Riverside Rivals: Brook trout vs Brown trout
By: Trent Jones
As a lifelong trout bum, I often find myself drawn to the beauty of rivers and the urge to chase trout. It’s truly addicting, something you can’t control or describe. That said, I’ve always had a problem deciding which trout was my favorite, but two species always come to mind first. Brown Trout (Salmo trutta) and the Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis).
While these species share similar habitats in cold, clear waters, their distinctions go beyond mere appearances. Join me in my obsession with brown trout and brook trout where I’ll explore five key factors that set these trout apart and then we can try and decide which one is the king of the water.
Habitat Preferences:
I’ve always found brown trout to be very adaptable and in a wide variety of water types. They thrive in rivers and lakes, often occupying larger bodies of water, and are even known to travel into the ocean.
In my opinion, they are the most adaptable trout in the world, and I’ve found them in water that wasn't considered habitable for trout. They are warriors and survivors and will adapt and thrive in most conditions.
On the other hand, brook trout exhibits a strong affinity for cooler, smaller streams that are clean and well-oxygenated, though in some areas they also will travel into large bodies of water, and I’ve even heard of sea runners.
In my experience though small streams and clean remote lakes hold the best brook trout fishing and honestly, that is one of the biggest allure for brook trout.
Distinctive Physical Characteristics:
Both Brown and Brook Trout display unique physical traits and distinguishing them from one another is not a challenge, as they look nothing alike. Both have an amazing uniqueness though and each fish always looks a bit different.
Brown Trout are recognized by their olive-brown coloration with scattered black and red spots along their sides. They can grow to amazing sizes with the world record brown weighing in at over 40lbs.
I’ve spent more days than I can count chasing browns and honestly, each fish always has its own unique look, this is something I think has always drawn me to the species.
Brook Trout sport a vibrant mix of colors, including a distinctive marbled pattern with red and blue halos around their spots. Mostly under ten inches brook trout are not known for being massive and the largest wild brook trout I’ve ever caught was only twenty inches.
But there striking appearance of these fish has always added an extra allure for me and when you get your hands on a big one it will leave you in awe.
Feeding Behavior and Diet:
. At the end of the day, they are both trout and will generally feed the same, though browns have always seemed a little more selective to me, while brook trout seem to be way more eager to fly.
Brown Trout are opportunistic predators, often preying on aquatic insects, crustaceans, and even small fish. They can act like sharks destroying prey and also sit in the back of the pool and selectively eat only small drys.
One of my favorite parts about brown trout is how their moods change and they decide it’s time to kill. Fall streamer fishing is a prime example of this.
Brook Trout, however, exhibits a more specialized diet, primarily feasting on aquatic insects, larvae, and small fish. They generally have a shorter feeding season in their smaller bodies of water and this is why feel like they seem more reckless for the fly.
With a shorter time to grow feeding is important when you can and they dont like to miss the opportunity.
Growth Rates and Size:
Brown Trout are known for their impressive growth rates, especially in waterways with abundant food sources, sometimes growing over two lbs a year and weighing well into the double digits. This leads to the development of larger and more robust specimens, making them a prime target for anyone seeking a true trophy.
For this exact reason, I have spent a major chunk of my life chasing them, knowing a twenty lb brown could be lurking just around the next bend
On the other hand, Brook Trout generally have a slower growth rate and tend to be smaller in size, but with the right food source brook trout can grow up to five pounds, and finding these gems in the wild is an amazing experience.
Understanding these growth dynamics can help to make a solid choice of fishing location and approach depending on what you are after. If you are looking for trophy brook trout throwing larger streamers will be more effective than the smaller stuff the little guys will readliy come after.
Behavioral Traits:
Brown Trout are notorious for their wariness and can become selective in their feeding habits, making them a challenging catch, but on the right day when they are in the mood everything can change and they can become bloodthirsty predators.
I’ve seen trophy browns spook from 6x tippet and I’ve seen trophy browns chase streamers twenty feet to eat, you never know what kind of mood they’ll be in which could be my favorite part.
Brook trout often display aggressive feeding behavior, providing opportunities for anglers to capitalize on their voracious appetites, they are known to eat just about anything, and honestly are so fun because of it.
Bigger brookies can become selective so approaching them means maybe not catching every fish in the water and trying some bigger fish tactics
As an angler who is truly an addict for this sport, the choice between brook trout and brown trout boils down to the unique adventures each of these trout species offers me.
With so many differences it’s almost like comparing wine to beer and that debate has gone on as long as we have had alcohol.
The brook trout, which I adorned with its vibrant colors, thrives in remote pristine, coldwater habitats, providing a picturesque environment for me.
On the other hand, the brown trout, with its adaptability and larger size, presents a formidable and rewarding challenge, especially in considering its diverse river systems in which you can hunt them.
Ultimately, whether I lean toward the brook trout's aesthetic appeal or the brown trout's size and resilience, both species play a major role in my trout obsession.
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