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Stock more Brown Trout !
#1
[url "https://dwrapps.utah.gov/fishstocking/Fish?y=2015"][/url]
This is why the State of Utah needs to Stock more Brown Trout !
Note these big Browns are from States were they are appreciated !
State of Utah 2015 Stocking report [url "https://dwrapps.utah.gov/fishstocking/Fish?y=2015"]https://dwrapps.utah.gov/...stocking/Fish?y=2015[/url]



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#2
Utah has not stocked a brown in decades. All the browns in the state are natural reproduction, including the Green, Weber, and Provo. I doubt that you will see any stocking of browns in the future as they are very predatory and the move now for most streams is native fish, which the browns love to munch !!
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#3
There is a lot of reservoirs the State of Utah could plant Browns in.


The State of Utah continues to stock Browns in a few, such as Otter creek Res., Piute Res., & Starvation Res., check the stocking report.
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#4
Looking at the stocking report you linked, I was surprised to see there were almost 100k browns reported stocked in Hyrum during 2015. At a glance, it looks like that accounts for somewhere between 1/3 and 1/2 of all browns stocked in the state last year. I fish there occasionally, but can't recall ever catching a brown there personally.
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#5
It seems like browns don't like large bodies of water. Though they're stocked in reservoirs large browns and browns in general are caught there much less often than other fish, though they do get big in lakes and reservoirs. Maybe large browns in lakes are territorial? It definitely seems like they're a lot more likely to travel up rivers and stay there. Keep in mind that browns don't really migrate to breed like rainbows and salmon, and that their optimal breeding locations are in rivers.
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#6
[quote FlashyFish][url "https://dwrapps.utah.gov/fishstocking/Fish?y=2015"][/url]
This is why the State of Utah needs to Stock more Brown Trout !
Note these big Browns are from States were they are appreciated !
State of Utah 2015 Stocking report [url "https://dwrapps.utah.gov/fishstocking/Fish?y=2015"]https://dwrapps.utah.gov/...stocking/Fish?y=2015[/url]



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First of all, most of the fish in the photos you posted are from great lakes tribs. The great lakes are nearly half the size of the entire state of Utah. No other place in the world grows big browns like the great lakes, so it's a little bit unrealistic to use those pictures to compare to Utah.

Second, if you're not finding browns, then you're not looking hard enough. There are LOTS of browns in Utah, in fact sometimes there are too many of them.

Stocking fish that already exist doesn't all of a suddenly make anglers catch 20 pound browns. No amount of stocking them will affect anybodies catch rate of trophy fish. In order to catch fish you have to be on the water, not waiting for the fish and game to stock fish.

By the way, I see pictures of trophy size browns being caught out of Utah on a yearly basis, some in the 30 inch or bigger class. The people who catch those fish don't just sit around waiting for the DWR to stock fish...Otherwise they wouldn't catch them right?

I say NO TO STOCKING. Wouldn't you rather catch a wild fish than a pellet head from the hatchery? There are plenty of wild browns in Utah..Stocking them would make them no different than rainbows..
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#7
Love to catch Browns. There are plenty of them in Utah . And to know they are not planted makes it better. Fish returned to Lake to grow bigger .
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#8
Brown trout are a species that isn't stocked as much as most other fish species... I'm not sure why that may or may not be. Probably has to do with finding a body of water that can support them in terms of prey items. They need chubs, suckers, etc really to thrive.

But there is a lake I can think of in WY that was stocked with them in the last 5-6 years and they are doing REALLY good in there. Lots of 22-25+" browns and they are healthy. The lake doesn't have lots of chubs or suckers, but lots of bug life and baby carp too.

Stocking them in the right place can produce really nice results... I think it is hard to believe that the Utah fish biologists couldn't find an ideal candidate for doing this... (stocking browns in a body of water) and producing some really nice fish.

What about Scofield?!
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#9
The DWR has stocked browns in lakes in recent years...Hyrum, Otter Creek, Piute, Starvation..to name a few. Also know of another lake that is stocked with browns yearly. Also a few rivers are stocked including the Weber.

Honestly, I've fished both lakes that are stocked with them, and lakes that aren't and I've noticed no real difference in catch rates. Browns that are stocked are close to the same genetic strain as the wild fish that already exist throughout Utah, and once they start feeding in the lake they act no different than any other brown.

As for scofield..Browns already exist in scofield, although in low numbers. The problem with stocking browns in scofield is the tributaries. All of the scofield tributaries are closed for the cutthroat spawn in the spring. Good luck getting the DWR to stock browns in there, when the tribs are managed as cutthroat streams (as they should be). The DWR has already rejected requests to stock Strawberry with browns for the same reasons...
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#10
Well, here is some Utah Brown's, See Photos


Utah had some great Brown fishing at Flaming Gorge, Strawberry and other lakes but has done very little to help that fish or put them in lakes were they could do well like Strawberry, Scofield Reservoir. Yes they did plant 19,000 in Starvation last year but they were 2" long. As they but 85,000 10' Rainbow in Starvation, I wonder which one will be feeding on who, 10' Vs 2' .
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#11
Brown Trout are cool. One thing to remember is that there are tons of different species of browns. Half of those pics are of the browns from the Great Lakes. I recognized a couple of those locations. They are a lake dwelling, open water species. They are called Seeforellen Brown Trout. They prefer open water and do not relate to structure. They transition to Pisciverous feeding habits earlier than other species. They grow at an exceptional rate. This being said, not all browns are created equal. Just like the different Cutthroat species, a river dwelling species that has been stocked into a lake (Strawberry) will rarely grow to significant size compared to their lake dwelling cousins (Strawberry vs Bear Lake).

I have suggested that they try stocking these browns in a few select bodies of water where the forage type is suitable, but got no response back. I think that these would do awesome at Porcupine, stocked in limited quantities. Im sure that there are other places like Scofield etc where there are large Chub populations that could support large, fast growing fish.

I hope one day they give it a try. My brother spent 6 years in up state New York and I got to fish with him for these browns. In three days I caught 5 fish over 9 pounds, on of which pushed 14 lbs. HE averaged 30 fish over 30" every year. His best came in at just under 23 lbs. All on a fly. Could you imagine that in Utah!!??

So how about it fish and game? What are the odds of getting some Seeforellen Browns? The world record was just broke again and I think it was over 43 lbs!!!
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#12
Wow !! Nice fish . That was caught on the Provo River ??? How big and when ??
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#13
I was told this brown was caught at the Vivian park pond and then released after the photo. Only to be caught again by the kid in the second photo.
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#14
[quote Therapist]Utah has not stocked a brown in decades. All the browns in the state are natural reproduction, including the Green, Weber, and Provo. I doubt that you will see any stocking of browns in the future as they are very predatory and the move now for most streams is native fish, which the browns love to munch !![/quote]

Just a clarification...browns are stocked in Utah, but the preference is for wild fish. So, in stream systems where browns naturally reproduce, not stocking is needed or warranted. However, in some stream systems--the Fremont River, the Sevier River, Otter Creek etc--natural reproduction is minimal or none at all, so some stocking is warranted. Also, brown trout are not stocked in many lakes and are not stocked with the same abundance as other trout species because their return to the creel is much lower. In other words, the return investment on the cost of raising and stocking them is not returned in fishermen's catch. Like that idea or not, it is what it is...
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#15
too add some to what wormandbobber said, consider for a moment the Middle Provo River. It's loaded with brown trout. There is nothing to prevent those fish from entering Deer Creek Res. Yet you rarely hear of many anglers catching brown trout from the reservoir. Why?

As w&b said, return to creel on brown trout in reservoirs is very low. It isn't because they aren't there.

We have numerous river systems that have a lot of browns. Many of those fish end up in reservoirs downstream. They are there right now waiting for you. There isn't a lot of need to stock more.
[Image: Otter-Creek-Brown.jpg]
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#16
Seems like its a case of people never being happy with the way a place is where they are at.

If you want to go fish for trophy browns.....travel for them. Same thing people do that want world class skiing... they travel here for it. There are fisheries within 2.5 hours of downtown SLC that you can catch 30 inch browns if you want. Just have to do your research and learn to catch them. Porcupine had a monster 32" brown netted last year. If you want to catch the big browns, and there are big ones around in UT, you have to switch up tactics. When they get that big they are 99% predatory. So you almost have to treat them like Pike. Big Baits/Flys ect. They tend to come out at night and feed very aggressively.
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#17
Utah has TOO MANY brown trout. Most of our rivers are overcrowded with them, stunting their growth. Fish will only get as big as the water/food allow them, and when there are millions of fish competing for space, they have a tough time getting that big. You want bigger browns? Practice some selective harvest. Find the size you catch the most (usually like 13-14 inches) and keep a few of those. Always release the little ones and the big ones. Those are your future, and the present.

Want a fine example of a big, wild, Utah brown trout? Look at this picture....
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#18
[quote PBH]too add some to what wormandbobber said, consider for a moment the Middle Provo River. It's loaded with brown trout. There is nothing to prevent those fish from entering Deer Creek Res. Yet you rarely hear of many anglers catching brown trout from the reservoir. Why?
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DC actually has a lot of brown trout. I average 1 or 2 per trip when I ice fish there a lot. There are a few big ones, but most are about the same size as the rainbows. Which leads to the question of what would happen if a bunch of browns were planted there? Answer, slower growth for both stocked and wild fish. I catch a bunch at Jordanelle too and several guys regularly target trophies there. What would stocking a bunch more browns do there? Probably just increase competition for food and lower the growth rate and number of trophies. We already have that problem with the bass.
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#19
There are rivers which are stocked with browns yearly. The lower fish creek/ price river has been stocked with 16000 4" browns every year for the last 12 years at least. I have caught many good browns in that river, My largest went 10 lbs, but I have caught several in the 5 lb range. However , the lower sections receive very little angler pressure, As a result , the larger browns have a feast on the 4" they stock every year. But they are there to be had for anyone willing to put in some work and learn the river.
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#20
If you look at the stocking report, most of the Browns stocked are less than 4" and many in the 2" to 3" range. When the State plants 19,000 21/4" Browns in a reservoir like Starvation and they complain of low returns, what do you think is going to happen to those baby Browns in a lake full of Walleye ? Is that just so the DWR can say, Oh we have been putting Browns in places ?


And the problem with the stunted Browns on the lower Provo below Deer Creek was caused when they reduced the limit to 2 fish. when I was a teen I could go to the Provo, any day of the week and catch several Browns over 20". The stunted browns all started when the limits were changed about 25 years ago.


And I am not talking about putting Browns in places like the Weber or Provo where there is ton of Browns. But there are many reservoirs that could use a shot of nice sized (10" to 12 " ) Browns, like Flaming Gorge, Fish Lake, & Strawberry.
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