Homing of Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) in Matamek Lake, Quebec

Abstract

Brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) showed both in-season and repeat homing to spawning tributaries of Matamek Lake, Quebec. Of 283 trout clipped from Gallienne Creek and Kaikhosru Creek during August and September, 1971, 31.1% returned to the homestreams to spawn in 1972. During July and August, 1972, 450 trout were tagged and displaced from these two streams and released at three points (0.20–4.50 km) in the lake. Of these fish, 44.0% homed, 0.2% strayed to the opposite stream and the remainder were unaccounted for. Percentage returns from the deepwater release point was much lower than returns from the two inshore release points, and average return time was proportional to the distance from the homestream.