Triploids

  • Thread starter Ron 'The Hat' Clay
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Ron 'The Hat' Clay

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I was taking to one of Britains most highly respected fly fisherman the other day and the subject of stocking came up.

He suggested that the stocking of triploids was not a good idea.

A triploid by the way is a genetically adjusted "female" rainbow that does not feel the urge to spawn. You can soon recognise such a fish, they have no ova whatsoever when you cut them open.

Because of this, they do not feed as agressively as a natural fish as there is no need to pile on food to produce eggs prior to spawning. As a result, many fish do not get caught and are wasted. They don't live very long anyway.

The other point is, when did you last see a cock rainbow trout?
 
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davestocker

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Well done for flagging this one up. I heard just this myself earlier this year. A fishery owner of my acquaintance reckoned his triploid stocking was behind poor backend fishing last season, when as you rightly say, non-triploid fish need to fatten up for spawning. I subsequently spoke to a staffer on Trout Fisherman magazine about this, he was intrigued and contacted a triploid-only fishery owner he knew who appeared to confirm the hypothesis. Maybe female-only stocking from mid-summer is the way to go?
 
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stuart clough

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I have seen male rainbows on many occasions over the years, and have electrofished young of the year wild rainbows from streams in Teesdale. These fish are inevitably having an impact on stocks of native fish.

I think the triploids are harder to catch argument is unproven, and in any case, in situations where there is a risk of the fish escaping and damaging native populations it would be irresponsible not to make use of the least damaging stock available i.e. triploids.

If there is no risk of the fish escaping to rivers then it shouldn't matter.
 
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Ron 'The Hat' Clay

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There are obviously pros and cons concerning the stocking of triploids. The vast majority of the large trout which are fed to that size with pellets are triploids these days. These fish generally are caught. However there comes a time in many smaller lakes which cannot support these fish that they must be removed. One some waters they allow any method to remove these fish.

Pennine fishery in Lancs is one such water.

Personally I wouldn't give tuppence to catch such trout in this way. Give me a nice overwintered fish from a decent sized reservoir that has been stocked at say 12 inches and has grown up on natural food.

I am interested that rainbow trout are breeding naturally in Teeside streams. It's not very often that rainbows do breed successfully in British rivers.

But even in the hallowed Test they stock with big triploids these days. Whether this is a good idea or not is subject to considerable debate. Personally when I fish a chalk stream I want to catch indigenous wild browns. I guess they put these pellet fed monsters in the river to give the rather hamfisted, monied "Hurray Henrys" something they can catch without too much difficulty.
 
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stuart clough

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The Test is also stocked with big, pellet fed browns - magnificent creatures, but not exactly the purists dream!

Agree that rainbows spawning successfully is rare, but even where they don't succeed they do have an impact. I have caught them spewing up quantities of eggs released by naturally spawning browns. The rainbows also have a thrash around on the same gravels in which the browns eggs are merrily incubating, causing untold damage and disturbance. They also have the potential to prey upon the emerging alevins.
 
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Ron 'The Hat' Clay

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So that's it then. Keep rainbows out of rivers? Yes, I tend to agree. They do better in large stillwaters anyway.

As regards the Test, yes I would like to fish it one day, but in the traditional dry fly manner for wild browns. You know - casting on one knee at a rising fish with a nice little pale watery on the end, dressed in a smart Holland & Sherry sports jacket with a Romeo & Juliet in my gob and a 30 year old Talisker in the hip flask.

That would be an experience, especilly having Ed as my ghillie....... :eek:)
 
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Ron 'The Hat' Clay

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Would have to hire a cheuffeur driven Bentley for the day too. Got to look the part.
 
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stuart clough

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You can have the brownies on the fly, I'll stick to the grayling, roach & dace on the float. I'll share the Talisker though!!
Any chance of a lift?
 
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Ged

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Now then!
Some years ago I was told that triploids lived longer than normal rainbows. YThe usual female life spam was 3 years where as the triploid was 4 years. This again was put down to them not needing to spawn.
Best trout I ever caught was a 3 1/2lb brownie out of LLyn Alaw Anglesey.
 
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Ron 'The Hat' Clay

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Left well alone, unadulterated hen rainbows will make 6 years at the outside. I know this because of waters I have fished which have only had the one stocking and the owners have been able to show proof of when the stocking took place.

In five years since the stocking - at about 6 inches long, these fish reached 11lbs in weight and what magnificent specimens they were too. And not a sign of a cock amongst them.

A cock is lucky to reach 3 years.

That wild brown trout in my picture Ged was taken from a clear water stream at an altitude of 7000 feet.
 
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jason fisher

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its only my view but we shouldnt keep rainbows out of rivers we should keep them out of britain.
 
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Ron 'The Hat' Clay

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Just as we should keep carp out of Britain.

Carp do a heck of a lot more damage anyway. Read AT this week.
 
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CAT

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Its a bit late for that Jason best thing to do is go out and catch them all. lol
I must say this though in the defense of the Rainbow Trout they do get on a hatch quicker than Brownies and seem to get things going in my opinion, like on a bright day a Rainbow will surface feed whilst your Brownie will be down deep waiting for the sun to set and the proper hatch to start.
I think a nice mix of Both Brownies and Rainbows is a good thing, which leads me nicely into Carsington Reservoir which is 70% Brownies and 30% Rainbows and it works.
 
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