Chances for a wild tiger trout?

[Dave_W]

larkmark wrote:
Does NY or PA actually intentionally raise Tigers for stocking? I am not clear on that?

I don't know about NY, but I'm fairly sure that PFBC does not raise and stock them (at least not in recent years).

However, quite a few private clubs and coops do (or used to) and these fish turn up around the state. I've caught stocked tigers in several waters. Falling Springs used to have them. They also seem to turn up a lot in the Poconos on private waters and this is probably where the big fish in the Delaware originate (as others have noted many times on this forum).

 

[Dave_W]

jifigz,
Please check your PM...

 

[pcray1231]

I have caught exactly 1 wild tiger. Will try to find the pic and post it. But about 6" in an unstocked stream. Yeah, it was wild.

It makes sense that they would be in streams that are primarily brook trout with only the occasional brown. And for most that have caught wild ones, that's what I've seen. Although there's 1 stream where people I know caught them, that's a little closer to 50-50 from what I understand.

As for streams having the "reputation" of producing them. Ok, these are extremely rare fish! Is it possible that said stream produced 1 fish or perhaps 1 cluster of eggs (several fish but still 1 successful mating event). And this 1 or small handful of fish being caught by multiple people, giving said stream a reputation? I actually know of a wild tiger that was caught by multiple people on this board. 1 fish accounts for like 10 or 20% of the wild tigers caught here, lol. That stream has a reputation thanks to 1 little fish.

To answer the OP question. No, I do NOT think most streams with both brookies and browns harbor any wild tigers at any given time. I think they have the capability to. But it's a downright rare event. So if you have 4000 streams that are capable of it, I think maybe only 10 or 20 actually have any at a given time. In 5 years, those streams probably will not but another 10 or 20 will. It's not really a "targetable" goal unless you happen to know where one is at because someone else caught and released it there. But spend enough time fishing small wild trout streams, and you're more likely than not to run into 1 eventually. Could be tomorrow or 30 years.

 

[pcray1231]

 

[Wild_Trouter]

When I lived in SW VA some years ago, I actually caught quite a few out of three particular drainages. I can't comment on whether the brook:brown ratio was higher in favor of the former as all three streams were wild brown trout streams on the valley floor that transitioned to all brook trout as one goes higher up in elevation. I did note that I never caught the WTT's in the upstream brook trout areas, but rather near the transition point where the browns were still the most prevalent. Not an expert here, so I can't say what a WTT's actual preferences are. I have only ever caught three in PA- one was an obvious stocker in Falling Springs that came from the hatchery alongside (Hess?) the farm there that used to be open to anglers. The other two tigers from PA were wild; about 9" long and very colorful, caught out of a SC PA known to have a Class A mixed pop. Someday, I want to get out to Utah as they have 'em and they are brutes.

 

[jifigz]

I will agree with one thing that someone said earlier......they aren't all that pretty. Being a rarity makes them near, but overall browns/Brooks are both prettier being 100% pure.

 

[FrankTroutAngler]

Here's a photo of the 5" wild tiger trout I caught on May 8th in a stream in Huntingdon County:

 

[FrankTroutAngler]

Out4Trout wrote:
One of my favorite fish I ever caught was this tiger in Mud Run. Although I have seen more wild browns this year than in the past for the most part the section I fish is dominated by brooks so I would believe the theory of a brookie dominated stream that also holds a few wild browns would be the correct scenario to produce a wild tiger.

This is the only wild one I have ever had the privilege of catching and if I never catch another one as long as I live, I will remember this one and be happy.

I plan on having a replica of this one made for my tying bench.

Not that it matters, but I have serious doubts that your tiger trout is a wild one. As I mentioned, I've caught 23 that were wild and none of them looked anything like yours. I've also probably caught 25 or more stocked tiger trout and yours looks much more like them.

I'm not saying I'm right; I'm just saying I have serious doubts.

Does anyone else think Out4Trout's wild tiger trout is not a wild one?

 

[FrankTroutAngler]

Here's a photo of a small wild tiger trout caught on 5/23/15. This is the one I believe Ken Undercoffer also caught a month or so after I caught it.

 

[RLeep2]

I have no opinion on the origin of O4T's tiger. Too many variables for me to guess based on a photo.

On the other hand, I just wanted to pop in and say that the more I chew on it, the more likely I believe Frank's view on what sort of conditions are most likely to produce a wild tiger becomes.

I based my view on the increased opportunities I would think 2 species balanced abundance could produce; but single species abundance (in this case ST) coupled with a lower abundance of the 2nd species (BT) comprised of generally larger fish makes as much if not more sense to me when I think about it. Due to ST abundance and the potential number of spawners present, the latter situation would still have just as many, if not more opportunities for the "accident" to occur.

Then again, I've been known to just string a fog of words along when I really have no idea what I'm talking about. This may well be one of those times..

 

[FrankTroutAngler]

Here's a photo of the 5" wild tiger trout I caught on 5/26/19 in a stream in Clinton County.

 

[drakeking412]

Nice photo and fish Frank thanks for sharing

 

[Out4Trout]

This is what all the stocked Tigers I have caught looked like.

 

[ryansheehan]

I caught mine on the upper section of the Gunpowder where I've never caught a brook trout. I know they exist further down in the feeders though.

 

[Prospector]

Old article discussing PFBC Tiger Trout intentions 11 yrs ago

https://archive.triblive.com/news/tiger-trout-becoming-scare-throughout-state/

Another article implying a potential source of stocked Tigers

https://www.post-gazette.com/life/outdoors/2018/02/04/Exceptional-fishing-tiger-trout-unexpected-species/stories/201802040080

 

[wildtrout2]

ryansheehan wrote:
I caught mine on the upper section of the Gunpowder where I've never caught a brook trout. I know they exist further down in the feeders though.

Ryan, that's one of the pretteist wild triger trout I've seen.

Here's the one I caught in 2010. I think it was 8" if I recall. Kind of bland looking, but I'll probably never catch another.

 

[pcray1231]

As for the stocked vs wild debate on tigers, lol. I'm good at browns and solid at bows and brookies. I just dont have enough experience to judge tigers. I've seen a handful of pics and just 1 in the flesh in my life. If a small fish and from an unstocked stream that doesnt have a hatchery along it, I'll go with wild. I know fish can travel, but is Mud Run stocked by any co-ops?

 

[troutbert]

FrankTroutAngler wrote:

Out4Trout wrote:
One of my favorite fish I ever caught was this tiger in Mud Run. Although I have seen more wild browns this year than in the past for the most part the section I fish is dominated by brooks so I would believe the theory of a brookie dominated stream that also holds a few wild browns would be the correct scenario to produce a wild tiger.

This is the only wild one I have ever had the privilege of catching and if I never catch another one as long as I live, I will remember this one and be happy.

I plan on having a replica of this one made for my tying bench.

Not that it matters, but I have serious doubts that your tiger trout is a wild one. As I mentioned, I've caught 23 that were wild and none of them looked anything like yours. I've also probably caught 25 or more stocked tiger trout and yours looks much more like them.

I'm not saying I'm right; I'm just saying I have serious doubts.

Does anyone else think Out4Trout's wild tiger trout is not a wild one?

I think that it's a hatchery trout.

 

[larkmark]

Here are two. Assuming both stocked. One from PA and one from NY.

 

[afishinado]

My 2 is I think the 3 Frank posted + PCray's + Ryan's are all wild tigers. All the others looked like they were stocked.