Abnormal catch

[gozu]

Greetings, I don't often post on here but figured I'd share this with the community.

Taking advantage of high, off color water I spent the morning swinging streamers in Valley creek. One fish stood out that left me wondering.

Everyone enjoys the age old debate of stocked vs wild but in this instance, I have no clue. This was about a mile or two from the headwaters.

I'd appreciate any insight as to where this may have come from

Thanks guys, Rob

 

[madifly]

Ok that’s a brook trout. Where did that come from!?!

 

[wildtrout2]

Obviously a brook trout, that appears to be wild. I've heard there's a trib to upper Valley that holds natives. Don't know how accurate that is though. Either way, that's a very unusual Valley catch!

 

[gozu]

Obviously a brook trout, that appears to be wild. I've heard there's a trib to upper Valley that holds natives. Don't know how accurate that is though. Either way, that's a very unusual Valley catch!

I was thinking wild as well, the apidose fins looked fantastic. Crabby creek was the only trib I was aware of with brook trout and that's had it's issues over the years.

 

[gozu]

Ok that’s a brook trout. Where did that come from!?!

Slightly below Church rd. in the nature preserve.

 

[wildtrout2]

I was thinking wild as well, the apidose fins looked fantastic.

A trout has only one "adipose" fin, which is on top of the body just ahead of the caudal/tail fin. In your pic it's not real visible. Very cool catch!

 

[troutbert]

Looks like a hatchery brook trout.

 

[salmo]

Slightly below Church rd. in the nature preserve.

I’ve fished there often. Nice catch

 

[salmo]

Looks like a hatchery brook trout.

Where would it have come from on Valley?

 

[Swattie87]

Looks like a hatchery brook trout.

+1. If Chaz isn’t here to be the bearer of bad Brook Trout news, somebody’s gotta do it.

 

[Swattie87]

Where would it have come from on Valley?

If it’s wild, where would it have come from?

 

[troutbert]

Where would it have come from on Valley?

If you Google "trout hatcheries pennsylvania" it will bring up the government hatcheries, but also many private hatcheries. And it doesn't include all of them.

People go to those hatcheries, buy trout and stock them...wherever.

I'm not surprised to see hatchery trout in ANY stream in PA.

 

[wildtrout2]

If you Google "trout hatcheries pennsylvania" it will bring up the government hatcheries, but also many private hatcheries. And it doesn't include all of them.

People go to those hatcheries, buy trout and stock them...wherever.

I'm not surprised to see hatchery trout in ANY stream in PA.

This is why there needs to be some kind of oversight/permit requirement for the stocking of any stream in Pa. Purchases of trout somehow have to be monitered.

 

[rustbeltwilds]

I Agree stocked

 

[Nymph-wristed]

If you Google "trout hatcheries pennsylvania" it will bring up the government hatcheries, but also many private hatcheries. And it doesn't include all of them.

People go to those hatcheries, buy trout and stock them...wherever.

I'm not surprised to see hatchery trout in ANY stream in PA.

Sad but true. Some kid (or grown *** man acting like a kid) dumped that fish in there after a trip to Norristown Farm or any number of club stockings in SEPA.

 

[wildtrout2]

A buddy of mine who fishes Valley a good bit, says Little Valley is probably the source of any brookies in Valley itself. He doesn't think they're stocked. Who knows.

 

[tjsingle]

My guess is a bucket biologist on that one, unfortunately. As much as I'd like there to be a native sustaining population of brookies in Valley, I don't think it exists. Especially in the area you mentioned. There is at least one dam that I can think of that would be an impediment to any potential brook trout getting up to that portion of Valley.

I've caught a brookie in Valley before, however it was much further down at the dam in the National Park. My guess with this guy is he came up the Skook from another stocked trib.

​

Way up the Schuylkill my buddy and I have caught wild brooks while fishing for SMB.