Wild Brown Trout Vs. Fishery Rainbow Trout?

carlspackler

This has probably been debated at length, perhaps not, but its something I'd like to get a general consensus on.

I wouldn't describe myself as an Angling expert but I have been fly fishing since I was 12. Predominantly rivers around home, occasionally lakes. The furthest I've been was a three day excursion to fly fish in Slovenia.

After a bit of a hiatus, I got back into the groove last summer and for the first time I visited a Fishery. Which I thoroughly enjoyed, landing one nice Rainbow of about 5lbs or so. Fantastic fight and fun.

But it threw up a question in my mind, would I prefer to catch a 5lbs Fishery Trout or perhaps a 1lbs Wild Brown trout?

Just wondering if any of you have any insights into your own feelings on the matter.

Thanks.

experimenter

1lbs Wild Brown trout, he doesn't even have to be 1lbs...:D:D:D

Give me a river any day...

carlspackler

experimenter wrote: »

1lbs Wild Brown trout, he doesn't even have to be 1lbs...:D:D:D

Give me a river any day...

Ha. Why though? Is it more rewarding to catch a Wild Trout? Or perhaps is it more appealing to do you're fishing in the natural surrounds of a River or Lake?

viper123

A 1lb brown trout??? pfffff.

I think you're question isn't as clear cut as you'd like. A 1lb brown trout in the corrib is nothing really, a 1lb brownie in a mountain lake or stream is a fish of a lifetime.
It's better to rate all fish on the merits of where they live and look for the fish thats bigger than 99% of his roommates.
A 5lb rainbow is nothing really in a lake stocked with 20lb fish, but in a lake full of 12 inchers it's a fabulous catch, likewise a 1lb brownis in a mountain lake is on a par with a 5lber from Sheelin or Corrib.

SeaFields

I posed a similar question a few months back - albeit regarding stocked brown trout vrs stocked rainbow trout. Some interesting comments by some of the very knowledgeable folk around

The thread is here

As for this thread, a wild brown trout every time for me :cool:

carlspackler

SeaFields wrote: »

I posed a similar question a few months back - albeit regarding stocked brown trout vrs stocked rainbow trout. Some interesting comments by some of the very knowledgeable folk around

The thread is here

As for this thread, a wild brown trout every time for me :cool:

Thanks Seafields, that thread pretty much covers the subject. The only addition I'd make is that, personally, fishing a river can be a lot more interesting. Rambling for miles up and down a river looking for a rise is half the fun for me.

Some of my favourite memories involve me standing in the middle of a river at dusk, trying to hook that big trout feeding across the way.

SeaFields

carlspackler wrote: »

Some of my favourite memories involve me standing in the middle of a river at dusk, trying to hook that big trout feeding across the way.

Oh for sure. I used fish a lot for brown trout right through the night. Some of the big trout in one of my favorite spots would feed once the air was warm. Saw some gorgeous brown trout being caught at 1 and 2am.

A wild brown trout is only second to seatrout as far as I am concerned and certainly better than stocked fish.

The argument I was making in the other thread was that I thought stocked trout didn't differ much, maybe even that rainbows were better fighters in a stocked environment.

Anyway a few weeks to go and the trout gear can come out again. Owing to the mild weather salmon fishing seems to be good at the mo so hopefully that will be reflected in the trout scene too.

ironbluedun

comparing wild brown trout to artificially stocked rainbows does not make any sense at all. They are poles apart.........like comparing cats to dogs.

carlspackler

ironbluedun wrote: »

comparing wild brown trout to artificially stocked rainbows does not make any sense at all. They are poles apart.........like comparing cats to dogs.

Well whatever the futility of comparing the two, asking people which they prefer seems acceptable.

It might be hard to compare cats and dogs, but most people have a preference all the same.

bayliner

carlspackler wrote: »

Well whatever the futility of comparing the two, asking people which they prefer seems acceptable.

It might be hard to compare cats and dogs, but most people have a preference all the same.

i hate cats , lb for lb you cant beat the wild fish but its good craic to go after the rainbows now and then,

slowburner

carlspackler wrote: »

This has probably been debated at length, perhaps not, but its something I'd like to get a general consensus on.

I wouldn't describe myself as an Angling expert but I have been fly fishing since I was 12. Predominantly rivers around home, occasionally lakes. The furthest I've been was a three day excursion to fly fish in Slovenia.

After a bit of a hiatus, I got back into the groove last summer and for the first time I visited a Fishery. Which I thoroughly enjoyed, landing one nice Rainbow of about 5lbs or so. Fantastic fight and fun.

But it threw up a question in my mind, would I prefer to catch a 5lbs Fishery Trout or perhaps a 1lbs Wild Brown trout?

Just wondering if any of you have any insights into your own feelings on the matter.

Thanks.

I suppose it all boils down to what we mean by 'good fishing'.
If you really enjoy a good scrap with a hard fighting, free taking, aggressive fish - I don't think anything in freshwater will beat a healthy rainbow in a rich aquatic environment, pound for pound.

But you can only chuck it out and retrieve it so many times before it becomes tedious.
When this point comes, you will want to catch fish in a more challenging way.

I am reminded of the three stages in an angler's development:

1. He wants to catch as many fish as possible.
2. He wants to catch the biggest fish possible.
3. He wants to catch fish in the finest way possible.

Sometimes, rainbows can be selective feeders and figuring out what they are 'on' can be a challenge and good fun when you get it right. But even then, because they are a shoal fish, their selective feeding can change in an instant when one of the shoal is hooked - then they behave more like Piranhas!
Browns, on the other hand, tend to be solitary feeders (especially larger ones). They tend to be much more selective feeders and are more often than not, spooked by the kind of lures which evoke a response from rainbows.

By and large, browns are the more challenging of the two species, stocked or wild. So if you enjoy a challenge, browns will suit you.

Some of my most memorable days fishing have been tiny fish in massive surroundings.
Would I prefer to nail an overwintered eight pound rainbow from a reservoir on a size 4 Dog Nobbler with a Hi-D line, forty feet below the surface in February - or a quarter pound brownie on a size 18 midge pattern fished in the surface film in a lonely hill lough in June?

Guess.

carlspackler

slowburner wrote: »

I suppose it all boils down to what we mean by 'good fishing'.
If you really enjoy a good scrap with a hard fighting, free taking, aggressive fish - I don't think anything in freshwater will beat a healthy rainbow in a rich aquatic environment, pound for pound.

But you can only chuck it out and retrieve it so many times before it becomes tedious.
When this point comes, you will want to catch fish in a more challenging way.

I am reminded of the three stages in an angler's development:

1. He wants to catch as many fish as possible.
2. He wants to catch the biggest fish possible.
3. He wants to catch fish in the finest way possible.

Sometimes, rainbows can be selective feeders and figuring out what they are 'on' can be a challenge and good fun when you get it right. But even then, because they are a shoal fish, their selective feeding can change in an instant when one of the shoal is hooked - then they behave more like Piranhas!
Browns, on the other hand, tend to be solitary feeders (especially larger ones). They tend to be much more selective feeders and are more often than not, spooked by the kind of lures which evoke a response from rainbows.

By and large, browns are the more challenging of the two species, stocked or wild. So if you enjoy a challenge, browns will suit you.

Some of my most memorable days fishing have been tiny fish in massive surroundings.
Would I prefer to nail an overwintered eight pound rainbow from a reservoir on a size 4 Dog Nobbler with a Hi-D line, forty feet below the surface in February - or a quarter pound brownie on a size 18 midge pattern fished in the surface film in a lonely hill lough in June?

Guess.

Thanks for a well thought out and articulate reply. I completely agree with the sentiment of your post.