Trout Identification

[wsender]

I'm having a hard time determining between a Brown and a Brook. Any tips?

 

[jayL]

Brown = dark spots on light body
Brook = light spots on dark body

 

[wsender]

I was under the impression that the white trimming on the fins were also Brookies too? No?

 

[jayL]

Browns can have that. The light on dark vs dark on light is the best identification method.

After a while, it will be impossible for you to confuse them.

 

[jdaddy]

Look at identification methods and the photos here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_trout

and here for brook trout:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brook_trout

 

[ryguyfi]

check out all the pictures in the photo section. Most, if not all are properly labeled. Once you see a few fish, it will be easier to ID.


You can see on the first page 3wt7x's pictures of 2 brookies. Light spots on dark body, red belly, etc. The blue "halo" spots are a good giveaway too on a brookie.

On Page 3 you can see albatross's "little J Brown", which is a light body with dark spots. A brown's spots are usually brown or red.


flip through all the pictures and you'll figure it out.

 

[marriemb]

here is a page to help you find the difference

http://www.coloradotrouthunters.com/troutidentification.html

made a google search

 

[ltjman22]

Browns have more dark in them. Depends what there mood is like that day. I have caught them in varying colors. The only brooks I have seen are more colorful than browns.

 

[wetnet]

Go to the fish and boat commission website under educational materials. http://fishandboat.com/education/catalog/troutid.pdf

Brook trout have blue halos around red dots. You will not see blue on a brown. Stocked Browns have separate yellow and brown dots, while wilds have brown inside of yellow.

The first pic is a brookie, the 2nd a native brown. Hope this helps.

 

[afishinado]

Yup, brookies dark with light spots, and brownies light with dark spots.

 

[wsender]

Thanks guys. This has made it much easier for me to discern between the two.

 

[wetnet]

Show off! LOL!!

Just a note, stocked browns instead of the spot in a spot will have the brown and yellow spots separated, each an individual dot. Afish's beauty is a native, but you can see there is a difference even between natives based on age and size.

Maybe someone can answer this..Does the type of water and depth a fish resides in play into coloration in streams? Where's our new biology guy. He like to type dissertations.

 

[troutbert]

Brown = dark spots on light body
Brook = light spots on dark body

If you learn and remember that, you can tell the difference every time.

And it's important to not confuse yourself with things that are not identifying markers, such as red spots, blue halos, white edges on fins etc. Just remember:

Brown = dark spots on light body
Brook = light spots on dark body

Brown = dark spots on light body
Brook = light spots on dark body

Brown = dark spots on light body
Brook = light spots on dark body

Brown = dark spots on light body
Brook = light spots on dark body

 

[troutbert]

wetnet wrote:
Does the type of water and depth a fish resides in play into coloration in streams?

Yes. The type of water a fish lives in makes a difference in coloration, along with genetics of course.

Trout that live in larger waters that are more open to the sun tend not to have very bright colors (red, deep yellow etc.) They tend to have a lighter, more silvery color. If you want the scientific explanation, Google "guanine."

Trout that live in shaded streams tend to have bright colors. Some of the wild browns in small forested freestone streams have stunning colors. They can be as colorful as the brook trout.

 

[WildTigerTrout]

Many wild Brown Trout have a blue circle on their gillplate behind the eye.

 

[Wildfish]

I made this up a while back for a buddy of mine.

 

[TUNA]

Wetnet- Not trying to pick, but isn't your second pick a cutt?

 

[Fishidiot]

TUNA wrote:
Wetnet- Not trying to pick, but isn't your second pick a cutt?

Looks like a cutthroat to me. What gives it away is how far down on the body the spots extend. Browns rarely have spots on their bellies. Also, the lack of halos and the fact that the spots are thicker near the head and tail suggest a cutt.

 

[osprey]

For me , the vermiculations on a brookies back are the foolproof item , vermiculations look like little black worms and are only on the backs of brookies.

 

[osprey]

Wetnet.......i'm not picking on ya but there are no native browns in the U.S.