Chaz
Active member
- Joined
- Sep 13, 2006
- Messages
- 8,451
Trout lay anywhere from 300 to 1000 eggs a season depending on their age and size. They don't lay thousands of eggs; brook trout for instance are sexually mature at 1 1/2 years of age for males and about 2 years of age for females. Eggs may be laid in several redds, and females may spawn with more than 1 male. But for a brookie to lay 1000 eggs it has to be in prime condition at the time of the spawn and be from 3 to 5 years of age and the stream has to be in excellent condition, and have plenty of food, the right temperatures, and must have sufficient levels of oxygen in the spawning areas for both survival of the adults and the survival of the eggs. To say the least the odds are stacked against brookies, but they do survive and thrive in PA. Brown trout wait to spawn until they are 3 to 5 years of age which may be an advantage, but they have very similar requirements. Only brown trout in prime condition lay 1000 eggs. They sometimes may lay more than that, but I've seen no one say they lay thousands of eggs.
