SteelSlayer77
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Tributary Brown Trout
What is everyone's perspective on the return of brown trout running the tribs this past fall? Did anyone see many browns in the upper areas of any of the major tribs? I spend the majority of my time on upper Elk and didn't catch a brown trout or even see one in that area this past fall. I was under the impression that there might be more brown trout this year running the tribs, and from the reports there were a few more, but it seems like they were mainly being caught around the mouths close to the lake and more on the east side than west. In NY I know certain streams that are loaded with browns up high in the creeks and late in the season. I was hoping some of the Erie tribs would start turning out browns like Sandy Creek in NY and some other smaller NY tribs, but that doesn't appear to be the case at all. Anyone know if NY just stocks bigger numbers of browns, or what is the main difference? Is it that PA is stocking them mainly for lake fishing and not really imprinting them in the tribs to run? Or were they really there, and was just a coincidence that I didn't catch any or see anyone else catch one?
post edited by SteelSlayer77 - 2012/03/20 16:39:57
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heyiknowyou
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RE: Tributary Brown Trout
2012/03/20 17:24:24
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they were there and yes there were a few to be seen. Most others were already on stringers though
go back to spain 11-12-11: the last time i got punched in the face
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mothermoose
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RE: Tributary Brown Trout
2012/03/20 18:45:09
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Late november, they caught them...
MM
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World Famous
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RE: Tributary Brown Trout
2012/03/20 18:56:29
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Saw one on a stringer below Rick Road in mid February. Could have been a left over stockie ,though. It was about 21 inches...WF
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S-10
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RE: Tributary Brown Trout
2012/03/20 19:29:38
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There was one swimming in one of the smaller mile creeks today.
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Loomis
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RE: Tributary Brown Trout
2012/03/21 08:19:59
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Brown trout tend to hang around the lower sections of the creeks, especially the mouths. There were more around this year than usual, but nothing spectacular.
I would have to say there were 5 caught between myself and the people that I fish, which I think is pretty good.
Next year should be better, I hope.
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SteelSlayer77
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RE: Tributary Brown Trout
2012/03/21 13:59:26
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Brown trout tend to hang around the lower sections of the creeks, especially the mouths. There were more around this year than usual, but nothing spectacular. That seems like what happened with the brown trout in Erie this year. However in the NY Ontario tribs they do run up into the upper stretches of most streams and mainly spawn in the exact same gravel beds as the salmon do. Does anyone know if NY imprints their browns by stocking them into the upper areas of streams, or do they only stock directly into the lake and near the mouths like we are doing here in PA? There couldn't have been a very good return this year, if everyone responding thinks they were either mostly all roped or only saw 1 here or there. I was hoping to see the same ratio of steelhead to brown trout as what was stocked, but the tributary returns don't appear to even be close to that ratio.
post edited by SteelSlayer77 - 2012/03/21 14:26:24
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dano
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RE: Tributary Brown Trout
2012/03/21 14:27:55
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For NY Lake Erie tribs, They release them at the lake shore.
They use the same strain as Lk O.
They don't run very far up the NY Lk E. tribs either.
Not sure what the procedure is for LK O.
Try the Salmon River Board.
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DarDys
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RE: Tributary Brown Trout
2012/03/21 14:33:09
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I was under the impression that the brown trout stocking was more to establish a near-shore fishery than to have them run up the tribs in great numbers.
The poster formally known as Duncsdad Everything I say can be fully substantiated by my own opinion.
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KJH807
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RE: Tributary Brown Trout
2012/03/21 14:52:01
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brown trout do not "imprint" or go through the smoltification process
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Loomis
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RE: Tributary Brown Trout
2012/03/21 14:52:06
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ORIGINAL: dano
For NY Lake Erie tribs, They release them at the lake shore.
They use the same strain as Lk O.
They don't run very far up the NY Lk E. tribs either.
Not sure what the procedure is for LK O.
Try the Salmon River Board.
Thanks Dave, saved me some typing. Brown trout usually don't make it up that far, from what I have experienced. But hey, what the heck do I know...I'm only 27 years old. I think they put them in via helicopter. Maybe it's easier to get up the LK O streams, but from what I have read on another popular board guys have seen larger concentrations of them lower, too
post edited by Loomis - 2012/03/21 14:56:38
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spoonchucker
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RE: Tributary Brown Trout
2012/03/21 15:17:09
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Improved waste treatment practices have dramatically reduced the brown trout populations of the tribs 
Get Informed, Get Involved, And Make A Difference. Step Up, or Step Aside The next time you say "Somebody should do something", remember that YOU are somebody. GL
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D-nymph
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RE: Tributary Brown Trout
2012/03/21 15:26:05
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Sponchucker on a roll today! Must be the warm weather. 
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Cold
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RE: Tributary Brown Trout
2012/03/21 15:30:56
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ORIGINAL: spoonchucker
Improved waste treatment practices have dramatically reduced the brown trout populations of the tribs
That said, 16 is still probably your best bet for them.
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SteelSlayer77
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RE: Tributary Brown Trout
2012/03/21 16:50:55
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these browns are tough to get, dont feed on eggs like NY's. Sorry but that just makes no sense to me. Why would the PA browns not feed on eggs? lol Our stock was even donated by NY, so they should be the exact same strain. brown trout do not "imprint" or go through the smoltification process Interesting, I assumed certain lake run strains were imprinted. Maybe Loomis is right then, maybe it has something to do with the streams themselves and how easy it is for the fish to migrate? I have more experience fishing the Lake O tribs than Erie, since I grew up in Northeastern PA, and I know for a fact that in Lake O many browns definitely swim pretty far upstream to gravel beds. Some of them even hold over in the streams during winter months and return to the lake in early spring.
post edited by SteelSlayer77 - 2012/03/21 17:10:17
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adyak
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RE: Tributary Brown Trout
2012/03/21 18:37:56
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Pa stocks 1,000,000 steelhead smolts.They stock 100,000 browns.So you will never see as many browns as steelhead.This year the hatchery lost 40,000 of their brown trout due to disease.As for these browns not eating eggs,That is laughable.They might be a little less tolerant of 14 guys standing over top of them pounding them in the head with split shot but trust me they eat eggs.
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SteelSlayer77
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RE: Tributary Brown Trout
2012/03/21 19:15:19
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I realize what the steelhead to brown trout stocking ratio is, and don't expect to see anywhere near as many browns as steelhead. I just expected a similar catch ratio, or to at least see a similar ratio in the streams to what they are stocking. Something close to 1 brown for every 10 steelhead in late Nov. But it didn't seem to be anywhere near that, from what I saw this past fall at least. Even when looking at the fish in trout run, a couple different times, I never saw anywhere close to the 10:1 ratio that they stocked. Obviously there were more browns last fall and I'm certainly not complaining about it, just trying to understand it. Your right on target about the eggs. They just don't like seeing eggs dragging unnaturally through the water or getting beat over the head with them.
post edited by SteelSlayer77 - 2012/03/21 19:31:33
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Loomis
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RE: Tributary Brown Trout
2012/03/21 19:28:18
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brown trout do not "imprint" or go through the smoltification process
Interesting, I assumed certain lake run strains were imprinted. Maybe Loomis is right then, maybe it has something to do with the streams themselves and how easy it is for the fish to migrate?
I have more experience fishing the Lake O tribs than Erie, since I grew up in Northeastern PA, and I know for a fact that in Lake O many browns definitely swim pretty far upstream to gravel beds. Some of them even hold over in the streams during winter months and return to the lake in early spring.
Not maybe, I am right, as is the case the great majority of the time. Unfortunately, our generation is still plagued with the "I am older than you so I know more by default, even if you have been fishing for 20 years and aren't 30 yet."  Kidding. But honestly, that is what I hypothesize to be the case. Also why you (I) hardly see the most gigantic steelhead rarely make it past the first 1/4 mile of stream. They aren't dumb, and didn't get big by running miles to get killed by ice floe through a gauntlet of anglers. Not all stekheads are just dumb fish, browns have a little advantage.
post edited by Loomis - 2012/03/21 19:29:11
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adyak
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RE: Tributary Brown Trout
2012/03/21 20:31:19
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Loomis you are on target about the big steelhead.Think of all the hog steelhead you caught and I bet most were in the first mile of stream.Especially the big males.They seem to realize there is no need to run way up stream through a gauntlet of obstructions and anglers.
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Loomis
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RE: Tributary Brown Trout
2012/03/22 09:14:02
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ORIGINAL: adyak
Loomis you are on target about the big steelhead.Think of all the hog steelhead you caught and I bet most were in the first mile of stream.Especially the big males.They seem to realize there is no need to run way up stream through a gauntlet of obstructions and anglers.
I can agree with you on this. Most of the larger steelhead I have caught have been in the lower sections or in the lake, I think those that I fish with agree with this, as well. I am sure there are people who will think differently, but from general observation that is what I have experienced.
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D-nymph
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RE: Tributary Brown Trout
2012/03/22 09:30:27
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ORIGINAL: SteelSlayer77
I have more experience fishing the Lake O tribs than Erie, since I grew up in Northeastern PA, and I know for a fact that in Lake O many browns definitely swim pretty far upstream to gravel beds. Some of them even hold over in the streams during winter months and return to the lake in early spring.
I have little experience on Lake O. So, when you say the Lake O browns "swim pretty far upstream", what are you talking about in miles? Are the streams your fishing 5 miles long? 20 miles? 30 miles? Because it's closer to 20+ miles of stream to what I consider "upper Elk Creek", I believe.
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SteelSlayer77
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RE: Tributary Brown Trout
2012/03/22 09:49:52
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I have little experience on Lake O. So, when you say the Lake O browns "swim pretty far upstream", what are you talking about in miles? Are the streams your fishing 5 miles long? 20 miles? 30 miles? Because it's closer to 20+ miles of stream to what I consider "upper Elk Creek", I believe.
I would guess the streams I'm talking about are maybe 10 - 15 miles to the upstream areas. There are a few shorter ones, maybe 5 miles. But I have seen and caught a lot of browns 15 miles upstream in some Lake O tribs, the smallest of which are about the size of Elk. Elk creek from the mouth to rick road is about 15 miles.
post edited by SteelSlayer77 - 2012/03/22 10:06:07
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mikethehelopilot
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RE: Tributary Brown Trout
2012/03/22 10:29:00
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I don't think the Erie tribs will ever be like Sandy Creek in NY.
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munster
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RE: Tributary Brown Trout
2012/03/23 11:44:12
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I had one day where I caught 5-6 smaller browns back to back upper Elk. All around 18".
I lost a big one my last trip. Snapped off about 5' from my feet. Rolled and showed me his side, and was gone.
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Loomis
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RE: Tributary Brown Trout
2012/03/23 11:53:35
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ORIGINAL: munster
I had one day where I caught 5-6 smaller browns back to back upper Elk. All around 18".
I lost a big one my last trip. Snapped off about 5' from my feet. Rolled and showed me his side, and was gone.
Yeah, the fish commission stocked them, they didn't run the stream.
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fish whisper
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RE: Tributary Brown Trout
2012/03/24 09:56:53
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It's plan and simple, if you know where to fish and how to fish for them you can get browns on a more consistent basis
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