Stocker?

[mikesl]

Caught this surprise in a brookie stream, tributary to Lehigh.
Very clean rainbow… smaller than most stocked fish in my experience… made me think perhaps wild? But small head… and I gather the stream was stocked in spring. Used to be stocked with brook trout, but that was years ago.

I am not as experienced judging wild vs
Stocked rainbow… and I guess I am wishing because it would make a pa wild trout slam.

Fins all looked perfect to me.

Thoughts? What are the telltales?

 

[Bamboozle]

I'd say stocked/holdover.

Hopefully Mike with chime in...

 

[wildtrout2]

Stocked

 

[CRB]

Fingerling stocked.

 

[Swattie87]

Regular old stockie.

 

[troutbert]

Stockie. The pectoral fin doesn't look right.

Also, have you ever heard of a wild rainbow population in the Lehigh or its tributaries?

 

[sarce]

Fins all looked perfect to me.

Thoughts? What are the telltales?

The dorsal is tiny for the size of the fish and rounded on the leading edge. At some point in your fly fishing journey you will likely encounter true wild rainbows and once you see those in person, the fins on this one will no longer look close to perfect. It gets easier to judge with experience. I'll add a pic of a wild one if I can quickly find a pic

 

[wildtrout2]

The dorsal is tiny for the size of the fish and rounded on the leading edge. At some point in your fly fishing journey you will likely encounter true wild rainbows and once you see those in person, the fins on this one will no longer look close to perfect. It gets easier to judge with experience. I'll add a pic of a wild one if I can quickly find a pic

I've only fished one particular stream that has them. Here are a couple of them. My biggest is only 11" or 12", most were generally this size. I did see one that was around 16", but I had spooked it.

 

[mikesl]

Stockie. The pectoral fin doesn't look right.

Also, have you ever heard of a wild rainbow population in the Lehigh or its tributaries?

Nope 🙂
My logical brain knows better 🙂
but, ya know… hope is a weird drug

Have caught a small wild rainbow in NY on the esopus, not sure what they look like at this size.

 

[Tigereye]

Stockie. The pectoral fin doesn't look right.

Also, have you ever heard of a wild rainbow population in the Lehigh or its tributaries?

I have caught them in one Lehigh Trib. 3 in total. Largest about 6-7 inches. Unless some organization is stocking fingerlings i am not aware or they have gotten mixed in with the stockies is anyones guess. Usual PAFBC stockie is an 11" clone in one of two distinct color patterns, lacking parr marks.

See attached and notice markings comparable to wildtrout2's. The pec fins on this one were tangled in net a bit but otherwise clean. Size about 6-7"

 

[wildtrout2]

Quite a number of years ago, I was fishing a Lehigh trib that has a good population of wild browns and caught a 17" rainbow near it's headwaters. No doubt stocked by one of the few homeowners up there. Needless to say, it became dinner. It was delicious, so I'm guessing it had been in the stream for a while.

 

[Mike]

Caught this surprise in a brookie stream, tributary to Lehigh.
Very clean rainbow… smaller than most stocked fish in my experience… made me think perhaps wild? But small head… and I gather the stream was stocked in spring. Used to be stocked with brook trout, but that was years ago.
View attachment 1641252523
I am not as experienced judging wild vs
Stocked rainbow… and I guess I am wishing because it would make a pa wild trout slam.

Fins all looked perfect to me.

Thoughts? What are the telltales?

Absolutely stcked.

 

[rustbeltwilds]

10000000 pct stocked

 

[rustbeltwilds]

Heres one from last month im pretty certain is wild

 

[wildtrout2]

Heres one from last month im pretty certain is wild

If you tell us where you caught it, maybe we can figure it out. 😆 It does appear wild though.

 

[riverwhy]

Heres one from last month im pretty certain is wild

Nice fins! Was it pink inside?

 

[sarce]

Had to dig for some wild rainbow photos. Not sure how much they help, but I guess the main point is to notice how translucent the fins tend to be. However that can change if they are colored up for the spawn.

 

[Tigereye]

Clear pinkish fins, more olive colored around belly, and less spots on lower half of body

 

[rustbeltwilds]

Nice fins! Was it pink inside?

Lol lol lol silly i didnt kill it

 

[rustbeltwilds]

If you tell us where you caught it, maybe we can figure it out. 😆 It does appear wild though.

Bills creek