Char, and not true trout, thereby making the splake a Char as well. While this hybrid is genetically stable and is capable of reproducing, splake reproduction is extremely rare outside of a hatchery environment. The only known natural reproduction has occurred in 5 lakes in Algonquin Park in Ontario Canada.

The fish is very handsomely marked, possessing characteristics of both parent species. Splake exhibit higher growth rates than either parent species, and can attain 18 inches in length after only 2 years of stocking fingerlings. The fish is generally considered easier to catch than other salmonid species, and often live longer and fair better in some situations where stocking of other salmonids is less successful, making it well suited for stocking in a variety of cold water lakes and ponds. Maximum size is ca. 20 lb, however, fish larger than 8 lb are rare and considered trohpy size.

The Splake goes by other names such as Wendigo .

Species: Salvelinus namaycush X Salvelinus fontinalis

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