2016 BT spawning apparently coming to an end in SE Pa

[Mike]

For those who like to keep tabs on spawning activity, Brown Trout were spawning in a Berks Co limestoner on Wednesday, but by Friday had completed their spawning activities and redistributed themselves into habitat that typically holds adult trout during the rest of the year. In this specific case it was clear that at the very least the fish were at the tail-end of their spawning period.

 

[Chaz]

What have you been seeing elsewhere? Particularly Brookies.

 

[rrt]

Browns are spawning now in central PA. This week they seemed to get going in earnest. This will probably continue for 2-3 weeks. I imagine the wild brook trout in the mtn. streams are having at it, too, but I do not have any personal observations of this.

 

[BrooksAndHooks]

I've seen brooks spawning for over the past month and browns over the past 3 weeks in southern Pa. You guys out east must be a few weeks behind.

 

[salmonoid]

Some browns were still at it on a local freestoner today. Some visible redds, but disappointed at how low the water levels are. No way for fish to move and everything is choked with leaves and sediment.

 

[RLeep2]

We've had good flows for at least the past 6 weeks or so in the NW. Most of the brown trout spawning here, at least on the streams I traditionally try to monitor for redds, seems to have been completed at least a week ago, if not more. I think the higher flows were just in time up here and have seen more finished redds this year than I can recall in quite a while. It looks like it may have been a more successful year than usual for the fish and if the Winter nasties (anchor ice and Spring scour) are not severe, there might be a pretty good year class. Or at least this is how it looks from my lay perspective..

 

[Dave_W]

Browns were still spawning in the Cumberland Valley limestoners, including Breeches, at mid-week based on my observation.

 

[troutbert]

Is it possible that what you saw may have been just a lull in spawning, not the end?

Water temps play a role in spawning. Could it be that a period of warm weather caused warm water temps and caused a lull in spawning?

Also, on bright days I've noticed that they often are not on the redds until the light starts to fade at dusk.

Brown trout spawning is still happening on Spring Creek. Most years they spawn through the end of Nov.

And I've seen some on the redds as late as Dec. 10.

 

[Pr0digal_son]

Yesterday I saw browns spawning in some small streams near Phillipsburg and also spawning in the Little J. In the far north west section of the state the Brookies have been done for a couple weeks and are not very active.

 

[Mike]

Water temp at 7 C was cool, to say the least. Low flows in fall favor Brook trout spawning success in comparison to Browns in Pa.

 

[Vaughn]

Witnessed brown trout actively spawning yesterday on an eastern PA limestoner

 

[troutbert]

I saw brown trout on the redds today on Bald Eagle Creek, a limestoner here in Centre County.

 

[salvelinusfontinalis]

Not over yet. Fished a wild trout stream in sepa yesterday with Geo. Saw redds and even saw a 17" brown trout dying, all beat up, leaking eggs.

 

[sarce]

Saw some activity on a MD freestone stream on Saturday.