Troutnut.com Fly Fishing for Trout Home
User Password
or register.
Scientific name search:

> > How to tell wild trout from hatchery trout, Page 2



GutcutterMay 12th, 2012, 6:51 am
Pennsylvania

Posts: 470
on Valentine's Day, 2007, Martinlf wrote:
I have heard repeatedly from sources that I trust that the Little J's bed is generally too "cemented" to provide good habitat for spawning. These sources acknowledge that there is some spawning in the stream and in tribs, but not enough to sustain the J's fishery at the numbers we all appreciate.

Louis-
Isn't it interesting what five short years have determined. There is ample natural reproduction of brown trout in the LittleJ, and there is growing evidence of rainbow trout reproduction as well (in the river, not just the tribs).
We now have "redd counting" events.
The is a growing number of fishermen and sportsman's groups that want all stocking (including fingerlings) stopped.
Oh, and the sulfurs aren't hatching this year. DON'T GO!

http://www.littlejuniata.org/
All men who fish may in turn be divided into two parts: those who fish for trout and those who don't. Trout fishermen are a race apart: they are a dedicated crew- indolent, improvident, and quietly mad.

-Robert Traver, Trout Madness
MartinlfMay 12th, 2012, 1:51 pm
Moderator
Palmyra PA

Posts: 3233
Yes, and I'm delighted to have my previous sources proven wrong. For several years I've been saying that I'd be happy to see stocking end on the J.
"He spread them a yard and a half. 'And every one that got away is this big.'"

--Fred Chappell
Jmd123May 12th, 2012, 1:55 pm
Oscoda, MI

Posts: 2611
I actually have a river, well a stream that is, nearby that receives NO stocking, at least not from the MI DNR. Most of the drainage is in the Huron National Forest, and though I have seen some habitat improvement, I doubt they stock it. It's not big water and the fish don't get very big but they're all beautiful, wild fish with nice bright colors and well-formed fins that you can tell have never seen a hatchery raceway! This stream doesn't have many browns in it, mostly brookies and rainbows.

The Rifle River is stocked fairly heavily, yet the fish I catch out there are beautiful, the red spots on the browns so bright they look like they came off of brook trout! So, it can be hard to tell...

Jonathon
No matter how big the one you just caught is, there's always a bigger one out there somewhere...
Reelin_goodAugust 13th, 2014, 11:43 pm
Latrobe Pa

Posts: 1
I agree as well with the colors of the fish. A rainbow is tough because the longer it's In the creek the more color it will get (darker, more rainbowish). Brooke's are easily identifies if they are wild also, even the fingerlings. One distinct way to tell a stocked trout to a wild trout is next time you catch a full blown stocked trout take it's jaw and gently open it to it's full extent. It will not open very far. A wild trouts mouth opens up a lot more it will extend far much further down below it's stomach, that's how I can always tell. Take a good look next time your out on the creek.
Instagram @reelin_good
Page:12

Quick Reply

You have to be logged in to post on the forum. It's this easy:
Username:          Email:

Password:    Confirm Password:

I am at least 13 years old and agree to the rules.

Related Discussions

TitleRepliesLast Reply
Re: Stocked Trout Reproduction?
In General Discussion by Jesse
14Jan 10, 2011
by PaulRoberts
Re: Odd Markings on Brown Trout
In General Discussion by Martinlf
2Jan 17, 2017
by Martinlf
Re: Wild Browns
In General Discussion by Al514
6Oct 13, 2012
by DUBBN
Re: East meets West: Todd's place on Cowden Lake, September 2020
(14 more)

In the Photography Board by Jmd123
3Mar 3, 2021
by Roguerat
Re: Grannoms!
In Fishing Reports by Martinlf
4Apr 30, 2019
by Martinlf
Re: Unique brown trout markings
In General Discussion by PSUturf91
32Jul 6, 2016
by Bugrchkr
Re: Clarks Creek
In Fishing Reports by Wbranch
8May 12, 2011
by Martinlf
Green Trout
In General Discussion by FisherOfMen
0
Re: LAKE KHOBI (GEORGIA)
In General Discussion by Kinalia
4Jan 7, 2013
by Mcjames
Re: Perfect Sunday outing!
In Fishing Reports by Chris_3g
2Apr 20, 2008
by Troutnut
Most Recent Posts
Re: large free living caddis rhyacophila?
In the Identify This! Board by Kjfeen (Taxon replied)