Post-spawn Brown Trout behavior.

[Cornholio]

Does anyone know much about post-spawn browns or know of any sites, books, etc?

 

[afishinado]

Cornholio wrote:
Does anyone know much about post-spawn browns or know of any sites, books, etc?

Brown trout spawn in mid to late fall in most PA wild trout streams. In PA, they tend to spawn a bit earlier up north, and a bit later in the southern streams because of water temps being colder earlier up north. In limestone and/or spring-fed streams, spawning tends to happen a little later and is generally drawn out for a longer time.

The spawners seek out sections of streams with a moderate to fast current, usually in fairly shallow water, and most important, in areas with a gravel or small rock bottom. In many cases, tributaries of the main stream offer all the above requirements.

After the redds (spawning nests) are made, and the eggs are deposited and fertilized, the post-spawn males and females move to their winter habitat, which tends to be the slower and deeper pools and runs in a given stream.

HTH. Good fishing.

 

[Cornholio]

Thanks for the info

 

[Fishidiot]

In my experience, browns in PA during the period from roughly about Thanksgiving until say, mid January - the "post spawn" - remain fairly catchable, esp in limestone streams. Unlike bass fishing, where there tends to be a distinct lull in fishing activity after the spawn, trout don't seem to exhibit such a drop. However, to be honest, I haven't watched this too closely and I certainly don't have a hard and fast opinion on the topic. Much of my winter fishing experience for wild browns is on limestone streams where water temps remain fairly warm in December. I'm not so sure about freestoners or rivers where water temps drop significantly during this time of the year. It does seem to me that many browns I catch after the spawn appear "spawned out" - in other words, they're slender, scuffed up, and often don't put up much of a fight. However, they seem to feed pretty much normally.
I'd be curious to hear the opinions of some of our hard core wild trout guys who fish browns after the spawn in freestoners or mixed limestone/freestone streams.

 

[wgmiller]

Just look for the trout smoking a cigarette :lol:

 

[Swattie87]

FI - Freestone Browns in Winter are tough IMO. Whether that's post-spawn induced, or just the nature of Brown Trout in colder water I'm not sure...although I think the latter is more likely. They can be caught, but you usually need a warm snap and some higher flows to have a good day on them in Winter.

Brook Trout are still relatively easier to catch in Winter than Browns IMO. I usually spend the Winter months exploring really tiny Brookie streams that are overgrown the rest of the year. You have to concentrate on the deeper holes, and end up doing a lot of walking, but I think that's generally a better use of your time than trying for freestone wild Browns in Winter.

 

[rrt]

I fish both freestone and spring-influenced creeks during the winter. I think it's pretty much a matter of water temperature. I once read that temps under 40 degrees were impossible ones for catching trout, but I have caught trout down to 35 degrees. That has been a real cut-off water temp for me. Being nearly 63 and not being able to deal with the cold as you young lions can, I do not like to fish when the air temp is under 35 either. I get cold,my guides ice up, and I prefer to sit and read near the woodburner or to tie a few flies. Unlike other posters, though, I have found the fish in the same lies that I find them the rest of the year, not just hugging the bottom of pools. Admittedly, the fishing in winter is not nearly as good as it is in warmer weather, but it can sometimes be surprisingly good.

 

[lv2nymph]

rrt, At nearly 63 it takes temps of 35 to put you next to the fire reading or tying? If you ask me you're still runnin with the pack my friend.

 

[JeffK]

In my experience the freestone post-spawn browns concentrate in their winter lies soon after spawn. These lies have water a few feet deep (not necessarily the deepest spot in the pool) with low current and a dark bottom. The sun heats up a dark bottom so the water is warmer there. My theory is they like water deep enough for cover, but shallow enough for sun to hit the bottom. The super deep holes are too cold for them. May be places that no trout would stay in the summer, but may also be a spring hole which is a thermal refuge summer or winter.

I've found the winter browns really stack up on their winter lies and one can catch plenty of fish. Conversely, many great spots for most of the season are empty in the winter. I think many people don't catch browns in the winter since they are fishing their normal spring/summer spots and not the wintering lies where the fish are. No need to get up early - fish hit best in the afternoon. Also, winter browns pick up flies very, very softly. Must be really alert to hook them. I like slowly swinging streamers and most of the time the hit feels like you hooked a small leaf - rarely will feel the fish smash a fly.

In my area, the old timers really hit the wintering holes hard and kept every fish - cold water browns taste great. Now most of those guys are gone and the fly fishermen seem to hit the same spots summer or winter. IMHO, pressure is less on most winter lies these days.

 

[pete41]

I Spent a lot of time winter fishing in Montana and as many guides will tell you -its as good as it gets number wise if you can catch them podded up in spring holes or moving down stream as they tend to do so in numbers,same as moving upstream for the spawn.
They are some what less impressive inch for inch post spawn of course but seemed to me anyway more active than when water temps were at the other extreme.
If your target stream happens to dump into water where perch or other forage fish come up your stream to spawn,mimic the minnow and hang on.lol

 

[pete41]

beat me to it Jeff-lol
I'm like RRT-a little slower these days.

 

[JackM]

I wonder whether some of the observations about spring creeks is not due more to the availability of forage during the winter. Of course, that may also be all about water temperatures, but not necessarily.

I think trout adjust to the available forage during winter, being more likely to hunker-down during peiods of very sparse forage. In very fertile streams, they will definitely be active and in "feeding" lies during the peak drift periods, or in "sunning" lies during sunlight. They will not use a lot of energy holding a lie unless there is sufficient food to support it.

Regardless of where you might find them on any given day or time of day, deep water refuge will not be far away.

 

[Chaz]

The metabolism of food slows down significantly for trout when the water temperatures go below 40 degrees, that doesn't mean they don't feed, what it mens is they feed only when they need to to maintain their weight. Limestone streams have more stable temperatures, but they do get as cold as 40 degrees and colder depending on where you are in relation to the springs.
Browns will feed early in the day when the sun hits the water in ripples, they rest in pools. During the post spawning period they feed voraciously as long as the water stays above 40 degrees.
In freestone streams they continue to feed until the water reaches 40 degrees and then rest most of the time. Always feeding when the water warms but stopping when the temps drop again. If there is ice along the edges of freestone streams browns aren't like to be feeding unless there's a hatch. During cold weather most of my fishing is done in the sun and early in the day in ripples.

 

[JeffK]

I think the trend of temperature is almost as important as temperature. When the temperatures first get below 40 the fish seem to shut right off, then feed a little better as they get adjusted to winter. I have had banner days when the temp rose from 35 to 37, but have had rotten days when the temp dropped from 40 to 37. Other days I can't figure why the fish are active or slow.

My other caution is that streams are always changing and lies - winter or summer - aren't always the same. Need to keep up with change and scout and fish. This seems really important this winter since the floods from Irene in 2011 combined with all the downed trees from the Halloween 2011 snow storm and Sandy have done major alterations to the holes where I fish. Last year I had mediocre winter luck pounding my usual spots and then experimented and found very good fishing in sections of stream that used to be poor winter spots. Too bad I stuck with my regular spots as long as I did. As usual, few shortcuts to work in finding hot spots.

I sort of agree with the ice comment, but in one place I fish casting weighted streamers on the ice and then pulling them off the edge and letting them drop is a killer pattern. No rules in fishing, only guidelines. However, a more useful tip is to look for sections of stream where there is no ice is on edge of a generally ice edged stream. One way to find springs. Fish tight to the bank in these spots.

Two more theories on cold water patterns. 1. Use large streamers/buggers to "wake" them up and make it worthwhile to feed. 2. Use itty bitty nymphs since they aren't hungry. I've had days where each works and each stinks. One thing I will say from my experience - easy with flash in the winter.

 

[pete41]

In the winter when I fished in Montana more often then not I had to not only crawl over the bank ice but had to keep one eye upstream to watch for chunks as big as cars floating free-don't think that bothered them at all.
snow melt would shut them down.
as I mentioned before the bigger trout feed better than the "dinks' for some reason due to being cold blooded and body density so it is a good time to concentrate on trophy trout fishing.
Assuming trout are trout don't overlook a two wooly worm fished wet rig.Don't think selectivity is as big a factor as in warmer water.

 

[Hook_Jaw]

I catch alot of nice browns on streamers In early december. I will hang it up soon until spring

 

[irishlax7]

Good thread thank you! I am often overly sensitive about possibly disturbing any spawn oct-jan and I wade as little as possible.

 

[Mike]

We were surveying (electrofishing) a very good Schuylkill Co. freestone (total alkalinity only 3-4 mg/l), Class B, post-spawn brown trout population during the past two weeks at three different sites, each about 350 m. long. Water temps ranged from about 4 deg C to 5.5 deg C. and average site widths ranged from about 6-9 meters. The trout were found exactly where one would expect to find them during the summer. They had failed at that point to have "holed-up" for the winter. Given what we saw in that stream, as an angler I would have fished the same habitats that I would have fished during the rest of the year (except winter). As for the population size, the best sampling site supported about 70 legal length trout in 367 m., which is very good for Pa streams. It was clear from the fishes' body shape that some were already feeding very heavily while others were in poor physical condition (thin...post spawning). The thin ones will most likely need to feed heavily to survive the winter.... and a substantial number probably won't.

 

[troutbert]

Mike wrote:
We were surveying (electrofishing) a very good Schuylkill Co. freestone (total alkalinity only 3-4 mg/l), Class B, post-spawn brown trout population during the past two weeks at three different sites, each about 350 m. long.

Mike,
Do you find it surprising that a stream with alkalinity that low has a brown trout population, not a brook trout population?

Is there an "alkalinity line" below which only brookies will be found, and if so, what is it, approximately?

Usually people talk about alkalinity and pH as being what determines whether a stream will hold brookies or browns (or both), but are there other factors involved?

 

[Mike]

I don't know of (from experience) nor have I read of any lower alkalinity limit for brown trout. What is probable is that very low alkalinity streams in many areas of Pa receive such low pH rainfall that only brook trout populations, which as you know tolerate lower pH than browns, are able to survive. This particular Schuylkill Co stream has supported browns and some brooks for a long time. Although I have had pH concerns (lack of buffering capacity) for an equally long time, we have not had any fish kills or seen a reduction in the brown trout population. This suggests that pH does not reach critically low levels despite the poor buffering capacity of the stream.

As for other factors that determine whether a stream supports browns or brooks, field experience suggests that water temperature is the primary factor. I don't just mean maximum yearly temperatures; I also mean the number of days in a summer that fish are exposed to chronically stressful but not immediately lethal temperatures. The fish may tolerate the temperatures (barely) but their gametes may not.

I used to think sediment was more important than it now appears to be. I have found substantial (and surprising) brook trout reproduction in a few very silty streams. I am not challenging the idea that sedimentation/siltation is a problem for trout, but there may be some specific, limited, and very unusual circumstances where sediment, specifically silt, can be tolerated. What is maybe more important in this regard is not the appearance of the silt as it lies on the surface of the stream bottom, but how much it clogs the interstices and blocks upwellings in the areas where the brook trout spawn. How heavy or light the silt is per unit volume might also be a factor, which would be determined by its organic and mineral composition. As with most things in nature, it appears to be a more complex issue than what is often presented as being gospel. Having seen only two (Pine Ck, Schuylkill Co - trib to Schuylkill R; Hollow Run, Bucks Co., trib to Cooks Ck) such very silty situations in which brook trout populations were still thriving over a 36 year period of sampling wild trout streams across much of Pa. indicates to me how rare this must be, so the long taught general concerns about sedimentation in trout streams are still applicable with some rare exceptions.