For any fisherman/lady the DORION FISH HATCHERY is a must see if you are travelling Highway 17/11 to the east from Thunder Bay.  This hatchery has been operating for a long time.  I went there on a Gr 5 or 6 field trip, and that was some time in the distant past.

The hatchery is open for tours 9am to noon and again from 1pm to 4pm. for five days a week during the off season.  During the May to October period they are closed on Sundays.  While appointments aren't necessary for small groups it is recomended that groups of 7 or more call ahead.  The phone number for the Dorion Fish Hatchery is; 807-857-2322. 

The hatchery itself is in two locations.  You pass the locked gates of the SUBSTATION on your way to the main hatchery.  Both hatcheries get their waters from springs whose headwaters rarely if ever freeze.  Spring Creek comes from the main hatchery water and the Substation discharges into the Wof River.  Wishful anglers should note that fishing isn't allowed within a certain distance of hatcheries, and also that fish do not 'escape' from hatcheries.

The hatchery starts with 900ooo eggs every year.  They raise their spawners right at the hatchery from eggs and milt they collect from spawning age fish.  About 15 % of the output is used for fry (very small few month old fish) stocking.  The majority of the stocking is done as yearlings, one year old fish.  In total some 700ooo yearlings are planted in northwestern Ontario from this hatchery.   There are four main species, speckled trout, lake trout, rainbows (I never saw any as they had already gone to their specified lakes) and the splake that are handled here at the Dorion Fish Hatchery.

The much valued Lake Nipigon strain of BROOK (SPECKLED) TROUT is raised here for stcking purposes.  They are stocked from the Dorion Fish Hatchery across the northern western part of Ontario.  The much photograghed colours of the speckled trout can be seen in the DORION FISH HATCHERY PICS ALBUM.

The hatchery also raises SPLAKE, a neutered cross between a LAKE TROUT and a SPECKLED TROUT.  They raise three different strains of splake by crossing the males and females from different areas.  Splake are a very tasty fish and give a good acount of themselves when hooked.  Their look and colour can vary depending on which crosses were made.

The brood stock live at the hatchery for most of their lives.  A mixture of  fish meal, fish oils and vitamins enhanced with calcium, phosphoroous and sodium in a pellet form are fed to the fish after they leave the initial hatching tanks.  In these hatching tanks the fry are hand fed.  Once they are past the hand feeding stage pellets of ever increasin size are fed them.  The old days of the hatchery fish being fed processed liver products are long gone.  Now one company supplies all the hatchery food requirements for Ontario.  Strick quality control ensures healthy fish with healthy growth rates and reproduction cycles.

Once the adult fish in the hatchery have surpassed their optimum spawning cycles they are released into waters where they could conceivably spawn once or twice more.  The prime idea for release is that fish may be caught and eaten from relatively easy access points.   Put and take lakes receive the majority.  The marina at Red Rock is a receipient of mature lake trout which can be caught from Nipigon Bay using small craft and even from shore.  Twelve to fouteen year old fish weighing over 15 pounds can put a smile on any anglers face and fine fare on his dinner plate.

Speckled trout are released at about 7 years of age and can be a tad over 5 pounds, a trophy in any spec anglers book, and in my opinion even better eating than the lake trout.  There are a large number of put and take lakes listed in the Ontario Recreational Fishing Regulations Summary which can be picked up free of charge from Ministry of Natural Resources offices, and LCBO and Brewer's Retail outlets across Ontario.

 

I was given this tour by the very helpful and knowledgable people staffing the hatchery.  Seven poeple work at this vital fisheries resource to provide quality fish in huge numbers so that residents and visitors to Ontario can enjoy some of the world's best and renowned sport fishing.  My thanks for all their efforts and the answers to my dozens of questions.  In particular I wish to thank my guide Phyllis, who rubber gloves and all, braved the cold to handle the fish so I could get the pictures.  Also thanks to Jennifer who edited this page and found several 'errors' which have been rectified.

bigguy