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Trout Growth.

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  • 11-05-2015 10:07pm
    #1
    minktrapper
    Registered Users Posts: 1,995 ✭✭✭


    Anyone any idea how long it takes a trout to grow to 1lb on a limestone river.


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    #2
    BrownTrout
    Closed Accounts Posts: 216 ✭✭BrownTrout


    Anything from 3 to 6 years depending on food availability I think, not sure though


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    #3
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    It would take between 3 and 8 years depending on stock levels, nutrients etc in a particular river. We did a survey on this some years back counting growth rings on scales.


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    #4
    BrownTrout
    Closed Accounts Posts: 216 ✭✭BrownTrout


    Gianni Skinny Treatment wrote:
    It would take between 3 and 8 years depending on stock levels, nutrients etc in a particular river. We did a survey on this some years back counting growth rings on scales.
    What's the average life expectancy of a trout one e it reaches sprat/parr size?


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    #5
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    BrownTrout wrote: »
    What's the average life expectancy of a trout one e it reaches sprat/parr size?

    Depends on where it is. Are the waters catch and release? What condition are the waters in?

    Anywhere from 5 to 10 years.


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    #6
    minktrapper
    Registered Users Posts: 1,995 ✭✭✭minktrapper


    The river I fish has been decimated from predation by mink so I am wondering how long would it take to recover to pre mink arrival levels.


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    #7
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    minktrapper wrote: »
    The river I fish has been decimated from predation by mink so I am wondering how long would it take to recover to pre mink arrival levels.

    It depends on so many factors - how decimated (pedantic piece; decimated is losing 10%) was is? Below a certain threshold and natural regeneration is nearly impossible. What stage are the remaining fish at? How many are there?
    If there are sufficient numbers remaining then recovery can be fairly swift due to lack of competition for food.
    Are the mink now eradicated? Are the waters fished?
    It would really need a field assessment for anything other than supposition, to be honest.


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    #8
    Zzippy
    Registered Users Posts: 14,166 ✭✭✭✭Zzippy


    In a limestone river (high nutrient levels) trout will reach 1lb in less than 3 years. Average lifespan is 4-6 years. Ferox trout live 10-13 years, but a brownie over 7 is pretty rare.


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    #9
    minktrapper
    Registered Users Posts: 1,995 ✭✭✭minktrapper


    Gianni Skinny Treatment wrote: »
    It depends on so many factors - how decimated (pedantic piece; decimated is losing 10%) was is? Below a certain threshold and natural regeneration is nearly impossible. What stage are the remaining fish at? How many are there?
    If there are sufficient numbers remaining then recovery can be fairly swift due to lack of competition for food.
    Are the mink now eradicated? Are the waters fished?
    It would really need a field assessment for anything other than supposition, to be honest.

    I appreciate where you are coming from but all the spots that I used to know that contained fish are devoid of any fish.I am fishing the river for the last 20 yrs.Caught another mink this week that is 8 this year .7 last year.I am thinking that trout stocks could be down 75%.That is judging by the amount of trout I see rising on a typical summers evening.Is it possible that mink could do this much damage.


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    #10
    huddlejonny
    Registered Users Posts: 400 ✭✭huddlejonny


    minktrapper wrote: »
    The river I fish has been decimated from predation by mink so I am wondering how long would it take to recover to pre mink arrival levels.

    I have the same suspicion about otters on the river lee. They are all over the place. Spent the day fishing a particular spot which is usually a good source of trout until I noticed a head peer out of the water looking at me. The little bugger was in no rush to leave either.


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    #11
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    Trout would not be a significant part of a Mink's diet, nor would fish in general. Eels are taken by mink but their diet tends more towards frogs, rodents, birds, etc.


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    #12
    minktrapper
    Registered Users Posts: 1,995 ✭✭✭minktrapper


    Gianni Skinny Treatment wrote: »
    Trout would not be a significant part of a Mink's diet, nor would fish in general. Eels are taken by mink but their diet tends more towards frogs, rodents, birds, etc.

    May I try to correct you.A few years back both myself and my brother were fishing the same river.Every trout that we caught had a piece taken out of its tail.Which happened to coincide with the appearance of mink on the river.That is every trout.It also looked like the shape of a mink bite.

    What else could explain the sudden disappearance of trout on the river.


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    #13
    Zzippy
    Registered Users Posts: 14,166 ✭✭✭✭Zzippy


    huddlejonny wrote: »
    I have the same suspicion about otters on the river lee. They are all over the place. Spent the day fishing a particular spot which is usually a good source of trout until I noticed a head peer out of the water looking at me. The little bugger was in no rush to leave either.

    Otters are native, unlike mink, and seeing an otter is a sign of a healthy river with a healthy stock of fish. If the fish weren't there the otter wouldn't be. The fact you didn't catch is only an indication that the fish were keeping their heads down because of the otter, not a sign that they aren't there.


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    #14
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    minktrapper wrote: »
    May I try to correct you.A few years back both myself and my brother were fishing the same river.Every trout that we caught had a piece taken out of its tail.Which happened to coincide with the appearance of mink on the river.That is every trout.It also looked like the shape of a mink bite.

    What else could explain the sudden disappearance of trout on the river.

    And may I just refer you to my comment again? Fish are not a significant element of mink diet. Fact. As to what is happening in your particular river, we won't know without proper investigation and was not referenced in my comment.


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    #15
    ComfortKid
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,169 ✭✭✭ComfortKid


    Zzippy wrote:
    Otters are native, unlike mink, and seeing an otter is a sign of a healthy river with a healthy stock of fish. If the fish weren't there the otter wouldn't be. The fact you didn't catch is only an indication that the fish were keeping their heads down because of the otter, not a sign that they aren't there.


    Spot on there zippy.


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    #16
    minktrapper
    Registered Users Posts: 1,995 ✭✭✭minktrapper


    Gianni Skinny Treatment wrote: »
    Trout would not be a significant part of a Mink's diet, nor would fish in general. Eels are taken by mink but their diet tends more towards frogs, rodents, birds, etc.

    They have all the rodents (rats) eaten.Never see a rat on the river anymore.


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    #17
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    minktrapper wrote: »
    They have all the rodents (rats) eaten.Never see a rat on the river anymore.

    That would happen with Mink about alright,


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    #18
    minktrapper
    Registered Users Posts: 1,995 ✭✭✭minktrapper


    Zzippy wrote: »
    Otters are native, unlike mink, and seeing an otter is a sign of a healthy river with a healthy stock of fish. If the fish weren't there the otter wouldn't be. The fact you didn't catch is only an indication that the fish were keeping their heads down because of the otter, not a sign that they aren't there.

    There is otters on our river for as long as I can remember.Still had plenty trout in it until the mink appeared.


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    #19
    minktrapper
    Registered Users Posts: 1,995 ✭✭✭minktrapper


    Gianni Skinny Treatment wrote: »
    And may I just refer you to my comment again? Fish are not a significant element of mink diet. Fact. As to what is happening in your particular river, we won't know without proper investigation and was not referenced in my comment.

    Could it be possible that mink are catching trout just for the sake of it.


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    #20
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    minktrapper wrote: »
    Could it be possible that mink are catching trout just for the sake of it.

    No.


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    #21
    minktrapper
    Registered Users Posts: 1,995 ✭✭✭minktrapper


    Gianni Skinny Treatment wrote: »
    Trout would not be a significant part of a Mink's diet, nor would fish in general. Eels are taken by mink but their diet tends more towards frogs, rodents, birds, etc.

    My brother once observed a trout rise to a fly and all of a sudden a mink darted out from the bank,dived down where the trout rose and then appeared with a trout in its mouth.


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    #22
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    minktrapper wrote: »
    My brother once observed a trout rise to a fly and all of a sudden a mink darted out from the bank,dived down where the trout rose and then appeared with a trout in its mouth.

    Look, I'm not getting into an argument on this or getting caught up in semantics All I said was (and this is based on many years of field research) that Trout are not a significant part of the diet of Mink. They take some, of course, but generally nothing like enough to wipe out stocks in a healthy river.

    Also, if Otters are about the number of Mink will be greatly reduced.


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    #23
    minktrapper
    Registered Users Posts: 1,995 ✭✭✭minktrapper


    I am trying to question the reliability of the research.


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    #24
    ComfortKid
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,169 ✭✭✭ComfortKid


    Gianni Skinny Treatment wrote:
    Look, I'm not getting into an argument on this or getting caught up in semantics All I said was (and this is based on many years of field research) that Trout are not a significant part of the diet of Mink. They take some, of course, but generally nothing like enough to wipe out stocks in a healthy river.


    Why do mink live on the rivers then, what is there main diet? I know they killed a few chickens on the neighbours before.


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    #25
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    ComfortKid wrote: »
    Why do mink live on the rivers then, what is there main diet? I know they killed a few chickens on the neighbours before.

    Frogs, eels, rodents and birds make up most of their diet.


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    #26
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    minktrapper wrote: »
    I am trying to question the reliability of the research.

    Fine, but you question based on what? A perceived drop in stocks on one river? This is in comparison to hundreds of manhours of field research and investigations that include study of stomach contents?
    Knock yourself out. What have the stomachs of your trapped mink shown?

    I'm out.


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    #27
    minktrapper
    Registered Users Posts: 1,995 ✭✭✭minktrapper


    It is more than a perceived drop in trout stocks.I used to fish pools and you would always bring home a trout or two.Now you never even meet a fish never mind bring one home.
    I think you are both right and wrong.More right than wrong.When mink first arrived on the scene trout were very prolific in the river.So the minks first choice were trout.As I already said there was a time when every fish we caught had a piece taken out of their tail.Now that trout numbers have dropped the mink have turned their attention to other wild animals ie frogs etc.If the contents of mink stomachs were checked a few years ago a different picture might have emerged.
    Even though I have trapped 8 mink this Spring any trout that I catch has no marks whatsoever on them.
    This is just my thinking whether I am right or wrong is another matter.


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    #28
    coolhandspan
    Registered Users Posts: 407 ✭✭coolhandspan


    hi all, please do not associate mink and otters. as said otters are a native species, they should be welcomed by all anglers on any healthy river or lake. american mink need to be eradicated [ in humane ways] they destroy wildfowl populations and are not a native species.


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    #29
    Markcheese
    Registered Users Posts: 8,502 ✭✭✭Markcheese


    Dunno how true it is but I was told that a dog otter won't tolerate mink in their territory ..

    Slava ukraini 🇺🇦



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    #30
    coolhandspan
    Registered Users Posts: 407 ✭✭coolhandspan


    yeah he won't but mink will fight to death. they are fearless to point of stupidity..


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    #31
    fret_wimp2
    Registered Users Posts: 1,905 ✭✭✭fret_wimp2


    minktrapper wrote: »
    What else could explain the sudden disappearance of trout on the river.

    Off the top of my head:

    Pollution
    One farmer upstream dumping effulent can decimate a small river. Same with a factory. Just because you dont see any pipes pumping green slime into the river doesnt mean pollution didnt cause the issue. water testing necessary to prove this.

    Overfishing
    People comming and taking everything they catch. This is a massive issue in ireland nowdays, particularly the canals. Used to be teaming with decent pike, now its a shadow of its former self. Proof. check out the "Poaching Watch community" facebook page.

    Parasites
    Variations in weather can cause parasites breeding spurt which can have big issues on fish. Saw this in my local river once, noticed by the amount of lice hanging onto fish.

    Weather(too hot/too cold over the last breeding season or when fishing)
    Too cold or too hot and fish wont be so receptive to feeding. likewise with breeding. A study with some research needs to be done to see if this is an issue.

    Its not possible to blame mink based on a few sightings. Even if there were a lot of mink, there's no way they could get to the level to decimate a river of fish.

    I note however from your username, and other posts in this forum you have already decided that mink are to blame and are just looking for backup. You wont get it from reasonable people.


This discussion has been closed.
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