Time to Revive Buck Lake’s Extinct Mutant Trout

Johjn Curran | Aug 12, 2020

As Frontenac County emerges from COVID-19 and we collectively look for creative ways to rekindle any sort of economic flame in our tourism sector, the time is right to reintroduce a mutant trout that once called many of our lakes home.

The lab-engineered species in question is the splake; a hybrid cross of a male speckled (brook) trout and a female lake trout. Back in the 1970s and ’80s as we grappled with acid rain and some waters lost the ability to support large, healthy, self-sustaining populations of native lake trout, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources turned to splake to mitigate the problem. It stocked splake into many lakes including the North Arm of Buck Lake.

Actually first developed in New York state in the late 1800s, the non-reproducing splake in the North Arm provided anglers with a great fishing opportunity and took pressure off neighbouring South Arm lake trout – and they actually grew faster than native trout reaching maturity in as little as two years according to some studies.

Especially in winter, when laker season is closed completely due to the sensitivity of populations at that time, people were still able to go out and jig splake through the ice on the north side of the old Perth Road.

Though I wasn’t a big trout fisherman back in those days, I do remember catching a few of these over the years. The main difference between splake and lakers was the cut of their tail. The former having a square tail, like its brookie father, while the latter’s tail is forked. To the casual angler, they were virtually identical in every way that maters.

While almost anything is possible in nature, Buck Lake’s last splake likely died out more than decade ago. Meaning all trout fishing is now largely concentrated on the South Arm. Beyond the Buck, natural trout lakes take all the pressure that was once shared by splake lakes.

By most expert predictions, and based on anecdotal information about outdoor recreation gear sold out around the province recently, Ontarians intend to put a renewed focus on enjoying our lakes as long-distance travel to international destinations is now about as popular as a porcupine in an airplane washroom. That pressure on trout populations is only going to increase in this new normal.

Our cabin is located on a point that sticks out into the main reach of the South Arm. It’s prime lake trout territory with deep trenches, rocky cliffs and submerged humps and saddles. I can personally attest to the fact that trout fishing pressure has been brisk this year with many boats plying the waters between Rider’s Roost and Burnt Point.

While success is never guaranteed, one guy who catches more than he doesn’t is local fishing guide Kevin Buck. Out recently with his neighbour, Buck Lake’s fishin’ technician helped Dean Milner boat a gorgeous 16-pound laker from that same stretch of water which for most would be the fish of a lifetime.

“That’s a baby compared to some of the ones in the South Arm,” insisted Buck. “I’d say they go up to 30 or 40 pounds on our side of the lake.”

Buck, whose name is just a coincidence, has been on the lake for some 60 years including time spent on the North Arm in his youth where his parents had a cottage.

“We’ve been doing quite well for the trout this year, I’ve got my pontoon boat all set up with downriggers now, we got six trout this past weekend,” he said. “They were mainly three to six pounds – all on typical Lake Ontario type spoons, Williams Wablers, Northern Kings, that sort of thing… I can’t give away all my secrets.”

As long as it was in areas where natural trout populations don’t do well, such as the North Arm of Buck Lake, the long-time professional angler said he’d be in favour of bringing back splake – anything that’s going to increase fishing opportunities and take pressure of the natural trout.

“I used to have a cottage on Dog Lake too and we used to catch a lot of splake there,” he said. “And we would get them as accidental catches while fishing for pike on the North Arm of Buck in the winter, they were fun.”

If you’d like to contract Buck and try his guiding service in search of your own trophy trout, or any other species swimming in Buck Lake for that mater, he can be reached at 613-353-1213.