Beautiful or Diseased Trout?

[bdorshim]

I caught this 14" Brownie on Fishing Creek in the Narrows back in March. Has anyone else ever seen a fish that is so distinctly half light and half dark? If so, anyone know why? Definitely my most memorable fish. I love the red tipped rear dorsal fin.

 

[mattd]

Thats what happens when a wild trout mates with a stocked trout. If the male is stocked it will look like this one. Stocker in the front, wild in the back. If the male is wild it will be opposite.

 

[ryguyfi]

looks like someone got lazy with their sunscrean and only got half done before jumping in the water.

 

[littlejuniata]

Stilll a pretty fish, looks a little thin though, I would send the pics to the Fish Commission see what they have to say

 

[mute]

Awesome

 

[skeeter]

That is truly an interesting trout. It really does look like it is half stockie, half wild. If I would venture a guess - I'd be wrong. Nature sometimes never has an answer.

 

[littlejuniata]

Wonder if it is that grass he is eating?? hehe, humans turn colors on certain grasses, why not trout

 

[JackM]

The sunscreen notion may not be that outrageous. Perhaps his permanent lie was an undercut bank or rock and his pigmentation for the rear, which was in shade/darkness all day changed.

 

[nimrod]

JackM wrote:
The sunscreen notion may not be that outrageous. Perhaps his permanent lie was an undercut bank or rock and his pigmentation for the rear, which was in shade/darkness all day changed.

I vote for this one although maybe it's the half that was in the sun that changed. Tomato, tomahto.

In one of Gierach's books he mentions an electroshocked brown that lived in an undercut bank that was dark on the bank side and light on the sunnier side.

 

[Acristickid]

My take is- it is an escapee from the National Fish hatchery in Lamar. I stopped by there 2 days ago and spoke with a fish biologist while I was taking a break from fishing. I was curiuos and stopped in. It is operated by the US fish and wildlife service not the State of PA.

Anyway I took a stroll around and had a look at there fishing pond they setup for kids and seniors fishing derbys (there was one last week). Some super huge hogs in there.

Anways- back on point. I saw numerous fish like the one in the photo above. Of all shapes and colors there. They do genetic research and do field studies of fish kills etc....

That's my guess.

 

[gulfgreyhound]

I agree with Jack.Looks like his rear wsa back under some shade permanently while the front was in the light.Still a nice fish.

 

[wildtrout2]

acristickid wrote:
My take is- it is an escapee from the National Fish hatchery in Lamar. I stopped by there 2 days ago and spoke with a fish biologist while I was taking a break from fishing. I was curiuos and stopped in. It is operated by the US fish and wildlife service not the State of PA.

Anyway I took a stroll around and had a look at there fishing pond they setup for kids and seniors fishing derbys (there was one last week). Some super huge hogs in there.

Anways- back on point. I saw numerous fish like the one in the photo above. Of all shapes and colors there. They do genetic research and do field studies of fish kills etc....

That's my guess.

I've never seen a stocked trout with a red adapose fin, ever. That is a trait of native/wild trout. I believe that's just a wild trout with an abrupt pigment change. Really a neat trout.

 

[salvelinusfontinalis]

I have also seen this and it does have to do with the sun and shade as far as I know. Mike Correct me if im wrong on this.It is not a disease i can assure you of that.

It has the opposite effect that you would think. The part of the fish in the shade is lighter and the part in the sun is darker. It just goes to show you how a wild trout will hold in the same postion for long periods of time. Provided they are getting everything they need, they wont move. Trout are very lazy.

Nice fish BTW!

I've never seen a stocked trout with a red adapose fin, ever.

I have. I have seen it on some of the really old browns in Lititz Run. These fish are about 10 years old and can get a really wild look to them. It just takes time for a stocker to get that much detail to thier colors. The reason you havent seen it is because there arent many places in PA the trout live that long.

 

[jayL]

salvelinusfontinalis wrote:
It has the opposite effect that you would think. The part of the fish in the shade is lighter and the part in the sun is darker..

I actually saw some show about sharks getting tans once, so I first thought of that.

I guess trout get tans as well. Anyway, the show was discussing a possible cancer cure because the fish don't get melanoma.

 

[gulfgreyhound]

No cancer in sharks.Research is still out on why.Guess none of the researcers have 150 IQ.LOL

 

[bikerfish]

I tried to catch a rainbow that had a similar problem, it's head was dark and the body was light, stuck out like a sore thumb in the water. couldn't interest him in anything I had to offer though. his cousins were more than happy to take my flies , caught 8 out of that one pool.

 

[MattBoyer]

gulfgreyhound wrote:
No cancer in sharks.Research is still out on why.Guess none of the researcers have 150 IQ.LOL

Sorry dude.

http://www.cancer.org/docroot/NWS/content/NWS_1_1x_Sharks_Get_Cancer.asp

Boyer

 

[gulfgreyhound]

I stand corrected.This size 11 needs a little mustard.

 

[MattBoyer]

Next time I'm in town you can buy me a grouper sammich.

Boyer

 

[troutbert]

That's about the wierdest looking trout I've ever seen. I've seen many trout that looked like the front half, and many that looked like the back half. I've never seen one that looked like the combo. I've seen the dark fish that live under the tree roots. They didn't look like that. And the line between light and dark is too even, too perfect. Other than Photoshop, I have no theory.

Baffled in Bellefonte