Atlantic Salmon | |
- Atlantic Salmon are "anadromous" meaning they migrate from the ocean, or in the case of the land-locked variety in Lake Champlain, from the broad lake, into the freshwater tributaries. The spring migration begins in Lake Champlain's rivers during early to mid April. The fish return to the rivers again around late September. It is during the fall run when Atlantic Salmon spawn. The American Eel is "catadromous", an example that does the opposite, living out its life in fresh water, but spawning in the ocean. - There are six species of Pacific Salmon, but only one Atlantic Salmon. - The Atlantic Salmon is also known as Ouananiche or Sebego Salmon in parts of Canada and in Sweden a land-locked salmon is known as Blanklax. - The following countries of the northern hemisphere have stocks of Atlantic Salmon... Canada, Denmark, England and Wales, Faroes, Finland, France, Greenland, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, and the USA. - Atlantic Salmon, now stocked in Lake Champain by both New York and Vermont agencies, were once native to the lake and very plentiful. On a 1776 map of Lake Champlain a salmon fishery is noted at the mouth of the Great Chazy River. Historical records show fish up to 20 pounds were once caught in abundance on our lake. - The Atlantic Salmon can grow very large in ocean stocks. The biggest fish on record was caught in a net off Scotland and weighed in at 103 pounds. Another large specimen, an 83 pounder, was netted in Ireland in 1882. A fish of well over 64 pounds was caught on rod and reel by a female angler in the Tay River in Scotland. The North American rod and reel record is 55 pounds, caught in 1939 on the Grand Casacpedia River in Quebec. An Atlantic Salmon weighing nearly 25 pounds was caught in Lake Ontario in 1997. The modern record for an Atlantic Salmon in Lake Champlain is a 12 pound 10 ounce fish caught on the Vermont side in 1994 by Brian Latulippe. - On the New York side, the minimum length for salmon in Lake Champlain is 15 inches and the daily limit is two. There are special regulations for some tributaries. You can check them from our home page if you plan to fish the rivers. | |
 | |
 Here's an example of how big these fish get in Ireland. Looks like Roger got really excited catching this monster. Click on the picture to get more information about a trip to Ireland. | |
Click here to return to the Galleries Page | |
Click here to see our Atlantic salmon photos | |
Click here for some salmon fishing locations and other coldwater species information | |
