Several years ago while fishing the head waters of a small brookie class A I managed to hook and land what appeared to be a wild rainbow. It was about 7-8 inches in length. beautifully colored and all fins were in perfect shape. I released it (like an idiot !) because I release everything and never got any photos.
What is strange is the class A feeds into approved trout water. but not for about 4 miles down stream. Now I have caught countless rainbows at the mouth of this creek where it dumps into approved trout water, but never caught any in it, except for this one. This is an extremely small extremely cold mountain stream about 4 or 5 feet wide. I thought alot about this, and from what I can tell this fish had to be the offspring of reproducing bows for 2 reasons.
First off I can't imagine a stocked fish getting dumped into 50-55degree and warmer water with plenty to eat, and then making a 4 mile swim up a barren cold 37-43degree's trickle with not much food.( well besides small brookies) but a 7 inch fish isn't finding alot of brookies small enough to eat. (last year I did however catch an 8inch brookie with a 5 inch brookie down is gullet all but the tail) so maybe there is some food, but I just don't see it happening 4 miles through runs and plunge pools isn't something that I would think a stocked trout would do.
Second off, I have never seen such a small rainbow be stocked. In the approved trout water below this class a, the rainbows average 12-15 inches. I don't know if I have ever caught one under 10inches in the approved trout water.
only thing that i can think of is if 2 energetic bows made their way up during summer rain maybe a mile to one of the nicer pools, and then we didn't have alot of run off and heavy rains the next spring then I wouldn't know why they couldn't have spawned.
just an interesting story I though I'd share. Has any one else ever had this happen to them? It would be interesting if anyone has any input on this.
"tight lines to all"
~footfenwick