Stocked or possibly wild?

[Gorosaurus]

The following was caught on a south-central PA creek that is often stocked but also supports a healthy wild population of both brook and brown trout.

I happen to know threads like this are lots of fun and very popular. I encourage other posters to post their own questionable catches!




The first is absolutely one of the heaviest brookies I have ever caught.

Judging by the coloring, placement, and fins I am almost certain this is a stockie. In this stream, however, I rarely see stockies with the dark grout on their undersides. If I had to bet, though, this isn't even a holdover- straight up massive stockie.


The next is also, in my opinion, clearly a stockie

I'd just like to know if anyone has an explanation on how its tail got so frayed. That's some intense chewing if his brethren are to blame!



Sorry, these are poor examples of borderline fish. I just enjoy pictures! Please post your more questionable fish in this thread!

 

[Fishidiot]

They're definitely stockies. Stocked fish can certainly color up in the fall just like wild fish, although this is usually not as common or pronounced. The frayed tail is probably damage from living in a raceway - either concrete wear or from chewing by other fish.

 

[DGC]

Also from a wild brook char stream that is stocked with brook char. In his defense, this holdover put up one of the best fights of any trout I caught this year. I didn't notice he was bleeding at the mouth untiil after I saw the picture.

 

[Fishidiot]

That's a beauty DGC.
This fish is an example of a much tougher fish with respect to wild vs. stocked. The large size suggests a stockie but I would have guessed it to be a wild fish.

Very nice whatever the case.

 

[Swattie87]

+1 FI. I woulda had no problem calling DGC's wild. Goro's are obvious stockers but have indeed colored up pretty well.

 

[Chaz]

Definitely stocked. But it is a good fish.