Brook trout

• Apr 8, 2017

• #1

wytex

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Caught a few brookies after getting the irrigation ditches going. Nice sized fish for the small stream they were in.The largest measured 16 inches and 1 1/4 lb.
Hey Huntingwife all of these females had small eggs in them already, normal? I've never seen eggs this time of the year in brookies.

 

• Apr 8, 2017

• #2

Hunting Wife

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I switched from fins to fur and feathers many moons ago, but I'll try. I know timing of egg production depends on temperature and photoperiod. They begin building yolk for the next batch soon after spawning, but how quickly that reaches a visually apparent stage likely depends mostly on temperature (which gets measured in degree days). I don't know enough to speculate on normal or not. I googled an aquaculture paper that put small visible yolks for brookies as occurring by early May, but that would be in a pretty controlled environment. I bet there are some trout slayers who might have a better idea than I do!

Looks like you had a pretty nice day though!

 

• Apr 8, 2017

• #3

wytex

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Thanks. I've had my hands in lots of brookies but never saw egg development this early in the spring. By the way moss is growing already, get out now before it gets to frustrating.

 

• Apr 8, 2017

• #4

A

AggieOutlaw

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Perhaps caused by the temperature/conditions in the ditch?

 

• Apr 8, 2017

• #5

JohnCushman

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Nice fish!! Are the fillets going in the smoker?

 

• Apr 8, 2017

• #6

wytex

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It's a small creek that only just started rising with spring run off. We just got over a cold spell with temps down to below 10 degrees so water temp is still really cold.
I think we'll grill these brook trout. Our brewer friend wants to try some. Might put a little smoke on them with a smoking box.
Just got a load of fresh cut apple wood and it might be good on the brookies.

 

• Apr 9, 2017

• #7

406LIFE

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Where is this at?

The spawn is in the fall and the eggs would have been laid already.

 

• Apr 9, 2017

• #8

Hunting Wife

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Right, but the eggs that will be deposited this coming fall are beginning to develop already. That would be what she is seeing - tiny "eggs" already visible in the ovary as the next crop is growing.

 

• Apr 9, 2017

• #9

wytex

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Yep, they were tiny little eggs. Nice amount of them too. Too bad, we'd rather not see so many brookies in that creek, but the browns are holding their own.