Elbow Lake Brookies

[FishingForLife]

Has anyone been out to Elbow Lake Kananaskis, just off hwy 40, in the past few years? If so, has anyone noticed the brookies with light bodies and pitch black tails?
I had talked to a few Wildlife Biologists, and I even got to chat with Brian Chan at this years Fly Expo about it, And I was wondering if anyone else has any input as to why these fish have black black black tails, and fairly light bodies?
Only thing I can think of is low oxygen content....

[blackmamba]

I have caught a ton of brookies outta there in the past few years and never really noticed the color distinction . But now have me thinking , I will have to dig threw some photos and see !! Just wondering is this a concern or just something you ve notice with these fish !!

[McLeod]

It's not from a lack of oxygen.

[FishingForLife]

Well what rattled my bones was those black tailed brookies had the same symptoms as fish with "Whirling Disease". Fish with whirling have black tails too, and these particular fish up there were sooo docile, as i was wading in, they'd just bum around between my legs without a care in the world. But when I talked to my biologist friend, they said no chance it was whirling. When I asked Brian Chan about it, he replied by saying it was "The Chemical Make-up" of the lake.
BUT, now I'm starting to think....could it be cross breeding? Cause I have pulled a small bull out of there last year?

[sheephunter]

Fish adapt to the colour of their environment. They've looked the same for the past 25 years in Elbow Lake. I highly doubt there are any bulls there.

[FishingForLife]

Then they just must be an all grey brookie. Cause thats what I was catching. All grey, marked with pale yellow to white spots.

[nicemustang]

Not the greatest pic, but from what I see, brookie for sure. Black spots on dorsal fin and mostly square tail. Often confused with bulls. If you want to know more and how to tell them apart, I found this site very useful.

http://fwpiis.mt.gov/bulltroutid/

[blackmamba]

Not the greatest pic, but from what I see, brookie for sure. Black spots on dorsal fin and mostly square tail. Often confused with bulls. If you want to know more and how to tell them apart, I found this site very useful.

http://fwpiis.mt.gov/bulltroutid/

X2 , definately a brookie !! and they don t get much bigger than that either in there !!

[FishingForLife]

Thanx guys. Ill be going back this year, and ill be sure to get some decent pictures.

[DuckBrat]

Looks like whirling disease to me. I did not think Brookies were susceptible but a quick look into some studies says they are. Lately I have noticed some suspicious fish behavior in some BC lakes near the Crows Nest Pass. I have been bleaching my waders every time out.

[jrs]

Lots of different things can discolor fish that way. Could be damage from an angler (snagged in tail or broken back during handling). It could also be damage from spawning if that was in the fall. Often salmonids damage their tails fairly badly and any injury to a fish can lead to that sort of discoloring. Similar to "burns" in fish that are electrofished and make contact with an electrofishing prod. Low oxygen can lead to some discoloration but generally after a fish is already starting to stiffen up. I don't know that particular lake but otherwise is it stocked? If it was stocked days earlier sometimes hatchery fish don't react so well with new surroundings and end up disoriented and discoloration could result from the stress. Even loss of an eye or damage from a predator can lead to the blotchy coloring.

Whirling disease is not known in Alberta and i think it would likely show up first in a stream along the Montana border as opposed to a lake. Wouldn't be my first guess as there are other things that cause fish to change colors in that way. Did you by chance email the regional fisheries manager? They may also be able to provide some clarification for you.