Interesting Brook Trout Info from a Scientist

[dudemanspecial]

Salmonoidae...

Whitefish?

 

[wildtrout2]

Whitefish?

Yep

 

[Oregon_OwlII]

I gotta say that this divergence is a nice change of pace from how these threads usually go.

And it happened almost instantaneously.

 

[Oregon_OwlII]

What are the rules regarding someone who is banned returning under a different user name?

It's a violation.

 

[Acristickid]

Is he asserting that Brook trout never existed in PA?
If so, Brooks to the north and south but not here? What’s his explanation for that- there were wiped out for poor land use, pollution and stocking? Now replaced with the genes influenced by stocking. Just making sure I got it right.

What is the scientific based rebuttal towards this biologists assertions?

 

[mgmunson]

What we call brook trout are in fact brook trout, not a different species.

Brook trout are found from Canada south to Georgia and west to Wisconsin. And they've been introduced and have established wild populations in the western US.

There is genetic variation, but they are all the same species.

I’m not saying they’re not. I’m saying he is. I don’t know enough or care enough. I just know those little gemmies are rad and I catch em in rad places, too!

 

[PennKev]

Is he asserting that Brook trout never existed in PA?
If so, Brooks to the north and south but not here? What’s his explanation for that- there were wiped out for poor land use, pollution and stocking? Now replaced with the genes influenced by stocking. Just making sure I got it right.

What is the scientific based rebuttal towards this biologists assertions?

He's saying our brook trout aren't brook trout because they're different than other brook trout.

Due to this obvious confusion, and lack of an official name, I propose to name them P!ss Trickle Trout (salvelinus gemmipickle)

 

[dudemanspecial]

They used to be brook trout. They still are, but they used to be too.

 

[caddisflyer]

non native sardines

 

[Bamboozle]

non native sardines

Does that mean we get to call the really small gemmies, "brisling?"

 

[Chaz]

You just think this way because it makes your list longer of trout species you have to catch! 🙂

To understand the genetics of all of the different trout strains the best read I know is Dr

Is it possible to have different strains of native brook trout on a stream that has impassable (20'-30') water falls in it's upper reaches?

yes it is! To understand the dynamics of trout populations you have to start with the book “North American Trout and Salmon” by Dr Robert Behnke. He studied this topic extensively for approximately 60 years. Some points may be out of date due to the aspect of dna becoming more advanced in the study of trout populations. But, to my knowledge dna has not proven Dr Behnke wrong.
There have been many instances of populations of trout being distinct within a watershed. This is demonstrated by a study of Cooks Run in NC Pa, where it was found that because of AMD populations of 2 branches diverged because of the AMD by a rather short timeline of 100 years.
What we don’t know is the impact that stocking brown trout has done to brook trout populations beyond destroying brook trout populations in those streams. Browns should NEVER be considered native in North America. They adversely impact native populationS of all species in all streams where they have established populations.

 

[Chaz]

Not a fan of splitters.

19 different rainbow strains in US , seems like a lot.

There are 25 cutthroat trout , 9 are Westslope Cutthroats - seemed liked a lot to me.

There is a Cutthroat declared extinct in the 1980’s , I know three anglers that caught the look alike (phenotype). I am certain they have been hybridized but yet there would be no way to tell unless it was tested. I’ve caught a CO river cutthroat in CO that has yet to be classified.

I think this stuff will continue as anglers and the like are more aware and the increase in testing will result in differences.

You want to get into murkier waters try figuring out the Artic Char. I’ve caught two subspecies in the US with one more to go the North American Artic Char- north slope eastward across northern Canada. Most char in AK are the Taranets Char.

Fun Times.

Have you caught the Arctic char in Maine and New Hampshire???

 

[Chaz]

“When you talk to the conservation genetics folks the brook trout don’t go down over those things much. There is a saying “they just know” not to.”

Call me a strong doubter…putting it mildly.

As an example, of the places I have fished for Brook Trout several have high impassable falls in the lower drainage. In every case there have been BT’s at the mouth of the stream, and the receiving stream in this case Pine Creek. So I would say yes BT can survive and thrive going over a high falls.