Sex and season influence behaviour and physiology of lake trout following angling.

Catch-and-release angling exposes fish to challenges that may result in sub-lethal effects or mortality. Lake trout () undergo high rates of release because of size-based harvest regulations or voluntary angler behaviour. Here, we examine short-term impairment in lake trout angled during the summer ( = 74) and fall spawning period ( = 33) to inform best practices for angling.

Are the effects of catch-and-release angling evident in changes to mRNA abundances related to metabolism, acid-base regulation and stress in lake trout ( gills?

Catch-and-release (C&R) angling is a conservation-oriented practice intended to reduce the impact recreational angling has on fish populations. Even though most recreationally angled fish are released, little is known about how C&R angling impacts fish at the cellular or tissue level. As the first to explore the impacts of C&R angling on mRNA abundances, our study aimed to identify how the stress of angling influenced metabolism, acid-base regulation and cellular stress in the gills of lake trout (.