What type of trout is this??

[Oregon_OwlII]

They can.

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Interesting. Who would have thought.

 

[JSky]

Hey guys, I was recently fishing a small creek in Northwest PA that holds a good population of wild brown trout, and I caught this absolute beaut. I first thought it was just a very colorful brown, but after talking to a buddy who works in wildlife conservation and knows much more about trout genetics than I do, he says this may potentially be a rainbow due to the smaller/shorter jaw size and head along with the green color back transitioning into pink sides. The minimal spots along the back and sides are really what’s throwing me off. Any input on this beautiful fish would be appreciated! I’m just trying to figure out what this guy is haha. Thanks guys, looking forward to the responses.

A few questions.

1. Was the stream stocked but also has wild trout, or a pure wild trout fishery?
2. How big was the fish?
3. Was a filter applied, or is that picture reflective true coloration of the fish?

I agree with the others. 100% a brown trout. Almost 100% certain it’s a female. I’m torn on wild vs stocked. The wilds usually are more likely to be sparsely spotted like that. The fins are in between what I’d expect from a wild vs stocked, so maybe it’s a holdover from previous years stocking.

I know of one NWPA stream with wild browns that produces similar color and spot patterns. Wondering if this fish came from that creek? Nice fish regardless.