Wild Trout Trifecta

[Mike]

I've caught a decent number of wild rainbows like this. They're in a trib to a stocked stream that doesn't get fingerling stocking of rainbows.

But did it ever get federal hatchery stocked, spring spawning RT back in the 1940’s or so?

 

[wildtrout2]

But did it ever get federal hatchery stocked, spring spawning RT back in the 1940’s or so?

I have no idea if that's the case. If it did, wouldn't they still be considered wild after that much time?

 

[bigjohn358]

What are ways you'd determine between a fingerling stocked rainbow, especially one caught in streams that don't have known fingerling stocking programs, and a truly wild small 'bow?

I don't think you can tell because all those photos of so called "wild" rainbows I've caught fingerlings IDENTICAL to them before. All I know is that a class A I fish a lot that gets rainbow fingerling stockings every year and I'll catch a few MILES from where they were stocked in that stream.

 

[TroutLife]

I don't think you can tell because all those photos of so called "wild" rainbows I've caught fingerlings IDENTICAL to them before. All I know is that a class A I fish a lot that gets rainbow fingerling stockings every year and I'll catch a few MILES from where they were stocked in that stream.

Here’s another wild bow from that day. In my 50+ years of trout fishing it’s arguably the smallest trout I ever landed 😂 - what a gem!

 

[The_Sasquatch]

I don't think you can tell because all those photos of so called "wild" rainbows I've caught fingerlings IDENTICAL to them before. All I know is that a class A I fish a lot that gets rainbow fingerling stockings every year and I'll catch a few MILES from where they were stocked in that stream.

Yeah, I agree with this actually. So-to this point, I certainly wouldn't fault anyone for erring on the side of "I caught the wild trifecta", mistaking a stocked fingerling for a wild bow. The reality is, as you pointed out, the difference between a stocked fingerling and a wild one are NOT entirely obvious, unless the hatchery clipped a fin.

 

[Mikey2006]

Here’s another wild bow from that day. In my 50+ years of trout fishing it’s arguably the smallest trout I ever landed 😂 - what a gem!

this one was pretty small, although I think yours might still be the smallest. I don’t even know how fish that small manage to get hooked

 

[wildtrout2]

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this one was pretty small, although I think yours might still be the smallest. I don’t even know how fish that small manage to get hooked

I once caught a wild brown about that size. It was the smallest trout I've ever caught.