But did it ever get federal hatchery stocked, spring spawning RT back in the 1940’s or so?
Wild Trout Trifecta
- Thread starter TroutLife
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wildtrout2
Well-known member
I have no idea if that's the case. If it did, wouldn't they still be considered wild after that much time?
bigjohn358
Well-known member
I don't think you can tell because all those photos of so called "wild" rainbows I've caught fingerlings IDENTICAL to them before. All I know is that a class A I fish a lot that gets rainbow fingerling stockings every year and I'll catch a few MILES from where they were stocked in that stream.
Here’s another wild bow from that day. In my 50+ years of trout fishing it’s arguably the smallest trout I ever landed 😂 - what a gem!
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The_Sasquatch
Well-known member
Yeah, I agree with this actually. So-to this point, I certainly wouldn't fault anyone for erring on the side of "I caught the wild trifecta", mistaking a stocked fingerling for a wild bow. The reality is, as you pointed out, the difference between a stocked fingerling and a wild one are NOT entirely obvious, unless the hatchery clipped a fin.
Mikey2006
Well-known member
this one was pretty small, although I think yours might still be the smallest. I don’t even know how fish that small manage to get hooked
wildtrout2
Well-known member
I once caught a wild brown about that size. It was the smallest trout I've ever caught.
Prospector
Well-known member
Mike,
I’m glad you jumped into this thread. As I think you know, I kept your quote from 2014 about the tight water temperature upper & lower limits for rainbow eggs to produce wild rainbow fish.
Here it is:
Primary limits on reproduction: Water temps that are too warm (higher than 56 deg F) or too cold (42 deg F or lower) limit or prevent reproductive success, despite the fact that RT adults survive quite well at higher temps. These temps that affect reproductive success fall well within the range of typical Pa freestone temps, but not limestoner temps near their source. Eggs will not develop normally in the fish if constant water temps of 56 deg F or higher are encountered. Temps not exceeding 54 deg F are preferable for a period of at least 6 months prior to spawning. How many streams in Pa do not exceed 54 deg F during the summer? Likewise, excessive losses of eggs occur during incubation in the redds if temps fall below 42 deg F.
Is this still accurate?
Yes, to my knowledge. If that was all that I said, then I will add one thing that has very limited application. A fall stocking of fall spawning adult RT (PFBC fish) may get the adults past the summer temp impacts on viable gamete production if the hatchery source remains cold, but winter temps will still have the impact on RT that I mentioned above unless, of course, winter water temps in the streams that received the adult RT are not limiting egg survival. For favorable RT conditions I’m thinking about classic limestoners here…ones that are “warm” enough in winter and that do not have other spawning habitat constraints, such as substantial sedimentation.
Bamboozle
Well-known member
Now a rainbow, but my smallest:
Using the same unscientific criteria I use to determine wild BT & ST, I'm relatively sure caught a few small rainbow trout that were stream bred, most notably at Falling Springs & Trindle Spring Run and two other Class A streams sections with a past history of stocking, but no current adjacent stocked sections.
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