North Branch brookie

[ryansheehan]

So I floated the North Branch a few weeks ago with another member from this sight. I hooked up into what I thought was a 14 inch bow that turned out to be a brookie. In all my years fishing that system, including the savage, I have caught nothing but wild brookies. I'm confident the fish is a stocker but no clue where he came from. Anyone have any thoughts?

 

[Dave_W]

Interesting - I dunno.

My guess would be that he swam up the Potomac after being stocked somewhere down river in the watershed earlier this year. There are some tribs that come down from PA that are stocked with brookies. They can travel some pretty big distances and he might have headed up up your way with the warmer river temps lately.

 

[ryansheehan]

Yeah since Maryland doesn't stock brookies (i think) I figured he came a long way from somewhere. Definitely out of the ordinary.

 

[Creekfisher]

Doesn't West Virginia still stock the North Branch? They used to and they do stock brook trout. !4" is really good for a wild brook trout in the Savage system but not unheard of. I have gotten a few at 12.5 to 13" over the years.

Here is one from a North Branch tributary many years ago.

and one from a Savage trib

Both are Maryland wild fish.

 

[Tucker733]

That fish is definitely a Wv stockie. It has all the characteristics. They would not have purposely stocked it so it must have snuck in with some rainbows. Or if you were fishing below Luke it could have swam up from a stocked trib in Keyser

 

[ryansheehan]

Thanks, I was below Luke so that must be it. I've never caught a wv brookie stocker before.

 

[Tucker733]

No problem. Awesome catch though! Watch your inbox I'm gonna send you a pm.