Fishing Lake Desor and Hatchet?

[BackCountry11]

Has anyone fished these two lakes at all? Any ideas of what species of fish each one has? I'm looking at spending a night at each and planned on doing a little fishing but would like to make sure its worth my time. Any info. would be greatly appreciated.

[fonixmunkee]

Lake Hatchet has no fish. Not sure about Desor.

[Midwest Ed]

Lake Desor also has no fish, or that's the official word. Here is a link to the Park's listing of fish by lake:

http://www.nps.gov/isro/planyourvisit/u ... 0lakes.xls

I have heard one or two anecdotal reports of Perch in Desor, but that was a long time ago.

[Rafiki]

Iv'e only seen leeches in Lake Desor

[Tom]

Iv'e only seen leeches in Lake Desor

...And they were big leeches, lending credence to the report of no fish...

While Hatchet being fish free doesn't particularly surprise me, it IS amazing to think of a lake as large as Desor, and consider that it's effectively sterile from that type of life.

It also make me smile to think of the fishing lure I've seen hanging in the tree at camp at Desor North.

Such are the ways of Isle Royale!

[Rafiki]

...And they were big leeches, lending credence to the report of no fish...

When leeches are present in inland lakes is that to suggest that fish are most likely not present, because if they were the fish would make a meal out of them?

[Tom]

Oh, no, they're not mutual. Feldtmann has plenty of leeches, and fish. My note was that if the leeches can get to massive sizes, that tends to mean they don't have a good predator around...

[Isleroyale77]

We fished, or should I say tried to fish Lake Desor way back in 1977. We caught one fish, which if I remember correctly was a 6 to 8 inch long whitefish. We actually filleted and cooked it on our one heat setting (HOT) Phoebus 725, and the one thing I do remember is that it tasted pretty bad.

[Rafiki]

Oh, no, they're not mutual. Feldtmann has plenty of leeches, and fish. My note was that if the leeches can get to massive sizes, that tends to mean they don't have a good predator around...

Sounds logical and makes total sense. I saw a leech in Lake Desor that was probably 6-8 inches long and wider than a broom stick handle. I shiver just thinking about it.