Favorite trout species to FF for...

[afishinado]

If all types of trout streams were available to you, which species of trout would you prefer to pursue with a fly rod?

 

[Mike]

I would have said “any” trout.

 

[wildtrout2]

I prefer chasing natives the most. Certainly because of their beauty, but also because of where you have to go to find them. I just enjoy the tranquility of remote streams.

 

[Zipper]

It doesn't matter what is on the end of my line.

 

[tomgamber]

I would say cutties because I know where I'd have to be to catch them. In PA, brookies, of course.

 

[Swattie87]

I picked Brookies.

But am interested to see the results of this. From a FFing crowd. Should provide a good baseline/reality check for the conversations taking place and repeating themselves in many other threads at the moment.

If I look at nearly all of my favorite streams though, the common thread between them is they are “fun to fish”. Meaning, to me anyway, they’re in remote and/or interesting locations, and have good, interesting and engaging habitat to fish. There’s not really a strong correlation between one particular species. Some are all (or nearly all) Brookies, some are all Browns, but most are mixed. A couple even have wild Bows too.

All else being equal, I’d choose Brookies, but for me it’s more about the place than the species. If that makes sense.

 

[redietz]

Wild browns for me, followed closely by brookies. It wouldn't break my heart if every rainbow were to disappear from the Mid-Atlantic region.

 

[ryansheehan]

I went back and forth between all three wild fish but went rainbow. Being on the main stem of the Delaware hooking up a nice rainbow is truly something special.

 

[andyquill]

I'd say wild browns...........but.........
I have reverted back to my youth. The days when a kid doesn't care what kind of fish it is as long as it bites. I fish more and more warm water mixed species now as trout streams have become parking lots. I like a fish that has a pretty mouth free from hook scars and aggressive and takes a streamer as big as he on a back water that many have forgotten
and drive by every day.

 

[StreamBottom]

I'm following andy's lead.
Wild Blue Gill
on bamboo of course...

 

[JeffP]

I'm following andy's lead.
Wild Blue Gill
on bamboo of course...

View attachment 1641227992

That is one pretty fish. My neighbor stopped me a couple years and showed me a bag full of about 20 of those he had caught at his Sportsman's Clubs pond. He had a great fish fry but I'm sure the fishing wasn't as good after that.

 

[Swattie87]

Bluegill are invasive in the eastern two thirds of PA…Susky drainage and anything further east. You guys should be supporting our native Redbreast Sunfish. C’mon guys. Don’t make me start an invasive sunfishes thread to bring you up to speed on this. 🫣

 

[krayfish2]

Would have voted for any wild trout but it wasn't a choice. So, I voted for XXXXXXXXXXX

 

[FarmerDave]

I'd say wild browns...........but.........
I have reverted back to my youth. The days when a kid doesn't care what kind of fish it is as long as it bites. I fish more and more warm water mixed species now as trout streams have become parking lots. I like a fish that has a pretty mouth free from hook scars and aggressive and takes a streamer as big as he on a back water that many have forgotten
and drive by every day.

Am I the only one who heard banjo music when reading that?

 

[caddisflyer]

Wild Browns, Wild Rainbows. Size potential and availability being a consideration. I'll leave the Brook Trout for the specialists....and because I do not want to impact them in any way. I have no desire to catch 6" fish.

 

[redietz]

I'd say wild browns...........but.........
I have reverted back to my youth.

Although, technically, a redbreast doesn't qualify as a trout species.

 

[albatross]

I love the anticipation of a wild Cutthroat coming up for a dry, but we don't have that opportunity in PA.

 

[jifigz]

Of the trout opportunities I have here in PA, I'd say the wild browns. If brookies still inhabited bigger streams and stuff then they'd be fine..so, it isn't about the trout as much as the opportunity to fish various sizes of water and habitats but that is what our wild browns give us.

 

[PatchezMDM]

Since my choice wasn't up there I went with wild brown strictly for size consideration.

However since I am new to FFing and tying I am more child like in reality. I'm happy with any fish that takes the fly.

 

[Fly-Swatter]

But am interested to see the results of this. From a FFing crowd. Should provide a good baseline/reality check for the conversations taking place and repeating themselves in many other threads at the moment.

I agree, but I'd like to see this survey done as a ranking survey rather than one choice only. That would provide a more clear reality check.

I also would have picked "any wild trout (any wild fish, for that matter). I don't hold trout in higher esteem than other fish, but I do enjoy fishing for them. I get little joy in catching stocked trout.