Brook trout - a member of the 'char' family - is an introduced angling species in Saskatchewan and most of Manitoba.

Catching Brook Trout in the Prairie and Parkland

May 17, 2016 in Nature & Ecology, Outdoor Adventure

Brook trout are fish that live in beautiful places. They require cold, clean, oxygen-rich water to thrive, and a relatively undisturbed environment to reproduce. With a preference for clear, spring-fed lakes and stone-bottom streams, it's fair to assume that the presence of brook trout is a good indicator of a healthy body of water.

They are aggressive predators that will sometimes out-compete native fish species for food resources. Their diet consists mostly of larval/adult aquatic insects such as stoneflies, caddisflies and mayflies, as well as terrestrial insects like grasshoppers, beetles and spiders. Their preferred menu goes on to include minnows, worms and frogs. Larger brook trout will sometimes even devour small rodents swimming across the water surface.

Angler's Map of Saskatchewan updates

January 12, 2016 in Outdoor Adventure

The Angler's Map of Saskatchewan is a comprehensive map of public lakes and streams for recreational fishing. All information is derived from public resources, particularly the annual Stocked Waters Guide made available by the Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment and the Fort Qu'Appelle Fish Culture Station.

Where the Trout Roam: Fort Qu'Appelle Fish Culture Station

June 05, 2015 in Outdoor Adventure

Photographed above: Wire baskets cover the water-filled troughs where developing trout swim and are likely to jump.

My obsession with angling started from an early age when my Dad took my brother and I fishing for brook trout at Little Boggy Creek in Duck Mountain Provincial Park. I still remember catching these beautiful fish from behind the rocks as we ventured our way upstream.

Today, the fish no longer dwell in Little Boggy Creek. Low water levels led to its stocking being discontinued in the late 90's. As non-native species, the brook trout in this stream are entirely dependent on the provincial stocking program. In fact, there are no native trout species in Saskatchewan aside from lake trout. However, there are now approximately 125 lakes and streams where one can catch brook, brown, rainbow, tiger, or splake trout in Saskatchewan.

But where did these exotic species come from in the first place? The Fort Qu'Appelle Fish Culture Station — celebrating its 100th year of operation in 2015.