Invasive...hear me out. A brown trout is happily swimming in a lake in Germany. A group of men come along and sweep him up in a net. He is then transported to a facility where he is introduced to a bunch of eggs and he is stripped of his milt and that is applied to those eggs. It all sounds familiar. Now take those eggs and transport them to the US and fertilize them hatch them and place the fish into a river in Michigan. Fifty years later you have developed a fishery that is second to none. A trout that is sought after for it's many excellent qualities such as size, strength, willing to take a properly presented fly, not a stupid fish but one who is cunning. All of this in a trout that has been with us for over a century. Here's the kicker...he is called invasive, he invaded the US, not the folks from Germany or the US but the brown trout, he is the invader. He did it all by himself.
I for one hold this trout dear to me. I have found him in some of the most pristine waters. I have also found him in some of the most degraded waters. I have taken him from the deep lakes and the tiny trickles I fish. His beauty is not to be second to any other creature.
So perhaps we could come up for a better title then "invasive".....
Naturalized.
ReplyDeleteInvasive carries an implication of unrestrained, rampant spread that is coupled with the tendency to outcompete (or flat out decimate) its rivals for shelter/sustenance.
While I can think of at least two examples of streams where there were once multiple species and now only hold brown trout, i think that may have to do with fluctuations in water quality coupled with the robustness of the brown trouts tolerance of environmental conditions. Any other healthy stream I have visited where I fully expected to catch exclusively brook trout, it is often a surprise for me to hook into a brown.
Nathan Camp
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Nate I feel that using a some what negative word to label a fish who had no choice in it becoming that label is degrading. And to attempt to just get rid of it by any means is just wrong.
The "Secret Lake" is nothing but Brown Trout and some mighty big ones to boot. Almost everywhere you fish in the West, there are Brown Trout. On the other hand, Brook Trout are the invasive species out here. So much so that Rainbow and Brown have a 5 fish limit, but Brookies, the limit is 10. Me, I like them all.
ReplyDeleteMark Kautz
DeleteThanks Ah yes "secret lake"...
Mark browns can get to some impressive sizes especially in lakes. The Great Lakes is one example of just how big brown trout can get. Also some sea run browns can rival salmon.
Alan
ReplyDeleteThis post makes me wish we had brown trout in the Sipsey. Thanks for sharing
Bill Trussell
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Bill if that were to happen you would have some very happy anglers in Alabama.
Marks's right about the West. But in NM Game & Fish kills Brookies off rather than a higher bag limit.
ReplyDeletebillp
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Bill again it's not the brookie who said one day I think I'll head to NM....
Perhaps we should call them "enclosed" where they have adapted to those places where they frequently go for their reproductive or feeding needs. beautiful specimens ..
ReplyDeleteArmando Milosevic
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Armando you live in a land in which the brown trout did very well for itself. I know you respect it.
If they've been breeding wild for all these decades, then they're naturalized citizens of the waters they live in. I can appreciate your attachment and sentiment, Alan; they're a beautiful fish, hardy, a survivor.
ReplyDeleteThe truest test of a man's intelligence is how much he agrees with you, eh?
DeleteNaturalized feels right.
mike
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Mike I believe the Sandy river in western Maine has one of the better brown trout fisheries in the east. After all these years in the US he does deserve better.
G'Day Alan,
ReplyDelete"Invasive" is a degrading name to give to a brown trout. To me it hints at a narrow mindedness and a misguided desire to have an environment return to how it was before any outside influences occurred.That's not likely to happen. All types of creatures and plants have been introduced to Australia, sometimes with disastrous consequences such as the cane toad and the humble rabbit. Carp made a massive impact on native fishes here in OZ, especially the Murray River native fish such as Murray Cod and Golden perch or Yellowbelly. The cod especially have made a comeback and are growing to the huge sizes that were often seen in old photographs, probably because they are eating the carp. Like the environment, everything goes in cycles. Just about all of us are invasive species either here in OZ or the Americas. Should we all go back to where our ancestors came from? That means I'd have to go live in Ireland and not England!
Brown trout are beautiful creatures, as seen by your photos and the one I sent to you recently.
Kindest Regards,
Steve.
Steve
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Steve I agree in such a poor choice of names especially in this day. It is very hard to undo something once it's established. Better outcomes would be achieved if a bit of thought would go into what we do before it's done.
That was a beautiful specimen you sent me a photo of.
Invasive. Interesting how a single word can be so impactful, and not just in fishing circles. Diversity is the ray of sunshine to invasive's black shroud. Our personal realities are relative, context is always needed. I live in the far off corner of northern Maine, where the brook trout is truly sacrosanct. The last refuge of a wild fish living and thriving in his natal waters. I crave diversity in my life, my community, I think it's desperately needed. And yet, I feel like a true piscatorial bigot, a fishy racist for wanting to keep the brook trout habitat of my region free from the "invasive" brown and rainbow trout that could add so much 'diversity' to my own fishing. The Canadian's introduced the muskie into the St.John river and a once thriving trout fishery is now gone. The primordial Allagash, for better or worse, is now a muskie fishery. I don't consider the addition of an apex predator to my waters as the hallmark of diversity. I love all trout species, I just want to love some of them from afar. Just my .02 cents, apologies if I've offended any of my friends here.
ReplyDeletemike
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Mike there should be no issues with folks being offended. This is an open blog where everyones thoughts are respected. This is why I believe our group here are the finest representation of anglers anywhere.
The introduction of small mouth bass into the Rapid was also a very stupid mistake. Again no thought...
The Rapid is a significant loss. My wife tells me it will all work out, I hope she's right.
DeleteMike it's a crying shame. I hope your wife is right too.
DeleteBeautiful browns, Alan. I love them too.
ReplyDeleteSam
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Sam they are a part of the fabric now and deserving of some serious thought going forward.