Fish ID Shuswap Lake

wildwoods · #1 09-14-2015, 09:04 PM

We had a great trip to the Shu again this summer. Fished a bunch. Caught some Koks, bullies even a salmon (Unintentionally). Oddly enough no rainbow...
We did pull in this fish at 68'. My first inclination was a laker. The white leading edges spoke "bully". But the colouring is so messed up. I'm leaning laker although can be totally off. We released it quickly after the pic to baffle another fisherman another day. It was a blast as usual but still haven't been able to figure it out. It's not a squaw fish or a sucker. It looks trout to me.
As always,
Your thoughts?

Redfrog · #2 09-14-2015, 09:20 PM

Dolly?

pipercub17 · #3 09-14-2015, 09:39 PM

That's a Shuswap bull for sure
They get really dark from spending so much time down deep in them lakes

Talking moose · #4 09-14-2015, 10:02 PM

Bully.

Backyardhunter3006 · #5 09-14-2015, 10:04 PM

Bull trout for sure

Flight01 · #6 09-14-2015, 10:19 PM

I too believe it's a bull. Very very dark . Thanks for sharing the pic

tight line · #7 09-14-2015, 10:24 PM

Sweet

Fishslayer99 · #8 09-15-2015, 08:33 AM

Darkest bull trout I have ever seen... very unique to say the least, maybe the color or lack thereof is due to the depths and shortage of sunlight the fish was holding at?

wildwoods · #9 09-15-2015, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fishslayer99

Darkest bull trout I have ever seen... very unique to say the least, maybe the color or lack thereof is due to the depths and shortage of sunlight the fish was holding at?

I'm guessing that's the case. It'd bizzare. I kept thinking the Alberta slogan "no black, put it back". This guy was all black.
Here's a pic of a young bully, same lake by the mouth of the eagle river :

Talking moose · #10 09-15-2015, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wildwoods

I'm guessing that's the case. It'd bizzare. I kept thinking the Alberta slogan "no black, put it back". This guy was all black.
Here's a pic of a young bully, same lake by the mouth of the eagle river :

Looks like a laker.

wildwoods · #11 09-15-2015, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Talking moose

Looks like a laker.

There's no dark worm like markings. Or deeply forked tail.
Although you get full black bullies anything is possible haha

Stally77 · #12 09-15-2015, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Talking moose

Looks like a laker.

X 2 definatley Laker. They are very dark coloured in that lake.

How deep did you catch him? His eyes look like they are going to explode?

Talking moose · #13 09-15-2015, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stally77

X 2 definatley Laker. They are very dark coloured in that lake.

How deep did you catch him? His eyes look like they are going to explode?

I was talking about pic #2

Stally77 · #14 09-15-2015, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Talking moose

I was talking about pic #2

first one is as well. didn't see second. Just saying
Cheers

wildwoods · #15 09-15-2015, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stally77

X 2 definatley Laker. They are very dark coloured in that lake.

How deep did you catch him? His eyes look like they are going to explode?

68' as mentioned. He didn't appear stressed when we caught him. Gave him a good release as well.

Stally77 · #16 09-15-2015, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wildwoods

68' as mentioned. He didn't appear stressed when we caught him. Gave him a good release as well.

good to hear! Thanks for the pics.

I miss that Lake used to go every summer up till the grandparents sold their cabin.

Here is one my daughter caught a few years ago. just to compare to the first pic/to sort 172.jpg his eyes were a bit swollen as well. was also a successful release.
Cheers

wildwoods · #17 09-15-2015, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stally77

good to hear! Thanks for the pics.

I miss that Lake used to go every summer up till the grandparents sold their cabin.

Here is one my daughter caught a few years ago. just to compare to the first pic/Attachment 112119 his eyes were a bit swollen as well. was also a successful release.
Cheers

What a lunker!
Yeah it's definitely my favourite place on the Planet. We go every summer

mikebossy · #18 09-16-2015, 12:21 PM

sure, its a char, but the darkness of the photo doesn't help in distinguishing between bull or laker, as for not being able to see vermiculations(quote-'wormlike markings') on the back, how on earth can you tell there not there?, way too dark to see if they were there

wildwoods · #19 09-16-2015, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikebossy

sure, its a char, but the darkness of the photo doesn't help in distinguishing between bull or laker, as for not being able to see vermiculations(quote-'wormlike markings') on the back, how on earth can you tell there not there?, way too dark to see if they were there

I'm talking about the second picture I posted in this thread of the younger fish.
See post #9
My original post w/ picture is definitely a head scratcher.

EZM · #20 09-16-2015, 12:51 PM

In the first picture - it's very hard to tell - I can't make out the tail at all as the jacket is dark and so is the fish - nor can you see the top of the back. It's really quite difficult to tell from that picture. Both Lakers and Bulls can be almost black but you usually see the shadows of the spots on the bulls and the shadows of variegation on the back of a Laker and you simply can't see that detail here either.

Picture in post # 9 is Bull

Picture in post # 16 is a Laker

wildwoods · #21 09-16-2015, 01:18 PM

EZ I agree- Not a great photo
Here's some more I cropped from our video

wildwoods · #22 09-16-2015, 01:21 PM

Another
Hoping the color shows up better. Same pose of my buddy, I realize...

tight line · #23 09-16-2015, 01:28 PM

To me they both look like lakers. Cant see the tail very good, but they both definately forked to me.

JimPS · #24 09-16-2015, 03:55 PM

We used to just call them "grays" back in the day out there. I always thought they were just lakers.

CBintheNorth · #25 09-16-2015, 10:01 PM

QUOTE=wildwoods;2967544]Another
Hoping the color shows up better. Same pose of my buddy, I realize...[/QUOTE]

Hmmmm. That mouth just doesn't look like Laker mouth to me.
I've only caught 1 bull in my life and seen a few others, but I've caught hundreds of Lakers.
Then again, I haven't caught either outside of Alberta.
Cool fish, whatever it is.

Bigdad013 · #26 09-16-2015, 11:25 PM

Caught lots of dark lakers their, but all the bulls we have caught were never dark (not saying there isn't any), we have never seen a dark bull is all.....

Sharpie · #27 09-17-2015, 07:50 AM

I also think laker, caught a pile like that and even blacker in the Yukon.

deschambault · #28 09-17-2015, 05:47 PM

I have never caught a bull in Shuswap, only lakers and to me that looked very much like a laker.

AlbertaClipper403 · #29 09-17-2015, 05:50 PM

It's a young Merman. I've seen a mature one at the Banff Springs Trading Post. No doubt about it.

CBintheNorth · #30 09-17-2015, 10:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigdad013

Caught lots of dark lakers their, but all the bulls we have caught were never dark (not saying there isn't any), we have never seen a dark bull is all.....

Well that's definitely a Laker. Wow.
If I caught a good one that color I think I'd have to get it mounted. Very unique.

Hey OP, it's a Laker!