Trout Id

Philhutch80

Banned
You guys are correct. The bows NC & Ga. grow come from the feds either by way of the Ennis National Fish Hatchery or the Hatchery in Arkansas. I visited the Ennis hatchery and they had eight different strains of rainbows on hand and showed how they are distributed through the country. It was very cool.
I’m surprised nobody has posted a picture of a wild tiger trout yet for comparison as nature does allow that from time to time.
RD6JDW5ZBLIVNYAQIEAMGHTILI.jpg
 

NCHillbilly

Administrator
Staff member
You guys are correct. The bows NC & Ga. grow come from the feds either by way of the Ennis National Fish Hatchery or the Hatchery in Arkansas. I visited the Ennis hatchery and they had eight different strains of rainbows on hand and showed how they are distributed through the country. It was very cool.
I’m surprised nobody has posted a picture of a wild tiger trout yet for comparison as nature does allow that from time to time.
RD6JDW5ZBLIVNYAQIEAMGHTILI.jpg
I haven't posted a picture of one, because I've never caught a wild tiger to take a pic of. I've always wanted to catch one, but so far, in forty+ years of flinging flies in creeks that hold both browns and specks, I've yet to stick a hook in one.

I did catch a wild golden palamino rainbow once when I was a teenager, and this funny-looking spotless wild rainbow last year:

nospots.jpg
 

Philhutch80

Banned
I haven't posted a picture of one, because I've never caught a wild tiger to take a pic of. I've always wanted to catch one, but so far, in forty+ years of flinging flies in creeks that hold both browns and specks, I've yet to stick a hook in one.

I did catch a wild golden palamino rainbow once when I was a teenager, and this funny-looking spotless wild rainbow last year:

View attachment 999524

WOW that rainbow is incredible looking!!! Love the lack of spots and light parr markings!!! I know since I started back to trout fishing in 2016 I think I have only seen two or three posts on NGTO about folks catching natural wild tiger trout here in Georgia.
 

NCHillbilly

Administrator
Staff member
WOW that rainbow is incredible looking!!! Love the lack of spots and light parr markings!!! I know since I started back to trout fishing in 2016 I think I have only seen two or three posts on NGTO about folks catching natural wild tiger trout here in Georgia.
Yeah, never saw one like that. It came from a small creek at nearly 4,000' elevation. We have a strain of rainbows in a couple of creeks near me that have lots of large, black spots, parr marks in adulthood, white-tipped fins, and red/orange slash marks under their chins like cutthroat trout. These are creeks that were originally stocked with rainbows from California in the late 1800s/early 1900s. From what research I've done, these seem to be fairly pure-strain McCloud River redband trout. They look noticeably different from most of the generic rainbows that are common everywhere.
 

Philhutch80

Banned
Yeah, never saw one like that. It came from a small creek at nearly 4,000' elevation. We have a strain of rainbows in a couple of creeks near me that have lots of large, black spots, parr marks in adulthood, white-tipped fins, and red/orange slash marks under their chins like cutthroat trout. These are creeks that were originally stocked with rainbows from California in the late 1800s/early 1900s. From what research I've done, these seem to be fairly pure-strain McCloud River redband trout. They look noticeably different from most of the generic rainbows that are common everywhere.

Ok that is pretty incredible if those genetics are floating around. Have you heard of anyone that has had any sort of genetics study done on those fish to confirm that? Cuz that would be something worth conserving in my opinion.
 

NCHillbilly

Administrator
Staff member
Is it true tiger trout are not actually game fish in NC and Ga because they are hybrids?
I would think any kind of trout would be considered gamefish. Hybrid stripers are, so hybridization doesn't affect their status.
 

NCHillbilly

Administrator
Staff member
I'll find out if hybrid trout count as game fish.
The following fishes are designated as inland game fish:
  • Mountain trout (including but not limited to brook, brown and rainbow trout)

Yes, any trout, black bass, true bass, or sunfish is a gamefish in NC.
 

lampern

Senior Member
Looks like they are not game fish in Georgia though, which really doesn't matter because they are rare.

  • (B) Trout:
    [*]
    • (i) Rainbow trout;
    • (ii) Brown trout; and
    • (iii) Brook trout;
 

lampern

Senior Member
Good luck even finding one tiger trout let alone 8

But I posted the trout species Ga lists as game fish which doesn’t include the tiger species
 
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Philhutch80

Banned
Good luck even finding one tiger trout let alone 8

But I posted the trout species Ga lists as game fish which doesn’t include the tiger species

Maybe we can consult with the trout biologist to change this. Also, I was informed by the trout biologist if there was enough exposure and desire from the anglers we could potentially have cutthroat stocked here. Just an FYI.
 

Nicodemus

The Recluse
Staff member
Maybe we can consult with the trout biologist to change this. Also, I was informed by the trout biologist if there was enough exposure and desire from the anglers we could potentially have cutthroat stocked here. Just an FYI.


Interesting concept, but what impact will they have on the native fish?
 

northgeorgiasportsman

Moderator
Staff member
I’d like to see cutthroat

I’ve never caught one

Put them in the Hooch

They come in over a dozen subspecies and several different color patterns, they often make agonizingly slow takes on dry flies. And they put up a fight about like one of these....

4rxei2d8wjd11.jpg
 
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