Brown Trout

Description

The following was paraphrased from the incredible book Trout and Salmon of North America by Robert Behnke, which any self-respecting angler should own and study regularly. The body of a brown trout is generally brownish-yellow but can be highly variable across a broad spectrum. Spots on a brown trout are both black and red and are often concentrated on the upper half of the fish (i.e. above the lateral line). The tail fin is squarish (as opposed to forked) and typically lacks distinct spotting, a characteristic which differentiates it from some other trout (i.e. rainbow and cutthroat).

Distribution

The brown trout is often referred to as the German brown trout because brown trout eggs were first brought to the U.S. from Germany in the late 1800’s. Later shipments of brown trout eggs came from England and Scotland, which helps to explain the great diversity of coloration and spotting patterns in brown trout now found across the U.S. Due to their selective feeding habits and general wariness, the brown trout has become a popular fish for anglers in Colorado and throughout the country.

Biology

In small streams with limited food, brown trout rarely live longer than 4 years, but in bigger rivers and lakes, they can get very large. According to research, the life span of brown trout greatly increases if they become piscivorous (i.e. eating fish) instead of solely insectivorous. Brown trout typically spawn in the fall (late October / November) when water temperatures begin to get colder and the days get shorter. The eggs remain in the gravel over the winter and hatch / emerge in the spring.

Conservation

In Colorado, brown trout are a very popular non-native sport fish that have,in some cases, replaced cutthroat trout in their native waters due to many factors, including their ability to outcompete cutthroat for resources. Reclamation of habitat for cutthroat trout typically requires the complete eradication of brown trout and/or other non-natives and the isolation of the habitat above a physical barrier to prevent reinvasion.