Colorado brookies

[hemlock]

It would not be effective for BT in Pa in terms of significantly reducing population sizes. The 2004 statewide wild trout angler use and harvest study showed that even with the 5 fish creel limit, harvest was very low and on what one would considered be typical brook trout size streams, harvest of Brown trout was zero.

If harvest of BT wouldn't significantly reduce population size, and the harvest study showed zero harvest of BT, why is there a creel limit at all? What is it protecting?

 

[jeffroey]

One thing that's probably a factor in why they thrive in competitive CO streams but not here, is the genetic variation of brook trout we're talking about. Don't want the fish biologist nerds among you killing me but in general, I always understood there to be two genetic variations of brook trout: big ones and little ones. In PA we have the little ones. In NE and out west, they have the big ones.

Would expect that to be a factor.

 

[troutbert]

Has anyone fished any medium sized or large streams in Colorado that had lots of brook trout?

From what I've seen in CO, brook trout are common in small streams, but in medium or larger sized streams, you find browns or rainbows, not brook trout.

Which is similar to the situation in PA.

 

[Jessed]

Climate is the biggest factor. Pennsylvania continues to industrialize every year as well as increasing average temperatures. Western Rocky Mountain streams are probably closer to the Pleistocene era environments than 2024 Pennsylvania.

Brook trout love the icy cold waters of Maine.