Roger's Angling Pages
The Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis		Salmon family Salmonidae

This fish is justly classified as one of the most beautiful types of salmonid fishes. It comes from the eastern part of North America, from Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and the shores of Labrador. The Brook Trout was imported into Europe from America in about 1884, firstly into Germany and from there to other countries. According to the latest information it seems that the Brook Trout is leaving its native fresh waters and entering the sea as a result of qualitative changes in the environment, such as higher temperatures and the competition of other fishes. Migration and longer journeys usually begin at night.

The Brook Trout sets off for the sea in spring or at the beginning of summer; it leaves for the spawning grounds, upstream, in the second half of the year. I t breeds in the same places and at the same time of the year (i. e. October, November) as Salmo trutta, with which it also easily crossbreeds. The crossbreds are beautifully coloured, with tiger stripes, but they are sterile. The female lays about 1,000 eggs per 1 lb of her weight. The fry hatch in several months, according to the water temperature. The Trout, which grow to the largest size, spend a part of their life at sea, where they feed on larvae and the fry of various fishes, such as the Stickleback, small Eel, Minnow, and various invertebrates. The freshwater Trout lives on the larvae of the Red Midge, Mayfly and Caddis Fly or on various worms, crustaceans, or insects which have fallen into the water and fish fry.

The fishes living at sea are a steely blue and green on their backs, silver)' at the sides and completely white on the belly. The pink pectoral, ventral and anal fins are edged in brilliant white, whereas the caudal and dorsal fins are grey-green. During the journey from the sea to fresh water, guanine (fish silver) disappears from the basic colour tone and irregular stripes appear on the upper part of the body, stretching as far as the dorsal fin, changing into orange flecks on its sides and finally turning into red dots along the lateral line. When returning from the sea, the Trout is harassed by large parasitic crustaceans, until it sometimes dies from complete exhaustion.

The fishes, which live a part of their lives at sea, achieve a greater size as a result of better nourishment, for example 6 to 9 lb specimens are not rare. In contrast, fishes living in fresh water hardly reach 2 lb. The largest recorded specimen, caught in Nipigon in Ontario weighed 15 lb. In poor conditions they hardly reach 6 oz. From time to time they are transplanted into colder ponds, where they get on relatively well. In European waters they weigh about 1 to 2 lb and heavier fishes are rare.

The Brook Trout likes colder water, it does not require as many hideouts as the Brown Trout and it can survive in effectively controlled rivers. In comparison with another type bred in Europe, the Rainbow Trout, it is more stable and less of a wanderer. In its native habitat and locations it is considered a very valuable angling fish. Fishing for it in well-stocked still and flowing waters is a real pleasure. The flesh is exceptionally tasty and pink to red in colour, according to its lifelong diet. Fishing methods for the Brook Trout are the same as those used for other trout.