# How come no Browns?



## bassman56 (May 22, 2005)

I have always wondered, how come the ODNR doesnt stock brown trout into our tribs and Lake Erie? What do you guys think?


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## Patricio (Feb 2, 2007)

someone told me recently theyre stocking browns again. cant recall who told me this. they used to in small numbers.

edit, a quick google search suggests it was PA. oddly enough, the occasional brown still shows up.


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## bassman56 (May 22, 2005)

I havent caught one in Ohio yet, but the stocking works in NY so i dont see why it wouldnt work out here.


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## BigDaddy300 (Nov 1, 2004)

They tried it many years ago and it didn't work out so good. I did catch a stray a few years ago. It was beautifully marked and I had no camera


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## Patricio (Feb 2, 2007)

BigDaddy300 said:


> They tried it many years ago and it didn't work out so good. I did catch a stray a few years ago. It was beautifully marked and I had no camera


I thought they did. I caught one about 2 years ago. nice fish.


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## Pikedaddy (Jul 20, 2005)

I am pretty sure that there spawn rate was the deciding factor. Steelhead have the highest spawn rate of all the fish that they have tried . That's why we stock steelhead. I must also add that no matter steel , brown or salmon the spawn rate is still really small.


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## Steel Cranium (Aug 22, 2005)

The state stocked browns out east (Geneva) in the 1980s. They didn't get the return rate required to support continued stocking. They were getting better return rates in the early 90s with the pilot little manistee steelhead program (conneaut) so they stuck with it. The brown situation could have been caused by a few factors: 1) they were stocked in geneva harbor, not a river system, 2) they were being caught by locals and not reported (happens with musky stockings - they could stay quiet pre-internet), 3) they all run east to the deep water during the summer and stay there in the fall instead of running back west to Ohio. Since the NY program seems to be working, it is probably 3). The steelhead program was a cheap solution to stock lots of fish with a decent morality rate (trade catfish eggs to Michigan for steelhead fingerlings) so the state discontinued the brown trout and salmon stockings.


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## K gonefishin (May 4, 2004)

Water is to warm for them in Ohio. NY and PA waters are much cooler, ODNR would be pissing money away, other states would see the fish return we would not. Browns preferered temp is 56-59


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## flylogicsteelhead (Oct 4, 2006)

Pa does stock browns at the opening of their trout season-third week of April to mid may. They will also be stocking 50,000 fish in addition to the elk stocking in various other pa tribs. It should only be a matter of time until we start seeing more stragglers than in years past. I do also agree on the water temp factor, but it boogles my mind why the PA fish also tend to make mid summer runs into the tribs at night time in elk and walnut.


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## beadhead (Nov 14, 2007)

The Emerald Necklace Chapter of Trout Unlimited is considering a lake-run brown trout stocking program for the Rocky River. They're holding a raffle to potentially fund this project and others. www.tucleveland.org


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## bassman56 (May 22, 2005)

So basically the fish that were stocked here, ventured into the rivers of NY instead of coming back here.. If the Elk gets stocked im sure we will see some show up east at the Conny and maybe the Ash. I also noticed how different the rivers in NY are compared to the ones here, is that also a factor?


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## K gonefishin (May 4, 2004)

beadhead said:


> The Emerald Necklace Chapter of Trout Unlimited is considering a lake-run brown trout stocking program for the Rocky River. They're holding a raffle to potentially fund this project and others. www.tucleveland.org


Waste of time IMO, you can't change a fishes genetic makup. They might get lost over winter and some guys might catch stragglers in the spring near shore (since that's what they do) or might grab a few here and there in the cooler waters where the steelie fishing is good way the hell offshore but I'd bet they will show up more to the east...Rocky not so much. Pissing into the wind as far as I see it. Heck even in Lake Ontario which I follow ALL season long now that I fish up there frequently, guys up there scratch heads saying where are the browns, and the lake is full of them. 

I do know one guy who did catch a nice one off Cleveland in November night fishing though, only random brownie that I know that's been caught around here. I'm sure some other un reported ones do show up. 

As far as a catchable population....doubtful at best. Conny area would be the best bet


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## Steel Cranium (Aug 22, 2005)

bassman56 said:


> So basically the fish that were stocked here, ventured into the rivers of NY instead of coming back here.. If the Elk gets stocked im sure we will see some show up east at the Conny and maybe the Ash. I also noticed how different the rivers in NY are compared to the ones here, is that also a factor?


This is probably the case. Same reason for no skams in Ohio - too few streams with tolerable (cool) temps during the summer. PA stocks a lot of browns in the upper reaches of the conny, so some of those should show up in the mix. Would be interesting to see a fair amount of browns stocked in the grand or chagrin (streams with some cool water in the upper portions) -- upstream instead of the harbor, fin clipped, to see how many return.

Probably better this way - catch a salmon or brown and it's a special event, unlike catching steelies all season long. I forget about many of the steelies I have caught over the years, yet remember every salmon I have caught since the state quit stocking them.


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## bassman56 (May 22, 2005)

It would be a waste of money if we know for sure its not going to work. There is a creek around here that actually supports a wild brook trout population, not very big but its still there. But the browns should not be stocked there as it would endanger that population.


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## jcustunner24 (Aug 20, 2007)

I thought I remembered reading something about browns being stocked in the Clear Fork River and the Mad River? Is that not true?


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## ShutUpNFish (Apr 17, 2007)

flylogicsteelhead said:


> Pa does stock browns at the opening of their trout season-third week of April to mid may. They will also be stocking 50,000 fish in addition to the elk stocking in various other pa tribs. It should only be a matter of time until we start seeing more stragglers than in years past. I do also agree on the water temp factor, but it boogles my mind why the PA fish also tend to make mid summer runs into the tribs at night time in elk and walnut.


Try 300,000+ browns to be stocked in PA tribs in the next year...On top of all the steelhead they stock...You think PA is a zoo now? Looks like they're trying to contend with the debauchary at Bert Damn!


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## flylogicsteelhead (Oct 4, 2006)

I'll tell you and thats why we are blessed in Ohio. I love my 50 fish days in PA but nothing beats 10 good hookups in Ohio without sight fishing and having God only knows what throwin 4oz of skein on 20lbs test next to you. My good friend works for the PFBC and he sent me this

50-100,000 in the spring with efforts to expand a hatchery to release around 75,000 12-16" fish every fall by 2013. They are in the process of creating a disease free facility which can handle the larger demand as well as creating a sustainable put and take population. No matter what we will probably see a fair amount of stragglers for years to come.

Conneaut is not stocked with Brown Trout but it is with steelhead from both PA and Oh.


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## archman (Apr 30, 2004)

I can see why they don't stock Browns. A Brown has no chance of making it back to the river they were stocked in if they can't even find the end zone


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## K gonefishin (May 4, 2004)

archman said:


> I can see why they don't stock Browns. A Brown has no chance of making it back to the river they were stocked in if they can't even find the end zone


NICE! Go SIXBURG!!!


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## ShutUpNFish (Apr 17, 2007)

archman said:


> I can see why they don't stock Browns. A Brown has no chance of making it back to the river they were stocked in if they can't even find the end zone


That is BEAUTIFUL right there!!

FlyLogic, you are probably correct about what the PAFBC is stocking , but there are also local sportsman's nurseries and clubs stocking them....totaling over 300,000 by next year. On top of the steel....crazy numbers if you ask me! Stupid crazy, but its not about the experience and a normal fishery here in PA; its ALL about the money....SHOW ME THE MONEY!!! 

Been fishing OH a lot more in recent years because of it. Hopefully they don't fall into the same mind-set and the crowds stay in PA....I have my doubts though.


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## Barney (Jun 4, 2007)

Stiller fans and brown trout are the same, and both are flushed


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