| ocked Salmon Atlantic Salmon are know only in the | | | | may be composed of fish ranging in age from 1 to 10 |
| State of Maine. Some of the other names are | | | | but 3, 4 and 5 year old individuals make up the bulk |
| Sebago Salmon or Quananiche and the scientific name | | | | of most runs. Landlocked salmon may be repeat |
| is Salmo Salar. The average size is 16-18 inches and | | | | spawners, but most fish observed on spawning runs |
| 1-2 pounds, but 3-5 pound fish are not uncommon. | | | | are spawning for the first time. Salmon may spawn in |
| Adults are generally silvery wiyh a slightly forked tail | | | | consecutive or alternate years, some may spawn in |
| and small x-shaped marking on the back and iper | | | | consecutive years then skip a year, and some may |
| sides. Juvenile salmon have a dark red spot between | | | | skip 2 or 3 years between spawning. |
| each pair of parr marks. Mature males develop a | | | | Salmon populations sustained by natural reproduction |
| kype or hooked jaw, during the spawning season. | | | | often more older age fish those supported by |
| Landlocked salmon are a freshwater form of the sea | | | | stocking, wild salmon usually exhibit slower growth do |
| run Atlantic Salmon. Prior to 1868, landlocked salmon | | | | hatchery salmon, so they reach legal size and |
| populations occurred in only four river basins in Maine, | | | | harvested 1 or 2 years later. The oldest landlocked |
| St.Croix including West Grand Lake in Washington | | | | salmon on record in Maine was years old. |
| County, the union, including Green Lake in Hancock | | | | Rainbow smelts are the principal forage species for |
| County, the Penobscot, including Sebec Lake in | | | | salmon in Maine lakes. Without adequate numbers of |
| Piscataquis, County, and the Presumpscot, including | | | | smelt, salmon growth and body conition will be poor, |
| Sebago Lake in Cumberland County. | | | | markedly reducing value as a sportfish. Maintain |
| Today, landlocked salmon provide the primary fishery | | | | adequate numbers of smelt for forage is the most |
| in 176 lakes comprising nearly 500,000 acres. They | | | | important element of salmon management in Maine. |
| are present and provide incideatal fisheries in an | | | | Extensive studies conducted in Maine clearly show |
| additional 127 waters comprising about 160,000 acres. | | | | that salmon growth rates, and consequently the size |
| Maine supports one of the larges sport fisheries for | | | | of fish available to anglers, is best in lakes with |
| this species in the world. Landlocked salmon also | | | | excellent water that do not have large populations of |
| provide good fisheries in 44 rivers and streams | | | | other smelt predators, particularly lake trout. |
| totaling about 290 miles. | | | | From 1996 to 2000 Maine open water anglers |
| Hatchery stockings are needed to maintain fisheries in | | | | voluntarily released over 60% of their catch of legal |
| 127 lakes. These lakes do not sufficient amounts of | | | | salmon, ice anglers released about 25% of their legal |
| suitable spawning and nursery areas to produce wild | | | | salmon catch. Catch and release of salmon has |
| salmon. Without regular stockings, salmon in these | | | | improved fishing in many lakes, but in others it has |
| lakes would disappear entirely, or their numbers | | | | resulted in depressed smelt populations and smaller |
| would be very, very low. About 123,000 salmon were | | | | salmon, because there are too many salmon. Maine |
| stocked annually in Maine lakes from 1996 to 2000. | | | | fishery biologists have responded by reducing |
| Natural reproduction supports salmon fisheries in 49 | | | | stocking rates by implementing fishing regulations |
| lakes. These are lakes that have sufficient spawning | | | | designed to restore a reasonable balance between |
| and nursery habitat to produce enough salmon to | | | | numbers of smelts and salmon. |
| support good fisheries. Most of these waters are | | | | Hatchery salmon generally provide fisheries for larger |
| located in western and northern Maine. Salmon spawn | | | | fish than do wild salmon because the number of |
| in lake outlets or inlets during the period from mid | | | | smelt predators can be strictly controlled. Therefore, |
| October to late November. Eggs are buried in gravel | | | | precise management for particular types of fisheries, |
| from 4-12 inches deep and remain there until hatching | | | | such as those emphasizing trophy fish, is usually best |
| early the following spring. | | | | achieved with hatchery stocks rather than wild |
| Young salmon spend from 1 to 4 years in a stream | | | | stocks. |
| environment prior to migrating to a lake. Recent | | | | From 1996 to 2000, the average size of salmon |
| studies in Maine show most wild salmon spend 2 | | | | harvested from all Maine lakes was 17.4 inches and |
| years as stream dweelers. In wild salmon populations, | | | | 1.7 pounds, the largest since department fishery |
| most males spawn first at ages 3 and 4, although a | | | | biologists began conducting scientific creel surveys in |
| few spawn at ages 1 and 2. Females usually spawn | | | | the 1950’s. |
| first at ages 4 and 5. Spawning runs of wild salmon | | | | |