The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1907-05-09
Brown Trout VS.. Brook Trout.


--E.H Eaton, in Harper's Weekly.
-
Brown Trout VS.. Brook Trout.
| BENNINGTON, VI, April o. 9.-Editoi
Forest and Stream: As the season has
arrived when the anglers thoughts re.
vert 10 the trout streams, would like
10 call the attention of the readers of
Forest and Stream 10 that ever-recur-
ring discussion of the merits and de.
merits OF the brown trout Salmo tdrio)
| | confess that am more or less a crank
upon the subject, and for several years
have made n iirst-handed study of Sal
NO farfo as he is found here in the Bat
tenklll river in Vermont. do not
claim TO know ii all, however, and am,
therefore, seeking the light. | know
of no better way of getting accurate
information on the subject than through
the columns of Forest and Stream.
In your issue of April 6, Mr.. Theo-
dore Gordon says: :" If we wish TO
have native trout OoRtinahsl, we must
restock with yearlings. The .fdrio is the
harder fish and it grows rapidly. 1t is
natural. in restocking, to select the
species which gives the largest increase
and the quickest returns in the way of
sport. We wish to kill fish which are
large enough 10 make their capture ex-
citing. The first rush of big trout is
something worth living for, and we are
never sure of him until he is in the
basket
That is where Mr.. Gordon hits the
nail square ON the head. You cannot
interest the present generation of
spar.sman in nlans fo- .h@ l---a. "a
the next generation. Human beings
are selfish. We want the fishing inn
proved as rapidly as possible, SO we
can get results in at least two or three
years time. Now, where is the angler
who would not sooner 90 out upon the
stream, and, both for the sport and the
meat, get one trout weighing three or
four pounds than ten pounds of little
ones measuring from six inches to eight
or ten inches in lengthY Therefore. !
think the brown trout will just meet
these requirements, ,sfor what species
can equal the Salmo fdrio for rapid
growth, hardihood and game fighting
qualities, not TO mention the delicious
flavor of the meati
am informed that the Federal Gov
ernment has wholly stopped raising
brown trout, and do not distribute any
more in the United States, as it has de-
cided that it has not been provident
measure to plant these fish. Whyi |
do not know, but presume the govern.
ment fish culturists have good reasons
for this decision. However, ! have
some ideas Of my own regarding the
matter which to me, at least, seem
quite feasible, and yet | may be wholly
wrong. Now, as | understand it, the
brown trout ISalmo tarfo) was intro
duced in America by Fred Mather, SO
cannot do better than quote from him,
as | agree with him entirely in what be
says regarding the brown trout;
IL have taken this fish with fly,
aud consider il one OF the gamiest--in
4 fact. the gamiest--trout that ! ever
/ handled with a rod. believe that the
brown trout will be found 10 be bet
ter fish. taking it all around, than our
own native foatindiis. The reasons for
this belief are: |. IL is OF quicker
growth; 2. 1t is gamier; 3. Except in
the breeding season, when the males
or Epntisahs are brilliantly colored, It is
fully a. handsome; T. From what can
learn incline to think il will bear wa
ter several degrees warmer than foa-
tisalis, and therefore il Is adapted 10 a
wider range. In the winter OF 1898 |
introduced the brown trout tSatDeo ~
rio) into America. The eggs were sent
TO me rs a personal present by the late
Baron won Behr, president Of the Ger
man Fishery Association. | had taken
the fish in the Black Forest, Germany,
and had told Herr won Behr that, II
opportunity offered, ! would introduce
il in America. Some anglers
have objected to the introduction Of
brown trout 10 our streams because
they grow too fast and might eventual.
ly kill our native fish. TO this | say:
Let 'em do 1t il they can and the fttest
will survive; but they can't do it. The
chubs. daee, pike. bass and other iishe.
have worked this game for centuries
before white angler wet line in an
American trout stream, and here We
. are! A trout is . caDnIbal when il gets
10 be three year. old. whether he is a
native American or sn adopted citizen,
and il Is only question of which tist
natures in the shortest time for the
Angler"
Mr.. Maiher has thus covered the
ground 80 thoroughly thst only wish
10 cite feE facts that have come IN
der my personal observation 10 sub
stAnfiAte his Arguments. Several year'
ago Mr.. CT. Ovis of Manchester, W.,
an authority on fishing and an enthnsi