Native Fish to Winnipesaukee

[Rattlesnake Gal]

John A. Viar, Fisheries Biologist at NH Fish and Game Department provided the following information to me regarding fish native to Winnipesaukee:

Lake Winnipesaukee Native Fish Residents

American eel (catadromous: adults live in freshwater but return to the ocean to spawn; only female American eels enter freshwater to grow and mature for 4-10 years before heading back to the ocean to rejoin the males and spawn in the Sargasso Sea) – note: I placed this species under “resident” since the females are present in the lake for such a substantial amount of time
Bridled Shiner
Brook trout
Brown bullhead (horned pout)
Burbot (cusk)
Chain pickerel
Common shiner
Common white sucker
Fallfish
Golden shiner
Lake trout
Lake whitefish
Rainbow smelt
Round whitefish
Pumpkinseed
Redbreast sunfish
Slimy sculpin
Yellow perch

Past Visitor: American shad
(anadromous: adults live in the ocean but return to freshwater on spawning runs; trapped by Native Americans at “The Weirs” – hence the name)
American shad are no longer able to reach historic spawning grounds (such as "The Weirs") due to dams, but they are able to make it a considerable distance inland/upstream with the help of fish ladders at particular dams. Many people erroneously use the term "shad" to refer to lake whitefish. Lake whitefish are a native, resident species, and still present (though not as abundant as past years) in Lake Winnipesaukee.

Many thanks to John!

[GWC...]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eel_story
http://en.wikipedia.org/upload/9/94/Rostrata.jpg

[Dave C.]

Thanks for the information, exactly what I was interested in.

[NM]

Aren't landlocked salmon native to the lake?

[Ray Kinsella]

So...according to at least one "expert"...there are no Rock Bass in Lake Winnipesaukee. Good info to have.

Of course...this expert also says there are no largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, Rainbow Trout, or salmon in the lake....hmmmm

I am among those who know there are certainly no Rock Bass in the lake...but I would not take this info as a true account. The fact that he does not include some species we all KNOW are in the lake makes him a very, very shaky source....

[Dave C.]

It is a very informative post and well worth the the read/search. Here is a quote:

**Many folks are surprised to learn a substantial number of New Hampshire’s most popular gamefish species are not native to the state, including largemouth and smallmouth bass, landlocked salmon, and rainbow trout. These introduced species have been part of our angling history and “waterscape” for so many years most would consider them “naturalized” today.**

[Fat Jack]

I knew that landlocked salmon were introduced and were not native, but I had understood that Atlantic salmon were yearly visitors. As I've read, when the Merrimac was open, the salmon had a route to and from the lake during the spawning runs, like the shad and the eels, and there was nothing to "lock" them here. Don't know why Atlantics were not on that list if shad were included.

[JJingle]

Landlocked salmon were introduced to the Big Lake in 1867. Not native to Winni.

[Rattlesnake Jake]

Good point, Ray.

He also seems to leave out the frogs and turtles that have been part of the lake environment for many ages.

It sounds like a very partial list and it would have been nice if this guy could have made it a little more realistic by listing ALL of the fish and not just a few?

Still....that list is a good start. My buddy who is a big science guy tells me the full list of native fish in Winnipesaukee has about 1,500 names on it....so I do not blame Dr. Viar for only putting a few down.

[Rattlesnake Gal]

Perhaps you missed John's earlier post on the subject of rock bass.




http://www.winnipesaukeeforum.com/index.cgi?read=78032

[NM]

From what I have read a landlocked salmon in the same as the Atlantic except it cannot make the run to the sea. (landlocked) The salmon used to migrate but got locked in as it were. How about perch and sunfish? Who would stock them?

[Rattlesnake Gal]

The list is only of fish that were native to the lake. Not the ones that are in the lake now.
John A. Viar, Fisheries Biologist at NH Fish and Game Department has confirmed that rock bass are in the lake now. Illegally, I might add.

[R. Jake]

"John A. Viar, Fisheries Biologist at NH Fish and Game Department has confirmed that rock bass are in the lake now"

We have no way of knowing who this dude is or if he even exists, though. He could just be some nut making stuff up to play with us. People jumped all over Dr. Polansky when he identified a local bird as a Carciacopa...or whatever....but we get a random John Viar and should accept it as Gospel? I need more to go on than that. I could easily come on here and say Dr. Joey Franconian of Fish & Game says there are no rock bass in the lake...should people believe that, too? The point is one random name without proof is nothing....the fact that nobody has seen or caught a rock bass in the lake says a whole lot more to me. When I called Fish & Game myself, they said the rock bass did not exist in the lake. Don't expect me to print out the whole conversation on the forum, though...because there is no way of proving its validity.

I think the majority of informed and intelligent lakers on here know two things. One, there has never been a rock bass population in Winnipesaukee. Two, "John Viar" has as much credibility as my Auntie Zelda since nobody one here can prove his merit or if he is even a real person.

[GWC...]

Here's his phone number: John Viar: (603) 744-5470

Give him a call, if you can stand the truth...

[Skip]

John Viar is a Biological Technician with the New Hampshire Fish & Game Department.

He can easily be contacted by telephone at his work office by calling (603) 744-5470.

It is unfortunate that when a bonified expert on a particular subject takes the time & courtesy to field inquiries from posters on this site, that we can rest assured that some anonymous poster will attack that person's motivation or character.

Should I turn the table and say that since I can't verify who you are, that you and your claims must be "nutty"?

No, I wouldn't do that......

Anyway, thanks again John for educating us on this topic. I will take the flip side of the supposed "R. Jake" and believe that most of the readers of this website appreciate and trust your judgement on this matter, and now consider the case closed.

Skip

[Treerider]

get a life, call NH F&G instead of trolling here...

[Rattlesnake Gal]

So when I e-mail the NH Fish and Game Department, to no one in particular, and get a response back from:

John A. Viar
Fisheries Biologist I
New Hampshire Fish and Game Department
Region 2 Office
PO Box 417
New Hampton NH 03256
(603)744-5470
jviar@nhfgd.org

I should not belive this man is who he says he is? Okay then.

[John/NH]

Rattlesnake Gal,

Your contact at F&G ( John Viar) is well versed in addressing the fishery. He is respected in the fishing community as a reliable expert and works side by side with one of the best biologists in the state ( Don Miller).

Don't let the keyboard hero's impact your day.

John/NH

[Rattlesnake Gal]

It is good to see strong support for John at NH Fish and Game Department. Most of us appreciate his time and knowledge which was shared with us.
This is not like Dr. Polanksy who posted information that could not be substantiated and credentials that could not be backed up.