Stocker?

[td566]

Mikesl
Though the group has unanimously agreed on stocked, it does have some very interesting spotting on the back half. Some of the spots even “run together” near the tail. I’ve never seen that on a rainbow trout but guess anything is possible from the hatchery.

 

[wildtrout2]

Some of the spots even “run together” near the tail.

That's a common theme with hatchery trout.

 

[Oregon_OwlII]

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 caught some wild rainbows one December in the Little Lehigh, but I doubt they would migrate up to the Lehigh in the Gap and Pocono area. Conditions would likely not permit it.

 

[wgmiller]

When it comes to rainbows, stocked rainbow fingerlings will often throw your for a bit of a loop, as they can appear to be streambred fish many times. You often have to look at stocking schedules and other sources to see if fingerlings were stocked in that stream or the area. Even when they've been in the stream for a few years, they'll give you reason to pause. One stream that comes to mind is the Schuylkill River, where I caught some fingerling over the past few years.

When it comes to fingerling stocking, the PFBC website has a specific section with resources on where they're placed:

Schuylkill River rainbow fingerling - 2025

A bigger rainbow, which was likely planted as a fingerling in recent years - 2024

 

[jifigz]

100% a stocker in the OP's post.

 

[Troutmeister]

This past spring I was fishing a new creek in Clinton County. I caught several wild browns and native brookies and then a small rainbow, about 5" beautiful colors with very prominent parr markings. I was pretty happy thinking that I had a wild slam. That's only ever happened to me once or twice. I continued to fish and caught about 5 or 6 more identical rainbows and realized somebody must have stocked fingerlings.

 

[jifigz]

somebody must have stocked fingerlings.

Not necessarily. Wild bow populations seem to spring up, be robust for a few years, and then dwindle. This happens in freestoner and limestoners alike, but long-term rainbow populations seem to happen in our limestoners more than our freestoners.

 

[nd1001]

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.

Cool fish. Those larger, faint dark spots/parr marks are usually prominent on wild rainbows I’ve caught in PA.

The first fish pictured is really unique, with the sparse spotting except for the tail.. reminds me of some cutthroat patterning.

 

[rustbeltwilds]

Cool fish. Those larger, faint dark spots/parr marks are usually prominent on wild rainbows I’ve caught in PA.

The first fish pictured is really unique, with the sparse spotting except for the tail.. reminds me of some cutthroat patterning.

Yeah that fish is really cool

 

[sarce]

The first fish pictured is really unique, with the sparse spotting except for the tail.. reminds me of some cutthroat patterning.

It reminded me of a cutthroat too. That one came from WV but didn't look like most WV bows I've caught. The others are from limestone streams in MD and VA.

 

[wgmiller]

Not necessarily. Wild bow populations seem to spring up, be robust for a few years, and then dwindle. This happens in freestoner and limestoners alike, but long-term rainbow populations seem to happen in our limestoners more than our freestoners.

I had a spell back around 2012 when I found small, what appeared to be wild rainbows in Donegal Creek. It's quite possible they were PFBC fingerling plants, although I'm not sure what year they began that program.