Dark Fall Water, Dark Fall Brook Trout

Yesterday seemed like a good day to check some small wild trout streams. I settled on three including my home water. I didn't see any trout in the lower stretch of my home water, which means they have moved up into the spawning grounds. I caught one salmon parr, it is always good to see some of them around this late in the year. Stay safe this winter little buddy!

The next stream is a very small one, but it has a pretty uniquely colored strain of brookies. I think they look a little bit like a water color painting. It's hard to explain... anyway the first fish I caught was a creek chub, which suprised me because I rarely catch them in CT! I've caught plenty of common shiners, fallfish, and spot and threadfin shiners... almost never creek chubs, which I've always found weird considering I've caught them by the hundreds in Maine and Maryland. Why shouldn't the be in between those places?

After that it was nothing but brookies.... not consistently but enough to keep me focused. Quite a number were males in spawning dress, and I did get to see some spawning activity although I think the leaf pack is delaying there activities in this stream.

The third stream was very generous in giving up its minnow species. I was hoping for a brown out of this one but I was very pleased to get one super dark little brook trout. It was a good fish to end the day on.