Originally Posted By: Carcassman
Sockeye smolts, at least, use something like that to leave the rearing lake. They are "programmed" to find the outlet in a certain direction. So, if you took Baker Lake fish, that go south, into a lake that drains north, few would find their way out.

Sockeye show some of the most fascinating hardwiring for migration. They spawn in lake inlets, outlets, in the lake, and so on. The most complex must swim downstream to a mainstem and the upstream to the lake. Has been demonstrated to be (obviously) genetic. The mechanism has to be some sort of magnetism as they are going someplace they have never been.


That's interesting. The Yakima tribe is collecting Sockeye from the Columbia and trucking them to Kachess Lake (Drains South). The fish are destined for Lake Wenatchee (Drains Southeast) and Lake Osoyoos (Drains South). I wonder if the Lake Wenatchee smolts have a tougher time or if it's close enough.