Friday, January 6, 2017

Little Streams, Little Brook Trout

As I sit here typing this post I glance out the window and see the snow falling, right now it's at a good clip and there is several inches on the ground. Seeing this I think back to those rough days of last August and the conditions that our streams were in. The trout in these streams were reduced to living in mini-pools with barely a trickle between them. I know this snow will help and the rains of the last weeks have also helped.

One of the streams that took a hit last summer is this one. I visited it the other day and found a tumbling crashing flow of water that seemed to be singing as it moved over the rocks and fallen trees. Areas that were void of water were now covered...such a beautiful sight.


Now that the stream has water the next question was how did the fish do under the adverse conditions that summer laid on them. The question was answered very quickly. The little wet fly drifted and as soon as it straightened out I saw that swirl and a brook trout took it.


This is a brook trout from this stream, while not a giant, none the less a colossal achievement to the tenacity of this Connecticut native.


In my time on this stream so many of his brethren were observed. I was so happy to see this, another cycle of brook trout comes through.








22 comments:

  1. It is good to see that so many survived the dry summer and are now swimming in that beautiful stream!! Very nice Brk Trt!

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    1. TROUT1
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      Pete if someone told me there would be that many brookies in that stream after the summer we had I would never have believed it.

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  2. Alan - it's so nice to see a healthy flow of water again. I don't know how, but brook trout manage to survive year after year in these small streams.

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    1. Mark Wittman
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      Mark it's beyond me. I still wanting to check a stream we both fished...Barkhamsted.

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  3. Great post, Alan. I have been very concerned about the streams here in Eastern MA and NH given this summer's devastating drought. The littlest trout are the most precious given their ability to survive in the few puddles that we had. Let's hope they repopulate the streams and that we can get a lot more consistent precipitation going forward.

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    1. George S
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      George I fish several small streams in western Mass. and will in time check them out. I agree with you on the little brookies, unbelievable tenacity. Precipitation is a must.

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  4. Alan
    What impresses me about this stream are the clean banks and easy access, just wonder how many of these beautiful trout are lost to predators? Thanks for sharing

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    1. Bill Trussell
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      Bill the stream is one of the easiest to fish. I imagine quite a few fall prey to predators. They are wary of them and that's why stealth is necessary when fishing small streams.

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  5. Sometimes I think they are amphibious ;) given the way they can survive super low flows. Awesome to see your trickle continuing to support life!

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    1. Hibernation
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      Will you may be right. They do find a way, and for that I'm very thankful.

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  6. The sound of running water is fresh music to the heart I am sure on these small streams. We wonder how survival occurs, but, nature has a way of being true...........

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    1. Grandpa Mel
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      Mel brook songs are are inspirations. Nature does its part to aid in the brookies survival.

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  7. This past summer was a true test for their survival. I am happy to see that the little tough ones find a way despite all the odds against them. They will bury into gravel seeking any kind of oxygen laden water I have read.

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    1. Parachute Adams
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      Sam I've read that story of brook trout tunneling down in the gavel of a stream.
      I fished another little brook today and found willing brookies on a dry fly. Man do I love these fish.

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  8. Alan, I'm curious as to how long is that stream and how much have you explored it ? Nice report ,and glad to see it has recovered from the drought.

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    1. Brad Basehore
      Brad I would say a mile, that's the part that runs through state land. The stream continues up further which I have explored some until several dogs convinced me not to go on. The stream up there runs through some heavy laurel thickets and I'm not a fan of that.

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  9. Replies
    1. George
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      They are quite exquisite. Gentle on ones eye.

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  10. They remain exceptionally beautiful and resilient in that particular stream.

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    1. Michael Carl
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      Mike some the prettiest brookies in the state come from that stream.
      It was nice meeting you the other day.

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  11. Lovely little stream and stunning colours on that little brookie. It's so amazing how resilient Mother Nature is. We haven't had a lot of rain here in Victoria, Australia in the last month and some of my local streams like the Badger Creek and Grace Burn have dropped dramatically. When we had the long drought period a few years ago, the Grace Burn became a series of stagnant non flowing pools. I didn't think it would recover. But after the drought broke, the Burn recovered and returned to being the healthy little stream that I love. The trout, river blackfish, minnows and platypus appeared from wherever they took refuge. Truly amazing!
    Cheers,
    Steve.

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    1. Steve Hynes
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      Steve Ma Nature is quite the mender. We have had two rough summers in a row, I hope we don't see another.

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