On August 20 during their annual coldwater survey, DEC’s Lake Erie Fisheries Research Unit staff captured a 36 inch, 21 pound lake trout. What was incredible wasn’t the size of the fish, but the age – the coded wire tag revealed the fish to be 35 years old! This is the oldest recorded lake trout in the history of the 39-year survey, being stocked from shore off Barcelona Harbor, NY in the spring of 1986. To see a fish reach this size is exciting, but finding out that this lake trout has been swimming around Lake Erie for over 30 years, avoiding anglers and surviving numerous attacks by sea lampreys is truly remarkable!
