Wild trout thin this year?

[kenj 32]

My southern syndicate water has been in constant flood since December, resulting in some very thin fish. This is the first trout I netted from the river on Friday, which gave a good account of it'self, despite it's lack of weight.

These are indigenous wild browns and we operate a strict, barbless hook, catch and release policy. Hopefully they will put on a bit more weight, when the river warms up.

Interestingly, I was fishing a free urban river nearby earlier in the week, where it runs through a recreation ground and the trout were very plump, no doubt due to the ready supply of bread fed to the local ducks.

http://www.urbanfieldsportsman.com/index.php/recreation-ground-trout/

[Steve Walker 940]

I haven't been out for trout on the fly yet this season, but I caught more than usual from the Thames this winter, so I think the floods have moved fish about.

[kenj 32]

Following up about wild trout on our river being thin this year, I landed this beautiful stockie yesterday. We have stocked waters above ours. Maybe this is why the wild fish are so thin?

 

Edited April 12, 2013 by kenj

[Phone 615]

kenj,

 

How can you distinguish between stockies and wild trout.

 

Phone

[kenj 32]

The wild trout have red spots below the lateral line. We also get a few rainbows come down river. If you check out my small river reflections thread you'll see some nice wild browns along with a few intruders. http://www.urbanfieldsportsman.com/index.php/small-river-reflections/ They are good sport on a seven foot 4 weight rod.

[Steve Walker 940]

Other giveaways, besides them often having different colouration to the native fish - stockies take a while to grow back the crisp edges to their fins, especially the tail fin and they're often a lot bigger than wild trout.

[Guest bluedun]

Colouration is not always a good guide as wild fish can vary quite a bit. Fin condition is generally a better guide, though it's not infallible. Stockies are often peas in a pod though - all one size. So if you know what size they were stocked at, that's useful in identifying them.

[kenj 32]

Since I posted this thread I've netted a couple more "stockies", one had plenty of red spots, the other was an over wintered fish. I am now confused as to stockie, or not stockie.

http://www.urbanfieldsportsman.com/index.php/overwintered-stockie-pays-its-dues/

[Phone 615]

kenj,

 

That's a problem we have over here - wild vs stocked.

 

Phone

(very nice fish!)

[kenj 32]

Hi Phone,

I've just returned from a short visit to my syndicate water, it's only ten miles away. This was the best of eight taken in two hours.

The camera did not do justice to the colours of this wild brown. It looked better through poloroids. We return all our fish. Ken