# Brook Trout



## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

Who has caught an ohio brooktrout?


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## AndroDoug (Apr 12, 2004)

I have never caught one, but I have done alot of reading about the native Ohio Brook Trout. I was eyeing a couple streams that they can live in, but I think it is illegal to fish for them. I would like to check out these places a little closer, just out of curiosity.

One place where the native strain can be found is called Sulphur Springs. It's a little feeder stream in the South Chagrin Reservation. Another place is a little feeder stream into Bass Lake in Geauga/Lake county (can't remember). I don't think they survive in too many other streams, naturally. The ODNR stocks them in other particular feeder streams in the Chagrin river basin. The pops in the other streams can't sustain themselves because the fish is so particular about it's enviroment.

I can't imagine too many people have ever caught one, other than a biologist. I'd like to see one.


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## johnboy111711 (Apr 7, 2004)

there are a few streams that go into the rocky near medina, I beleive, that hold a few fish and a few near the hinckley reservation.


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## joe01 (Apr 16, 2004)

I would like to learn more about the streams and the ohio native brook. Does anyone know where I can get some information at. I use to fish in Pa for brooks as a kid with my step father. AndroDoug do you know of any streams in the medina or any part of the metro parks that would carrie them???


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## UDBasser (Apr 9, 2004)

I believe you are correct about the Hinckley reservation. I remember hearing about that when I worked there in high school. But i thought they closed off sections of the creeks that had them so you couldnt fish there. I could be wrong.


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## archman (Apr 30, 2004)

As Androdoug said, there are some feeder streams on the South Chagrin that have Brook trout. YOu can fish for them, but you can only use certain types of bait. From what I can see, the fish are pretty small.


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## AndroDoug (Apr 12, 2004)

As I have said, I have done alot of reading on the native Ohio Brook Trout. SpringBrook is the name of the little creek that harbors Ohio's only native wild population of brookies since the Ice Age. It feeds Bass Lake and is on preserve property and is highly off-limits. The brook trout needs a stream that is spring fed with constant flow, the drainage basin needs to be small to avoid major flucuations in water levels during rains, and the stream needs to be "riparian" which means tree covered. The stream must have lots of holes and under cut trees as well. Woodiebrook is another stream going into Bass lake that harbors re-producing pops. Sulphur Springs is another stream where they have been re-introduced, and successfully spawn. There is another small trib of a larger creek (conneaut?) in Ashtabula county where they successfully spawn. All other streams that they may be found in, the pops are sustained by stocking.

Here are some articles I have read in the past...

http://cwi.us.edu/bthabitat.htm
http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/wildlife/Fishing/aquanotes-fishid/brooktrout.htm
http://cwi.us.edu/btcriteria.htm
http://cwi.us.edu/btwatershed.htm
http://cwi.us.edu/btgeology.htm
http://cwi.us.edu/btbanks.htm
http://www.geaugaparkdistrict.org/nature/basslake.htm
http://nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/ohio/press/press1783.html


These are some interesting reading. While looking over some of them again, I realized it is NOT illegal to fish for them, just illegal in certain places, because of parks and preserves. One entire area where posession is prohibited is the Chagrin river watershed, including all of its tribs. I also do recall hearing about a stream or streams in the Hinckley reservation being stocked with them as well.

These fish are very small, only 4-6 inches mostly. A big one would be 8 inches, at least in Ohio. There are other states that have large pops and they get 14-18 inches long.


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## joe01 (Apr 16, 2004)

I also do recall hearing about a stream or streams in the Hinckley reservation being stocked with them as well. I would just like to know what streams for C&R


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## twistertail (Apr 10, 2004)

Never caught on in Ohio but have got some in W.V., beautiful little fish. Most of the ones we got were under 10" but got a few that were 14 or 15 inches.


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## River Walker (Apr 7, 2004)

There's also a small stream near the Ashland/Richland County line that has a self-sustaining population of brook trout.I really don't believe the ODNR is even aware of this stream or it's small population of trout.Almost the entire length of this small stream flows through a friends property,and his family has lived on this property for years,and they never recall a time when the state has ever checked it out.He says he has never seen one that would go over 7",and most are around 4"-5" long.I'm from northern Michigan,and brookies are very common up there,pretty much every stream holds them,either in the headwaters,or the smaller tribs.The largest one I've ever caught was 17" from the Clam River near Cadillac.


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## twistertail (Apr 10, 2004)

If you want some really big brookies go to the B.W.C.A., they are not native but they stock some of the lakes up there and there are 4 and 5 pounders that come from there. I have a video about the area and it shows the guys catching some huge brook trout.


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## creekcrawler (Oct 5, 2004)

Hey, I believe those streams mentioned in northern Ohio may be protected.
Native brookies are a threatened species, I don't think you can fish for them....


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## peple of the perch (Sep 13, 2004)

i saw one chasing my fly at neff last year


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## WINNER (Apr 7, 2004)

What about the Mad River in Champaign Co.? I'm pretty sure there are brookies in the tribs. Not sure if they are native? Heard they were.

Winner


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

As far as the Upper Mad River, there are no native brookies but there are a few stocked fish from private waters ( Zanesfield Rod and Gun Club, Cedar Run Club,Briarwood, Slaty Hollow etc) I personally have taken 3 from the Mad, all around 8-10" and all 3 in waters loaded with stocked rainbows so its a safe assumption they got mixed. 

Milton Trautman has recorded the last spawning population in Ohio as on the headwaters of Cedar Run, a tributary that has since been dredged back in the early 30's. Water quality is there, just not the correct habitat and way waaaay too much silt.

Im aware of the stream in Richland County as my friends is best friends with the owners and hunts on the property/stream, PLEASE keep that trib name a secret and do not post it on this forum. There are way too many folks who want esperately to catch a wild Ohio brookie at any cost and these streams should not be fished, and should be completely protected over time so other streams and watersheds can take this rare genetic stock and expand its precious boundaries. When District 3 DNR stocked some of the Chagrin tribs with this pure genetic strain to see if they would reproduce, word got out and many fish were taken, it was very sad to see stringers of 6" trout, ( seriously) 

I can not emphasize enough how rare and precious this commodity is and it should be protected at all costs. I assure you the Ohio Council of Trout Unlimited is/has been heavily involved in the protection of this species.

Salmonid


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## River Walker (Apr 7, 2004)

Salmonid,no need to worry,I would never reveal the name of the stream.I've been friends with the landowner that owns the property the stream runs through for years.I can't say for certain that the brookies in this stream are native to Ohio,I doubt if anybody can,but I do know that they have been naturally reproducing in there for countless years.I've known about the stream for over 40 years,and there's always been brookies in it in that time frame.At one time,there was also a few browns in there,but I haven't seen one of them in awhile.I've never fished it,mainly because I wouldn't want to harm even one of these precious little commodities,but whenever I drop by for a visit,I like to check out a couple small little pools with polarized glasses just to spot a couple of these extremely rare Ohio trout.On the same subject,maybe twenty years ago or so,a small tributary to Pine Run near Mohican State Forest also contained a few naturally spawning brook trout.That little stream has since silted in,and I've never seen,or heard of any in there again.I was aware of the brookies in the Mad River system also.I was fishing King's Creek a few years back and caught one.I don't believe it was a native strain though.Like you mentioned,I knew the Zanesfield Club had put a few in Mac-O-Chee Creek and King's Creek back at that time.Even though the water quality is just about right in that system,like you said,the siltation problem is just too great there.


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## N8ive (Apr 6, 2020)

I have trout fished on the east and west coasts and have caught many brookies (directly translated; I know what they look like). For the past 20 years, I have fished in and around the Mad River and have heard the Yes's and the No's regarding brook trout in / around the Mad River. This year, I caught my first brook trout in / around the Mad River this year. It was 12 - 13 inches long and looked more native than stocked but cannot say if it was native for sure.

Personally, I would rather catch a 10 - 12 inch *native* brook trout than a 12 - 14 inch brown / rainbow because I think the brooks fight much more than a larger brown / rainbow.


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## Eyes on te ice (Dec 7, 2018)

I think I netted a couple in Whitmans creek while getting minnows a few years back. I think that runs in the Kingsville/ Bula area northeast Oh.


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## Jo-Jo (Jun 29, 2016)

Interesting link from 2017

https://u.osu.edu/enrfishtax/2017/11/03/brook-trout-reintroduction-in-the-lake-erie-drainage/


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## Jo-Jo (Jun 29, 2016)

Another link, from this year.

https://medina-gazette.com/news/186734/efforts-underway-to-save-brook-trout/


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## Jo-Jo (Jun 29, 2016)

Yet another link...U-Tube


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## Flathead76 (May 2, 2010)

They are in the creek that runs next to the club house on bass lake. We used to fish it as kids. Pretty sure that fishing there is now not allowed. I did catch one once in the chagrin.


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## Karl Wolf (Apr 26, 2020)

Got my first brooke fishing the south fork in snoqualmie pass in WA, 2 years ago. It was the most beautiful little gem ever


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## Snakecharmer (Apr 9, 2008)

Flathead76 said:


> They are in the creek that runs next to the club house on bass lake. We used to fish it as kids. Pretty sure that fishing there is now not allowed. I did catch one once in the chagrin.


Yes. NO FISHING.


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## Lewzer (Apr 5, 2004)

Is this a brook?


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## zimmerj (Oct 17, 2014)

Br


Lewzer said:


> Is this a brook?
> 
> View attachment 370289


Brown Trout.


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## Lewzer (Apr 5, 2004)

Then it’s a Cold Creek brown trout. Thank you


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## JamesF (May 20, 2016)

I haven't caught a Brooke trout in Ohio.North Western PA. Has plenty of them. Around the Tionesta area. Some great trout fishing there. I have caught a few Brooke trout in PA.and Wyoming. Really fun on ultra light outfits.


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## Karl Wolf (Apr 26, 2020)

Lewzer said:


> Is this a brook?
> 
> View attachment 370289


That's a pretty little brown.

Notice how we all hold trout like they are a delicate piece of lace but whip bass around by their jaws like they are a tennis racket?

Little freshwater gems.
Thankful for the stocking programs that have made many of them catchable in certain areas they don't exist or were wiped out from.

You guys know that browns aren't even native to north America at all?


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## twistedcatfish1971 (Jul 21, 2013)

AndroDoug said:


> I have never caught one, but I have done alot of reading about the native Ohio Brook Trout. I was eyeing a couple streams that they can live in, but I think it is illegal to fish for them. I would like to check out these places a little closer, just out of curiosity.
> 
> One place where the native strain can be found is called Sulphur Springs. It's a little feeder stream in the South Chagrin Reservation. Another place is a little feeder stream into Bass Lake in Geauga/Lake county (can't remember). I don't think they survive in too many other streams, naturally. The ODNR stocks them in other particular feeder streams in the Chagrin river basin. The pops in the other streams can't sustain themselves because the fish is so particular about it's enviroment.
> 
> I can't imagine too many people have ever caught one, other than a biologist. I'd like to see one.


Caught a <many> down there at the Solon metropark/Sulfur springs...25 years ago...and as of a few years ago just going back there to see if they were still around. Most my findings were on way down long winding road to main lots...creek flows along side of road a good ways...used to walk em all the time for crayfish and things...Rangers are there and will check ya if you walking around with any type of container/bucket for sure.

Don.


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## Specwar (Sep 22, 2014)

Karl Wolf said:


> Got my first brooke fishing the south fork in snoqualmie pass in WA, 2 years ago. It was the most beautiful little gem ever


That pass isn’t open too long each year. Snow buries it. Sure is a beautiful place though.


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## Karl Wolf (Apr 26, 2020)

Specwar said:


> That pass isn’t open too long each year. Snow buries it. Sure is a beautiful place though.


Fished it 2x. About 20, 5-10" wild trout both times on dry flys.


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## creekcrawler (Oct 5, 2004)

They killed off the brookies in Sulfur Springs. After DNA testing, they found out they were stockers, not natives. Caught a few there years ago netting minnows.
When I had the chiller running on my 150 gallon tank (could bring it down to 45 degrees)
I got some from a fellow in Castalia (breeder). They were cool as heck. They would try to clear the water when feeding and hit the screening on top of the tank!
One day, I bought them some feeders from the pet store as a treat. Feeders had ick, took out all three of them in 2 days.


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## fakebait (Jun 18, 2006)

I use to catch them on the Chagrin between route 6 and Chardon/Kirtland road in the late 60's using Mepp's spinners late winter February working open pockets of fast moving water. As well as a few rainbow. We always thought these fish escaped from Deep Springs trout club during spring flooding of their locks. The stream flows from north of route 6 down behind Mulberry rd. and then empties into the Chagrin in Chester township.


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## Tstein (Dec 7, 2015)

The East branch of the Rocky River starting in Medina County is off limits also , Hinkley north to Cuyahoga county

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## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

Interesting this got brought back to life. Have since see. A few brooks caught from the mad and have caught a few in a private trib to the mad. Still interested in learning about the Richland Co stream with brooks.


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## rickerd (Jul 16, 2008)

When I first learned to tie flies 1989 in Frank's fly shop Ravenna, the instructor used to tell a story or two about the brookies being around. I'm fine with leaving them alone but knowing they are there. 
Rickerd


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## Tstein (Dec 7, 2015)

https://medina-gazette.com/news/186734/efforts-underway-to-save-brook-trout/

Came across this last spring by accident. 

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