Amen.In my opinion stocked fish should never qualify for a state record.
April 14 1990 I caught a 5.5# 26" Brook out of Wildcat Creek & later found out that would have been a state record.They sometimes are. I know of one instance where there were multiple brook trout that would have broken the existing state record stocked in public waters near here. If they were caught, I never heard about it.
April 14 1990 I caught a 5.5# 26" Brook out of Wildcat Creek & later found out that would have been a state record.
They are identical in appearance. Genetically they may be different.
Very close, but not identical. There are a few creeks around here that have wild, naturalized northern-strain brooks that were stocked back in the early 1900s after the industrial logging wiped out the natives. You can tell the difference. It's subtle, but there.They are identical in appearance. Genetically they may be different.
I found some not so great pics I took of some brookies I caught back in May of 2014 and 15 I think. I'll post them when I get a chance. Of course the ones in the fall are much more colorful and gorgeous. I guess a lot of color depends on stream as well. Our wild ones don't get big either. Biggest I ever caught was probably 12 inches and I think it was in a mountain top beaver pond. They are kinda limited in size when they are in those freestoners. Don't fish limestoners much although we have some up near camp. but they probably can get a little biggerVery close, but not identical. There are a few creeks around here that have wild, naturalized northern-strain brooks that were stocked back in the early 1900s after the industrial logging wiped out the natives. You can tell the difference. It's subtle, but there.
I'd like to get up there and catch some of y'alls one day.
A 10" one is a giant here nowadays. They used to get a lot bigger here before water quality degradation and introduction of rainbows and browns when they lived in the mainstem streams instead of just the headwaters like they do now. When I was growing up, a lot of the old guys said that it wasn't very unusual to catch 16"-17" specks when they were growing up.I found some not so great pics I took of some brookies I caught back in May of 2014 and 15 I think. I'll post them when I get a chance. Of course the ones in the fall are much more colorful and gorgeous. I guess a lot of color depends on stream as well. Our wild ones don't get big either. Biggest I ever caught was probably 12 inches and I think it was in a mountain top beaver pond. They are kinda limited in size when they are in those freestoners. Don't fish limestoners much although we have some up near camp. but they probably can get a little bigger
Yeah. Those browns are pretty aggressive and get bigger. Although I like wild brownies they can take a toll on those little brookies even though the brookies are aggressive too! I've caught some so small that they weren't even attached to the hook, then you have to hunt them up in the leaves, pretty easy because of all the flappin. I bet I've caught 1 inch brookies, love em!!A 10" one is a giant here nowadays. They used to get a lot bigger here before water quality degradation and introduction of rainbows and browns when they lived in the mainstem streams instead of just the headwaters like they do now. When I was growing up, a lot of the old guys said that it wasn't very unusual to catch 16"-17" specks when they were growing up.
The rainbows are worse than the browns for out-competing specks.Yeah. Those browns are pretty aggressive and get bigger. Although I like wild brownies they can take a toll on those little brookies even though the brookies are aggressive too! I've caught some so small that they weren't even attached to the hook, then you have to hunt them up in the leaves, pretty easy because of all the flappin. I bet I've caught 1 inch brookies, love em!!
We don't have many streams with wild rainbows in Pa. Sounds like that is a good thing!The rainbows are worse than the browns for out-competing specks.
They are like cockroaches here, swarming in almost every creek. They are fun to catch, but they decimate the specks.We don't have many streams with wild rainbows in Pa. Sounds like that is a good thing!
I think, other than the 1st one, they were summer chars. I don't believe the 1st one was during the prime time for colors. I love, stream to stream that they look different!Beautiful lil fish! I like that no two trout are ever exactly alike in pattern and coloration, it's even more evident with brook trout.
How about this one you caught in my hidey-hole creek a few years ago? It was a hoss for a native.Did someone say giant brook trout?
Yeah, it's cool to hook a big hatchery raised hog like that, but I consider this one to be 10,000 times a greater trophy...
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Yes sir!How about this one you caught in my hidey-hole creek a few years ago? It was a hoss for a native.
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