Saturday, January 16, 2016

Tigers


This is a little stream Kirk and I fished yesterday. I have written many a post involving this stream, it's my home water. The stream is home to both wild brook and brown trout and in some years the rare wild tiger trout. The tiger is a cross between the brook and brown. At spawning time there's a little fooling around and the result is the tiger. The tiger is sterile and cannot reproduce hence the rarity. Tigers are a extremely aggressive trout. They strike the fly like no other fish and battle beyond belief.

What brought me to do this post is that yesterday while fishing this stream Kirk hooked what may have been a wild tiger. I did not see the entire battle but saw enough to think it was not an average brookie. Unfortunately Kirk was unable to gain control of the fish and it slipped the hook.


Now what I can show you is this tiger I caught in this stream back in December of 2011.


And in May of 2012 in the same stream I caught this tiger. He had moved much further upstream and had grown considerably..I think it's the same tiger.

The stream I have been talking about sends it's waters to another small stream, it to has a combination of brook and brown trout. These are all wild fish, there's no stocking in either stream. In the outback section of the stream while my streamer drifted near the undercut bank I felt the vicious take of a trout. I battled this fish for some time. I saw him roll and thought I had a beautiful brown. When the fish finally gave in and drifted along the bank I could not believe I had taken another tiger.
The normal vermiculations of a male brook trout seem to be enlarged and contorted into stripes (hence the "tiger" moniker), swirls, spots, and rings. Every one that I've seen also has a greenish cast, which lets you know that there is something different on the end of your line long before the fish is in hand.



26 comments:

  1. I've had the good fortune to catch two wild tigers myself. They are something else! Very cool fish to run into.

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    Replies
    1. RM Lytle
      Thanks
      Rowan they have that street fighter tenacity.

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  2. I'll be darned, Alan, I always thought the tiger trout was a product of hatcheries and did not realize they occurred in the wild as well. They are a good looking fish.

    Regards, Sam

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    1. Parachute Adams
      Thanks
      Sam some states stock a great deal of these tigers, I think MA. is one of them. CT. stocks some also I believe. The streams talked about here are not stocked at all.

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  3. Beautiful little trout, Alan. You're lucky to have such an uncommon jewel in your home waters.

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    1. thedeadfisher
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      John they are handsome indeed. They are a wonderful change of pace.

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  4. I caught a legitimate 18" tiger trout several years ago on private water obviously stocked. I have to agree that these are amazing fighting fish. I didn't think I would land it asi was only using 5 x tippet. It is the only tiger I have ever caught but one I will never forget. Those are special fish you have their. Good job! Nice photos Alan.

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    Replies
    1. Brad Basehore
      Thanks
      Brad an 18" tiger now there's a fight never to forget. A thought I've had is that if I fished streamers more often in the small streams I would probably catch more tigers. They appear to be meat eaters.

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  5. I love the markings on those Tigers. Hopefully, your friend will have a 2nd chance at it in the near future. I still need to find my first brook trout.

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    Replies
    1. Justin Carf
      Thanks
      Justin I'm sure he'll do just that. Now about that 1st brook trout..........

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    2. I have plans this year to fish water they reside in. Michigan, and maybe even get lucky with one in the Driftless area in March.

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    3. Thumb's up buddy....I'll be waiting for that report.

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  6. Good looking tiger! Very nice read!

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    1. TROUTI
      Thanks
      Pete I was searching for some of them today, found something else.

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  7. Alan
    It seems the larger the trout the more pronounced the markings of the tiger trout. I hope both you guys land one in the coming months. Thanks for sharing

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    Replies
    1. Bill Trussell
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      Bill that seems likely. I'm sure we'll run into of those tigers again

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  8. Gives you something to look forward to the next trip.

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    Replies
    1. Mark Kautz
      Thanks
      Mark and the next, and the next and so on...as fishermen we always try.

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  9. Beautiful fish Alan. I'm left wondering why we don't seem to see more of them out here since we have both brookies and browns.

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    Replies
    1. Howard Levett
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      Howard I'm sure there are tigers prowling your waters.

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  10. Very cool... something special about the brookies in that stream. I have only ever caught one. Beautiful post.

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  11. Replies
    1. TexWisGirl
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      Theresa beauties yes, but a tad vicious.

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  12. Alan , caught mine on a peacock herled wooly bugger with olive green marabou tail. I would totally agree they want meat ! They strike so aggressively you do not have to set the hook. I retired that fly to the hall of fame!

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    Replies
    1. Brad Basehore
      Thanks
      A bugger would be a great choice. Fly retirement...I do that to.

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