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The brook trout — our state fish

Last week we looked at lake trout in great detail, so looking at our only other area native trout should likewise be of interest. The question is, “How many species of brook trout are there?” Many would say two, so let us investigate.

Brook trout, scientifically known as Salvelinus fontinalis, is actually a char. Salvelinus is Latin for char or charr, with the species name fontinalus being Latin for spring or fountain. There are several common names, which are, in no particular order, Eastern brook trout, speckled trout, squaretail, brook trout, mountain trout, mud trout, brookies, coasters, sea trout, and speckled char.

The native range is a wide area of Eastern North America, south to the Appalachian Mountains into Georgia and South Carolina, west to Iowa and in Canada from Manitoba east to the Maritime Provinces. It has been introduced worldwide in Europe, South America, New Zealand, and western US. In Montana they are considered vermin and anglers can keep 20, with no minimum size limit! Been there, done that. Yooper heaven!

They have a wide variety of habitats, from large and small lakes, rivers, streams, creeks, and spring ponds. Cold water is most critical, as if temperatures get above 70 degrees, they will not survive. Optimum is from 52 to 61.

There is only one species of brook trout, but there are three recognized forms of brook trout, with coasters not being one. The forms are sea-run, inland, and large lake. There are several recognized strains or genetic types of the inland form. There are also two hybrids. One is the splake, which is a cross between brook and lake trout. They are stocked by Michigan DNR Fisheries Division in our area, notably Copper Harbor and Keweenaw Bay. The other is the Tiger trout, a cross between brook and brown trout, which was the subject of my March 2013 Bio Bits.

The inland form is your typical brook trout found in our area, including coasters, and most of North America. They are the smallest of the three, averaging 8 to 12 inches and average weight of 9 ounces. They typically live for 2-5 years and generally not past seven, with the maximum being fifteen. Their diet is all forms of aquatic insects, typically may, caddis, and stoneflies; terrestrials, mainly ants, beetles, grasshoppers, and crickets; crayfish, frogs, fish, and almost anything that falls in the water. Yours truly caught a 14-inch brookie in the Pine River, Wexford County that had swallowed a mouse with the tail hanging out of its mouth. They are a culinary delight.

The salter form is found along the Atlantic coast from southern New Jersey north throughout the Maritime Provinces. They live most of their life in coastal streams, but migrate out to the ocean, where they feed for as long as three months, before returning to fresh water. They average 1 to 3 pounds.

The large lake form is confined to the northwest reaches of the brook trout range in Manitoba and Ontario. They are the largest form, as they feed almost exclusively on other fish. In October of 2006 an angler fishing on Kississing Lake in Manitoba landed a brook trout that was 29 inches long and 21 inches in girth. The fish was released, but photos can be found online. It had a calculated weight of 15.99 pounds.

The world record brook trout is 14.5 pounds, caught in the Nipigon River, Ontario, Canada on July 21, 1915. The Manitoba fish was released and therefore cannot be considered a world record.

The Michigan state record book trout is 9 pounds, 5 ounces and was caught in Clear Lake, Houghton County.

The brook trout is one of the most beautiful fish, with its fins trimmed in snow white grading into black and red and dark green body, with cream colored worm-like marking (vermiculation). It has been adored in prose and paint. John Voelker (pen name Robert Traver) of Ishpeming was speaking of the brook trout in his Testament of a Fisherman, as this was the fish he loved. A couple of excerpts from his essay: “I fish because I love to, because I love the environs where trout are found, which are invariably beautiful; Because trout do not lie or cheat and cannot be bought or bribed or impressed by power, but only respond to quietude and humility and endless patience.”

Amen John, Amen

Go Fish!

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