The Sports Fishery for Cutthroat Trout at Lakelse Lake

For the past 15 years, Lakelse Lake has supported an active sport fishery for cut-throat trout. Since 1950 the Fisheries Research Board of Canada has kept records of this fishery in connection with its investigations on the ecology of the sockeye salmon of the area. Apart from information on the predator—prey inter-relationship of the cut-throat and young sockeye, much has been learned of the life history of the cut-throat and of the factors affecting the success of angling. Although the present fishery is apparently not severe enough to bring about noticeable depletion in the cut-throat stock, further development of British Columbia's northland may result in increased exploitation and eventual decline in the anglers' returns. The present report summarizes information collected to date and outlines our present understanding of the status of the cut-throat population of Lakelse Lake.