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If the trout are reproducing, this means there must be spawning grounds. But where? Part of the answer came to me later during the fall. On a calm and starry yet slightly chilly night, François Auger (the restoration project technician) and I searched the lake, examining its surroundings with the help of an underwater lamp. Here and there we saw a few four- to six-inch juveniles, but no sign of a spawning ground. Suddenly, when we had all but given up hope, we saw movement in the light: trout in action in a large shallow spawning ground. At least fifty large spawners were busy cleaning the bottom or frolicking about. It’s likely thousands of small trout will colonize the shores of the lake next year. Upon returning from this expedition, we shared a huge sense of satisfaction. Now there is another magnificent population of trout in the park, and the reintroduction effort had worked. Tessier Lake, which hadn’t contained a single fish species for over 50 years, is coming back to life.
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