Large wild brown trout in rivers

keora · Mar 1, 2008

I've just read an article in a Northern fishing monthly newspaper in which the author writes of his techniques for catching large wild brown trout in rivers. He includes in the article a photo of a superb 4lb 10 oz brown trout.

The article left me wondering - how can you be definitely sure you've caught a wild brown trout and not a well conditioned fish that has been stocked in the water, and then grown in size ?

I should imagine that even if a stretch of river is not stocked with trout, there is the chance that fish will move into the stretch from other parts of the river.

Evan the Welsh Windbag · Mar 1, 2008

If a 1 lb stocked fish is subsequently caught at 4lb 10oz years later then I wouldn't count it as anything less of a specimen or achievement than a truly wild brownie of that size.

The trickier question is the escaped stock pond grown on brownie of that size which has escaped into the wild... short answer is you can't ever be 'definitely' sure, but there are some likely signs which may indicate an escapee. In particular fin size - stock bred fish have smaller fins which may, if only just out of the pen, have ragged edges. But these grow back and enlarge with exercise in the wild fairly quickly. Secondly a stock bred pellet fed fish will tend to taste.... well, like one of them, and not like a wild. Can't put it into words but fairly easy to tell apart on the plate when side by side. Otherwise.... no, you just can't be sure. But if you catch a 4 lber in a river that would, on natural food alone, struggle to raise a 1 1/2 lb fish then it doesn't take a genius to work out the answer does it. Damned shame tho if it means you disbelieve the genuine wild fish of a lifetime. Hmmmm....

Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA) · Mar 1, 2008

Evan is right about the fin giveaway. Look also at the edges of the top of the dorsal and caudal fins. There should be sharp corners in the case of the wild brownie.

Ric Elwin · Mar 2, 2008

My local river producesthe very occasional Brown Trout up to 7lb, and rainbows a pound or 2 heavier.

The only Trout farm in the vicinity sells its fish to the restaurant trade at under a lb. No doubt the Rainbowsoriginated from escapees from the farm. They are certainly breeding now, as you catch more and more of them, of all sizes.

It seems that rivers flowing through Millstone Grit produce the biggest Trout. Chalk streams are lovely and clear, and expensive to fish, and hyped to death. Look north, for specimen Trout.

captain carrott · Mar 2, 2008

Look north, for specimen Trout.

or alternatively look in the thames around oxford! there be wild brownies in there also.

Ric Elwin · Mar 2, 2008

Jason I remember 20 or more years ago, the Thames used to produce huge Brownies, up to 10 or so as I remember, mainly in the weirpools. Minnow used to be the bait.

I have this theory that a bigger bait then a Minnow would be the best for these heavyweights.

captain carrott · Mar 2, 2008

i've seen a 6 and caught a 5 from around weir pools both while ledgering for other things with worms.

davestocker · Mar 2, 2008

I once witnessed two colossalbrownies - 5 or 6 lb- in the river (Calder?) flowing through Hebden Bridge. I'm sure they were wild but they got that size by feeding on bread and other stuff that people were chucking in , initially for the ducks, I suspect.Do they still count as wild fish?

coelacanth · Mar 2, 2008

<blockquote class=quoteheader>Dave Stocker wrote (see)</blockquote><blockquote class=quote>

I once witnessed two colossalbrownies - 5 or 6 lb- in the river (Calder?) flowing through Hebden Bridge. I'm sure they were wild but they got that size by feeding on bread and other stuff that people were chucking in , initially for the ducks, I suspect.Do they still count as wild fish?</blockquote>

I think that would be Hebden Water, I think it joins the Calder further downstream,I've watcheddecent Brownies just by thepub that does decent grub (can't remember the name), there were also some rises that didn't quite look right for Trout further over but I couldn't see if they were Grayling.

I used to enjoy spotting good Brown Trout in the river by the side of the road through Todmorden until that scumball detergent company along there polluted it (the ACA 'ad 'em though!).

There are some hugewild Trout even in tiny rivers up here in't North, and even if it was a stocked one that had grownonfrom being smallI thinkyou could class it as a wild fish.

CAT · Mar 12, 2008

Question?Wild or Stocked

keora · Mar 13, 2008

Hard to say. Dorsal fin looks to be a natural shape. Pectorals, which are often mis-shapen in farmed trout are obscured so can't be used as identification.

CAT · Mar 13, 2008

Do you think the markingsandspots give you an indication that a fish is a truewild Brownie?

keora · Mar 15, 2008

Previously, I'd never thought that fish markings and spots were a guide to detecting true wild brownies. I'll look more closely next time I go fishing.

I've recently read a scientific report on a game angling site which suggests that in rivers wild brownies have larger pectoral fins than stocked fish. What differences have you observed between wild and stocked trout, apart from fin shape ?

CAT · Mar 15, 2008

Where i fish the stocked Brownies have a silver Sea trout look about them and the wild fish are dark with big rings and red dots so its simple to tell the difference, but i can tell you one thing the wild fish fight alot harder than the stocked, i also noticed that the teeth on a wild fishappear to be slightlybigger more so in the cock fish.

keora · Mar 16, 2008

Thank you.

Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA) · Mar 16, 2008

In my opinion it is a stocked fish. The dorsal fin shape is typical of a stocked fish as the point is missing.

There also appears to be no teeth, or little signs of teeth. wild brownies have very distinctive teeth when their mouths are open.

Mark Wintle · Mar 16, 2008

All this talk of little 4 and 5 pounders; ask John Searl about the double-figure ones he's had from the Avon below Salisbury! Bleak used to be one of the best baits for really big Thames Trout.

CAT · Mar 17, 2008

Any photos ofthese double figure brownies from the Avon Mark?

"Because talk is cheap aschips and twice as greasy"

Mark Wintle · Mar 18, 2008

They are in his book 'A brush with the Avon'; also I've seen the stuffed fish.

CAT · Mar 18, 2008

Irl have a look at that, cheers.

Large wild brown trout in rivers

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