Tiger Trout?

[Sparse_Grey_Hack]

This is my first post but I've been lurking for quite a while. Anyway, lately I find myself workin my way (stumbling, tripping, splashing and cursing) up the smaller streams that are in more remote areas around these parts. I wear gardener's knee pads to protect my waders. I crawl, sneak, and spook trout with alarming regularity.

I spent a couple hours, Sunday, doing just that up the headwaters of a fairly local stream that i remember held native brooks years ago. When I wasn't stumbling or otherwise spooking the critters, I was getting hits and catching a few.

One in particular had me puzzled. I knew it was a trout. It looked like a trout. It acted like a trout. But instead of the recognizable brown/brook/rainbow appearance, it had a mottled back and sides and few distinguishing spots, if any. I didn't want to bother him too much, so, as I was removing the fly, he flopped out of my hand and back into the stream. Alas, I didn't get a real good look at him. I don't carry a camera but maybe this will prompt me to get one.

I kind forgot about the experience until I was telling someone at work how the fishing was yesterday. Then I remembered that trout. I had heard of tiger trout being a local hybrid, so I googled it. Son of a gun if that doesn't look like that little tyke I had in my hand for those precious moments.

Any good, cheap, waterproof camera suggestions?

I love small streams and native/wild/crazy trout so if you know of any such places in the Indiana/Eastern Westmoreland/western Blair counties, I'd appreciate some info. I'm very careful to leave the place in the same shape as when I arrived, including all trout encountered. Except the trout might be a little pissed for a spell at my antics. I'm sure they're over it by now.

 

[troutbert]

I recently caught a tiger trout recently too. I'm pretty sure it was a wild one because it was only about 5 inches long and I doubt if the PFBC stocks them that small.

If it was wild, it was the first wild one I've ever caught. I've caught the PFBC stocked ones before.

Some of my buddies who also fish the small mountain streams have caught them too. But they seem to be pretty rare. We've caught lots and lots of wild brookies and browns in the mountain streams over the years, but only turned up a very few tigers.

 

[albatross]

Sparse Grey,

You mentioned Brookies. Does the stream you were fishing have Browns too?

I encountered a wild brown in a Western PA stream that I thought was all brookies last year.

 

[shipnfish2006]

Congrats! IMO, there is nothing more beautiful in the wild than a tiger trout in its fall colors.

As for camera suggestions, I would suggest using a normal digital camara and using a waterproof carrying case. Also make sure to have a strap on the camera for when you get it out to use it. I've been using cameras for 5 years while fishing and I have yet to drop, get one wet, or break one. *knock on wood* Now cell phones are a different story, but I don't take the same precautions with them.

 

[sapper6]

S_G_H - Have you ever tried Linn Run by Ligonier (Laughlintown)? It is easy to get to and had some active little brookies the last time I checked.

 

[pcray1231]

Neat story. In recent years I have revisited some brookie streams I knew years ago. I used to fish them with bait then, and my family still does. All brookies. Fish commission lists: all brookies. Revisiting them with a fly rod has turned up at least 1 wild brown on a lot of them. There's a token brown trout population dang near everywhere these days, even in the tiniest trickles. The browns tend to only be in the biggest holes though.

PM on the way....

 

[Sparse_Grey_Hack]

Thanks for the replies, guys.

Albatros
This stretch used to have a lot of native brookies but the browns and rainbows must have moved up over the years. I did have one native brookie on. He took the streamer I was using but was not much larger than that streamer. I let him get off without touching him, so I can't be positive.

I know what you mean about mistaking browns for brookies. I think it's why I prefer the wilder areas. It's the raw beauty of the fish there. That, and the solitude.

shipen,
I often slip into this trance, especially when the trout are active, and I'm prone to mishandling any equipment on me. I also tend to slip every once in a while. I need a tough camera that isn't too expensive.

Sapper,
Linn Run is near the edge of my local travel range. It has been on my mind. I may head out there one of these days.

pcray,

thanks for the PM. I will treat the information, and the streams, with all due respect. I truly appreciate it.

You know, when I caught that little guy, I knew there was something very different going on, thinking that, on these kinds of streams, one pulls out all sorts of colorful trout. I didn't have time to look him over as he quickly slipped back into the water and I actually forgot about him soon after until today (latched onto a nice rainbow in the next hole). I was boring a co-worker with my weekend fishing adventures when I remembered. He popped right back into my memory and I could see in my mind as if I had taken a picture.

 

[dryflyguy]

SGH,

A few weeks ago, I caught a beautifully colored tiger trout of about 13 inches in dunbar creek. I can kick myself for not having my camera with me, but next time I will!

 

[FarmerDave]

I simply use a cheap disposable camera. If I get it wet, I am not out much. You can also sometimes find waterproof disposables, but I haven't seen one for awhile. But then, I haven't specifically looked for them for awhile, either.

I don't remember ever catching a tiger trout. Most of the wild streams I have fished are brook trout streams with very few browns. There are a couple exceptions but still no tiger trout.

 

[Sparse_Grey_Hack]

I just ordered an Argus Bean digital camera, which will undoubtedly increase the security level of all native Tiger Trout within a 200 mile radius of wherever I am when I have that camera on me. It's not waterproof, but it does claim shock protection and it was only a little over 50 bucks. Anybody know where I can get some film for it?

 

[MKern]

If it's digital, it doesn't take film.
It stores pictures on memory cards, which you can get from almost any store.

I hope you don't rewind your DVD's before you return them.....

 

[Sparse_Grey_Hack]

DVD? What's that?

Just kidding, of course.

 

[skipfavro]

I use an Olympus Stylus 725 SW. It is a perfect fishing camera, fits in almost any pocket, is waterproof to a depth of 5 meters (read yards if you want), and shockproof when dropped less than 1.5 meters. It isn't cheap, usually costing more than $300, but it takes great pictures, even at the bottom of a swimming pool. If you want, you can take underwater pictures of that big brookie on the end of your buddy's line. It has an internal zoom lens for long shots, is perfectly flat with no lens or other projections sticking out, and is not much bigger than a pack of cigarettes. It is so small that you can always have it with you. Skip Favro

 

[Sparse_Grey_Hack]

skip
I was actually looking at that camera last month. However, that $300 would also buy me a good rod. What I ended up doing was buying a new rod and a reel (I've been using my old HMG "rhino spear" rod up to now), blowing nearly $500. When I first read Charlie Fox back in the sixties, he warned not to get into this pastime unless you're sure you can afford it.

 

[Sparse_Grey_Hack]

The short, snappy life of an Argus Bean. . .

My Argus Bean camera arrived two days ago. It's not a bad camera for 50 bucks. I took a few pics around home to test it out. It seemed satisfactory for a fishin' cam. It was not.

I got to Loyalhanna fly project around noon today. I took a few pics up and downstream for an old fly fishing buddy of mine who left for Alaska back in the seventies and has repeatedly asked me for some pics of these streams we used to fish. Then i got to fishing.

I was getting some hits on streamers and rousing the curiousity of some bigger rainbows. But after 3 hours, I had hooked nothing. I decided to hit a fairly deep and fast run one last time. I put on a nymph and bobber and started flipping it upstream.

I worked my way up the slick and had one last cast into its head. The line stopped. I tightened. it moved. Something was on and it wasn't small. I worked him closer to me and couldn't tell what it was. Soon, i got him into shallow gravel and saw it was a big brown. Oboy. Wait till Mark sees a pic of this. I slid him over to a beachy area and unclipped the Bean from my vest and promptly dropped it in the water. I scooped it right out and shook the water away and hit the power button. Nothing. Dead.

I looked down at that brown and figured enough of this so i grabbed the fly and flipped it off. He looked tired and confused. I held his tail and moved him back and forth until he gave a great flip of the tail and angrily headed back into the deep.

I then tended to the Bean. Still dead. I'm now home and it seems dried out but it's still dead. But it was worth it. That brown made my day. Maybe my season.

It was the first big brownie since I started fly fishing again, this past July, after 30 plus years of not fly fishing. I was beginning to think I didn't have it anymore. All I've been catching since I've returned are rainbows and brookies and a rare brownie or two that were barely legal. This guy went a good 16 inches or so. He is now just a bit smarter and may grow to a lunker some day and will hit one of my streamers.

The Bean claims moisture resistance. Had it fallen a few inches to my right, it would have hit dry land. It's time i get a real, waterproof camera.

 

[Chaz]

I've been photographing the outdoors for years and if you ask me there's nothing better than a digital camera for taking photos whether you are a pro or not. Digitals are reasonably cheap and you never have to by film and pay for processing. So it is way cheaper even if you use a throw away camera, it is way cheaper. Get a digital and a weather proof bag tocarry it in and you'll be in good shape, as an extra precaution use a plastic bag over it or by a waterproof bag.
Shoud it ever get wet, remove the batteries as quickly as you possibly can, don't turn on the camera under any circumstances, when you get home open all the doors and let it dry out a day or 2 before trying to use it. When you buy a digital get the extended warrentee, it'll get you a new camera if it stops working.

 

[Sparse_Grey_Hack]

Good call, Chaz. It doesn't have accessable batteries tho. I take everything I said about the Argus Bean back. Sorta. When I got home, I blew it out with canned air and let it sit for a spell. Late last evening, I turned it on and it came to life. No pic of the trout though. But other pics I took before the dunking were there.

I did notice, from the pics I did take, that it must be held very still when snapping. A friend explained that to me-- something about cheap digital camera shutters. I'll get used to it.

 

[SoYoCoTransplant]

I wanted to make a recommendation on the camera.

For our vacation to OC, MD in August my wife didn't want to take her Canon professional camera so she resorted to purchasing a simple point and click. She ended up choosing a Sony Cybershot 150 for $239.00 from Wal-Mart. It turns out with a 4 GB card it will hold over 1000 photos. This camera also has accessories that you can purchase seperately that guarantee it to be shock proof and waterproof. We are going to be investing in it as it has become our kayaking camera. As far as quality goes it doesn't rival that of her $1500 Canon but it certainly is the best bang for the buck and in terms of landscape and still photos it really is fantastic. Also, it has a function that if you turn it to "SMILE" mode it will not snap the photo until all parties are smiling in the photo. It also has the anti-shake function to prevent blurry photos.

 

[JackM]

SoYoCoTransplant wrote:
Also, it has a function that if you turn it to "SMILE" mode it will not snap the photo until all parties are smiling in the photo.

That there is one smart camera.

 

[Sparse_Grey_Hack]

My Argus Bean's now a has bean. The little joystick knob is attached to the switch by a tiny piece of plastic that broke. no more zooming. No more advancing through pics. no more setting up features.

Regardless, it's not that good a camera for fly fishing. The pics I've spread around here bear that out. Time to ask for an Olympus SW for christmas. Anybody seen santa around here?