Mystery Trout

[joetucker803]

joetucker/ beerman, back from the grave here after almost a decade long hiatus. So I caught this fish a while back, and no one, not even fish and wildlife can give me an accurate answer as to what it is.

I caught this from Knuppenburg Lake, located on White Pass (highway 12), just west of the summit. In the past I have caught brook trout, rainbow trout and brown trout from here. This doesn't even remotely look like any of these species. I got a picture and let it go, thinking it may have been a Dolly....? If anyone out there has a clue as to what kind of trout this is, I'm eager to here from you.

Thanks!

[Bobberdownchromer]

Brook trout?

[losaturn]

Brown. Definitely not a rainbow, and it lacks the worm like marking on its fins like a brook trout.

[joetucker803]

The circles and spots are representative of Brown, for sure, I'd just never seen a brown with this overall skin color, silverish... I was just trying to rule out Bull trout/ Dolly....

[jd39]

How big was it? Looks like it still has parr marks, could it not have its adult markings yet?
Also looks like it could be a char/trout hybrid but I don't know if that's even possible.

[joetucker803]

12-13 inches.

[losaturn]

I've caught Dollies while targeting salmon in rivers, and I can't recall ever seeing spots on their gill plates.

[The Quadfather]

joetucker/ beerman, back from the grave here after almost a decade long hiatus.!

Joe/ AKA Beerman.... (Yakima butcher, if I recall)
Ah... Sir! Do you remember me? I sent you a large plastic cylinder with some rods. (I also stuffed it with some "Beverages", LOL)

Very cool to see you back online here. Sorry, I have know idea what to call your trout. It is indeed an oddball looking fish, at least to me.
Spring is upon us, waters are warming. Please stay active on the website. I spend a lot of time in the Cle Elum area and out towards Canyon river road, (Yakima river) Have to get some tips from you, sometime.

> Chris

[joetucker803]

Holy Carp!!!!!

THAT'S RIGHT!! You are the guy that sent me the badass sturgeon rod, with some micro brews. That seems like a lifetime ago. I have used the rod for it's intended purpose, bank fishing the Columbia. I've caught all sorts of things on rod, including a huge crab that damn near pinched my toe off while surf fishing on Long Beach. I'll try to stay more in touch these days. Life got intense, bought a house, family things, etc. I just lost all contact with the group, my apologies. Glad you guys are welcoming me back so kindly.

[BrookieBrains]

How big was it? Looks like it still has parr marks, could it not have its adult markings yet?
Also looks like it could be a char/trout hybrid but I don't know if that's even possible.

Char/trout hybrids are possible, but they aren't commonly found naturally. Tiger trout are a good example of an intergeneric hybrid and both of the parent species are found in the lake Joe was fishing in (Welcome back!). However, this does not look like a hybrid to me and it certainly isn't a brookie as the reticulations on the fins are absent. I'm thinking this is just an unusually colored brown trout, but I am no expert.


Oh cool, I just realized this was my first post here!

John

[Bodofish]

Hey Beerman! Good to see you still kicking!

The fish, definitely European, On the East side of the hill both Browns and Tigers have been planted. Possible check with WDFW to see what's been dropped in there. It's tough to tell till they get a little older and their jaws really develop along with adult coloring. I'd be leaning Brown as I'm not sure there's much infestation in the lakes up 410.

[schu7498]

I would guess it to be an odd colored brown trout. The lake is stocked with browns. And looking at the picture closely, its fins are stunted from what I would assume is from being raised in a hatchery. Its pelvic fins seem to be almost completely eaten away.

[hein19]

Did it taste good?

[joetucker803]

Naw, I released it... But I'm leaning towards your suggestions on an off colored Brown, seeing that they stock Knuppenburg with Browns on a yearly basis. Thanks for the feedback guys.