7/14/14 Lackawanna River, Lackawanna County

[DyberryBrookies]

The river had good flow today. I fished below a mine outflow to stay in the cold water. Picked up 7 fish, a 19 a 15 a 14 and 4 fingerlings. Got the 19 on a Bowman's Hellraiser and the the other two descent fish on a Vladi worm. I was long-lining and had to work for every fish.

 

[wildtrout2]

Some nice browns right there! Congrats.

 

[Tups]

The differences in coloration between these wild fish coming from the same reach of stream is striking.

Great stream, great fish.

 

[DyberryBrookies]

I would say age is the determining factor, youngins' are always a bit silvery, while the older they get the more colorful they get.

 

[johnstevens5462]

I would say age is the determining factor, youngins' are always a bit silvery, while the older they get the more colorful they get. Posted on: Today 13:56

The Zeus Of Trout Fishing has spoken.

In my experience catching wild browns, the small ones always were the most colorful and the larger ones less colorful, just darker and silver.

What is large?

I do not consider a sixteen inch brown to be large. Twenty inches begins to enter the realm of large.

Part of it has to do with genetics and which brown trout strain has the dominate genes - Von Behr or Loch Leven. Von Behr trout are colorful but generally do not grow large. Loch Leven trout are not as colorful but tend to grow large.

 

[DyberryBrookies]

The first fish is 19 inches so I guess that is approaching large by your definition, even though I never made any comments about the size of the fish lol. I could show you an overwhelming amount of picture evidence of fish in the 18 to 20 inch category that suggests age definitely intensifies color on wild fish. Also, I have heard there are differences in the two strains but it would be impossible to make any intelligent theories about how those strains and color variations play out in a freely reproducing population of trout, since the strains (DNA) begin to merge with one another and create a huge spectrum of color variations. I was simply suggesting that age seemed to be what resulted in the fish having more intense color.....

 

[afishinado]

johnstevens5462 wrote:

I would say age is the determining factor, youngins' are always a bit silvery, while the older they get the more colorful they get. Posted on: Today 13:56

The Zeus Of Trout Fishing has spoken.

In my experience catching wild browns, the small ones always were the most colorful and the larger ones less colorful, just darker and silver.

What is large?

I do not consider a sixteen inch brown to be large. Twenty inches begins to enter the realm of large.

Part of it has to do with genetics and which brown trout strain has the dominate genes - Von Behr or Loch Leven. Von Behr trout are colorful but generally do not grow large. Loch Leven trout are not as colorful but tend to grow large.

Color, or more precisely, the intensity of color is largely dependent on the diet of the fish. Smaller fish are often primarily insect feeders. When a trout grows larger, their diet often changes to forage including crayfish / shellfish.

Also, fish color changes with the environment. A big brownie that lives in an undercut bank and feeds mostly at night would tend to be be darker than one that feeds more in the open. That would support the larger = darker (most times) observation above.

I never really thought about it much, but I would say the larger fish I've caught and seen caught tend to be more colorful, as a general rule anyway.

Nice fish, DB. Interesting stuff.

 

[fly_flinger]

I agree with afish. The one exception I can think of is Fishing Creek in Clinton county. Even the little fish in that stream have great colors. IMO, the most beautiful and colorful brown trout in the state live in that creek. I mean that as a whole population and not just particular or larger fish like most streams have.

 

[DaveKile]

Just a reminder that Stream Reports are an integral part of the site for the past 19 years. Paflyfish is about sharing of all information that helps in everyone enjoying the sport in our region. We have some guidelines that we share about the Stream Reports and General Forum.

If someone wants to beat their head against the wall about not sharing stream information have at it in another part of the forum. Not a fit in the Stream Reports Forum. It will get nuked at will.

Suggest that you might want to read the guidelines, full links above.

A partial reminder about Stream Report Guidelines below:
Things you should try to include: water conditions, weather conditions, stream, date, time, location, hatches, fishing successes, flies used and other pertinent information.

A Stream Report must have a stream name, county and date.

Things that will not work: only boasting about fish caught, spin and bait fishing reports, any rants, questions, requests for a report, or guide reports. Please use the other forums. As always, no bullying debating or harassment of posters is not permitted and will be deleted no questions asked.

 

[wgmiller]

I fished the Lack the other day for the first time. What a beautiful stream! Flow was around 120 cfs and the temp was 64 in the Archbald area. I saw a few fish, had a few swipes, but she schooled me. This won't be my last trip to the "Lack" because I know she harbors some big, beautiful browns. You just have to learn how to play by her "rules"...