Browns turned into brookies?

[popriveter]

Wednesday, I revisited an old favorite stream that I had not been to in 6 or 7 years. Back when I used to fish it, I caught many many 9-11" browns and on one occasion, a lone 13" brook trout.

This time, I caught about 30 brookies (most 8-10 inches) and only 2 browns. What gives? Could the major flooding a few years back have changed the habitat enough that the browns thinned out and the brookies took over?

Has the DNR recently adjusted their stream management on some streams to manage for different trout species?

Any ideas?

I don't want to use a public forum to drive pressure to vulnerable little streams, so all I'll say about locale is that this stream is less than a 30 minute drive from Whitewater.

[Scudly]

That is a good sign because brookies require quality water. A brown is much more tolerance to warmer water that is more turbid and even polluted. The Rush used to be a put and take fishery. Now it has 700 brook trout per mile in the main stem. Before brookies could only be found in the feeders. Anyway, keep some of those smaller brookies. They taste way better than a brown any day of the week. Consistently delicious.

[popriveter]

I ended up keeping my most deeply hooked brook trout. Released the browns and all the cleanly unhooked fish. I had 3 brookies for lunch. Wow, they are a treat!

I released this one and a bunch like it:

[goblueM]

well if you give me the GPS coords i'll be more than happy to launch a complete investigation the next time I'm in the area

[ted4887]

well if you give me the GPS coords i'll be more than happy to launch a complete investigation the next time I'm in the area

LOL!

[Scudly]

popriviter that is one quality brook trout. I'd say approaching trophy size. Looks over 12" for sure so I'd say it is well above average. Like catching a 20" brown, a 13" brookie is a similar equivalent.

[trappingaddiction]

That is a pretty nice brook trout! Quality brook trout fishery's are pretty tough to find in SE Minnesota.

[Driftless]

very nice female brookie