Brook trout

[BrownChickenBrownTrout]

So, my local stream is state stocked, and all i've ever caught is bows. Does the state only stock bows here, is it a mix?

I guess philosophically wouldn't brook trout be the best to be stocked since they are native?

Is my fly selection wrong? I've read browns are more elusive but are brookies?

 

[danme]

BCBT

Im not sure which "LOCAL STREAM" you live by but in my experience the Brookies are the 1st fish stocked in NJ -- Then come the Bows then after that the Browns -- It all has to do with H20 Temps -- Browns can live in the warmer water -- And Brookies are more or less OPENING DAY FODDER -- Easiest to catch of the Trout Species.

Peace
Dan

 

[Pete]

.....I guess philosophically wouldn't brook trout be the best to be stocked since they are native?.......

IMHO: If a stream supports native brook trout, hatchery brook trout would be the worst to stock. It's a different strain, better at getting fat in a hatchery than surviving in the wild. They could contaminate the gene pool.

 

[BRK TRT]

It's not a good thing to stock any trout in any stream that holds wild trout. There are plenty of stocked streams that provide recreational fishing, put and take. Keep the wild ones wild.


Brk Trt

 

[BrownChickenBrownTrout]

I'll clarify, I guess what I was asking is wouldn't it be better for the put And take to stock brookies? They are better suited to some of the stream temps since they are native east coasters.

wouldn't there be a better chance for hold overs with brookies?

 

[BRK TRT]

I'll clarify, I guess what I was asking is wouldn't it be better for the put And take to stock brookies? They are better suited to some of the stream temps since they are native east coasters.

wouldn't there be a better chance for hold overs with brookies?

Brookies are aggressive eaters. They will try to eat anything that appears to be food. Hatchery brookies will usually be taken quite quickly, which is probably good since most waters that are stocked are not sutible for brook trout , and they will not holdover.
While they are native to eastern waters, most of their haibtats have been degraded. Thus the streams that do hold wild brookies should not be stocked and they should have special regs on them as well.


Brk Trt

 

[Simms]

Nope.

If you get a chance, google some of the massachusetts state fisheries write-ups and articles...Also check out Ken Elmer, a long time guide and native of massachusetts...

In a large portion of the MASS streams, BROWNS are the only fish stocked...Period... They are the ONLY trout species to be able to survive severe summers like last summer...Hell, Mass doesn't even stock brookies in 95% of their waters. Up here, we consider the rainbows the "opening day" fodder...After the first month of stocking, unless its a tailwater bottom release or a river in which its temps remain fairly "cool" all summer, the rainbows are long gone...Browns then inhabit the streams... I am a firm believer in this method of stocking...Why? Well, I fish a river which is a top release and gets VERY warm every summer(75+ easy) no matter what...Well, come october as waters cool, the browns will cream streamers...THEY SURVIVE...I am not sure if browns are "smarter" or are just "built" to endure extremes, BUT, they ALWAYS seem to find the cold water tribs and springs in the rivers they inhabit...

 

[Rusty Spinner]

The brook trout that states stock here in the East are of the Nashua strain as in the federal hatchery strain of brook trout from Nashua, NH. They were selected for their large size, not for any other reason. NJ native brookies seldom grow much larger than 12", but Nashua strain fish easily reach 17". Our native brookies do just fine in their natal waters. But they are most sensitive to water quality, including water temps. Ironically, the brook, brown and rainbows all die within 1 or 2 degrees (F) of each other depending on DO levels, but the brookies are the first of the three to "head north" in search of cooler waters.

I wish our various state F&W agencies in the East where brook trout are native were enlightened and would not stock bows or browns (or Nashua brookies) over native brookies, but, alas, that is not the case in many states including NJ. NJ has gotten WAY better at reducing the non-native species or non-native brookie strains over our natives, but we are not nearly 100% on that either.

 

[redietz]

Rainbows cost less to raise to "catchable" size than either brooks or browns. Need you look further for a reason they're stocked in put & take streams over the other two?

 

[Rusty Spinner]

Rainbows cost less to raise to "catchable" size than either brooks or browns. Need you look further for a reason they're stocked in put & take streams over the other two?

Our state hatchery superintendent would disagree. Browns grow slowest, but all three species are fed the same, raised the same, and all grow to about 11" by the time they are stocked, costing exactly the same per species. The browns are stocked last, and that extra month + allows them to grow as big as the previously stocked brookies and bows. I guess you can say then that brookies are cheapest only because they are the firs fish released (therefore, less food, manpower and electricity) and then rainbows and after them, browns. But the reason for that order here in NJ is that brookies are easiest to catch and excite our opening day and early catch-n-cook crowds. Bows are nearly similarly easy to catch and are stocked second. The browns are tougher to catch, grow a bit slower, and are better in warmer water, hence stocked last.

 

[golden beetle]

Our state hatchery superintendent would disagree. Browns grow slowest, but all three species are fed the same, raised the same, and all grow to about 11" by the time they are stocked, costing exactly the same per species. The browns are stocked last, and that extra month + allows them to grow as big as the previously stocked brookies and bows. I guess you can say then that brookies are cheapest only because they are the firs fish released (therefore, less food, manpower and electricity) and then rainbows and after them, browns. But the reason for that order here in NJ is that brookies are easiest to catch and excite our opening day and early catch-n-cook crowds. Bows are nearly similarly easy to catch and are stocked second. The browns are tougher to catch, grow a bit slower, and are better in warmer water, hence stocked last.

Rusty, why don't you just come right and and say it: REDIETZ is a JACKASS!

 

[Rusty Spinner]

Rusty, why don't you just come right and and say it: REDIETZ is a JACKASS!

Because I respect Bob too much and that's not the way I feel at all. Now you, on the other hand....

:rofl::rofl:

 

[redietz]

Our state hatchery superintendent would disagree..

Interesting. The (somewhat out of date) figures the MD DNR quote are about $1.80 per rainbow, $2.80 per brown -- which we buy from NJ, oddy enough. (We don't stock brookies at all because we don't want to pollute the gene pool.)

I wasn't being cynical, btw, about stocking more of the cheapest. If I were in charge of fisheries management, it's the decision I'd make, too, for put & take. I agree the "easier to catch" part comes into play as well. In streams where there is no holdover, fish not caught is a fish wasted.

 

[Rusty Spinner]

Interesting. The (somewhat out of date) figures the MD DNR quote are about $1.80 per rainbow, $2.80 per brown -- which we buy from NJ, oddy enough. (We don't stock brookies at all because we don't want to pollute the gene pool.)

I wasn't being cynical, btw, about stocking more of the cheapest. If I were in charge of fisheries management, it's the decision I'd make, too, for put & take. I agree the "easier to catch" part comes into play as well. In streams where there is no holdover, fish not caught is a fish wasted.

Bob - let me check with the NJ Division and get back to you. I imagine they have figures on cost/trout, but I've never heard about them. Interesting discussion, regardless of costs and reasons, state by state.

Interestingly enough, the NJ Div. of F&W sells a lot of eggs and fry to other states. Seems our Division staffers are very adept at raising certain species. I know that we sell the heck out of tiger muskies, for example, yet this state no longer stocks that hybrid even though we hatch them in the Hackettstown Hatchery! But we also purchase certain species that we do stock. Not sure why, but I know smallmouths are one of those species. And I think it's Mass. that buys some of our brown trout eggs or fry and that now transports landlocked Atlantic salmon to NJ in barter for stocking into lakes Aeroflex and Waywayanda.

The more I think about it, the more I think that the word "sells" is not right either. I think states only trade. But don't quote me on that. I do know there is some correlation between trading species and having to use certain federal strains such as the Nashua strain brook trout our state raises and stocks. I'll have to ask some more questions...