Stockie debate - rainbows vrs. browns.

SeaFields

Just had this argument in a tackle shop and again with my father when I got home...

I believe there is no difference between brownies and rainbows in terms of quality. I would even go as far as to say that rainbows seem to adapt better to a stocked environment and are a better fighting fish as a result. Maybe years ago when the first started to be stocked they may have been an inferior fish but these days with better fish farming and selective breeding (say for example triploids) they can provide a great days fishing which isnt at the expense of our natural, wild fish.

I chat with other anglers that seem to be under the impression that brownies are a far superior fish in terms of quality. I personally believe that this is all 'in the head'. We spend our days chasing wild brownies in streams and rivers so catching a monster brownie (albeit in a stocked lake) seems to make some people get all excited. I'd see the stocked brownie as being no more superior than the rainbow.

Whats the general consensus here?

experimenter

I would love to see rainbows in a river environment, I gather you can get steel-head rainbows which are suppose to be extreme sport to fly anglers.

I would think it's the environment that differentiates between how better the fish fights and to me, the river brownies have produced my preferred sport.

fontanalis

experimenter wrote: »

I would love to see rainbows in a river environment, I gather you can get steel-head rainbows which are suppose to be extreme sport to fly anglers.

I would think it's the environment that differentiates between how better the fish fights and to me, the river brownies have produced my preferred sport.

The problem with rainbows in rivers is that they tend to eat eggs of other fish and can take a toll on native species.
A good quality, over wintered grown on rainbow is an amazing fish.

ironbluedun

Without a doubt the rainbow has a place in Irish angling, they provide good sport and enjoyment for those who like to fish for them, and I think that’s a very good thing.
But we can not compare rainbows to wild brown trout, as they are quite different fish in many ways. It may be more accurate to compare rainbows to stocked brown trout.


Some prefer to fish for wild brown trout and some prefer to fish for rainbows, that’s fishing just enjoy it whatever species you prefer to fish for.

aidanf

I think Seafields was comparing stocked browns to stocked rainbows.

I'd much rather catch a wild brown than a stockie whether it be brown or rainbow. In fact, I'd rather catch an 8-ounce wild brown on light tackle than a 3 or 4lb stockie on bigger tackle.

But if you're just comparing stocked browns to stocked rainbows I have thought that stocked rainbows generally give much better sport, being more active and better fighters..

bayliner

i wouldnt swap a good wild brownie for a rainbow, but a stockie well the rainbow gives a better fight from what i have seen, had a wild brownie almost 4lb last week and no rainbow could come close to it for me! beaut of a fish and watchin it swim to the depths after release was as enjoyable as hooking into it! i dont think a rainbow would give me the same pleasure... but thats just me:)

ironbluedun

bayliner wrote: »

i wouldnt swap a good wild brownie for a rainbow

Nor would i.

coolwings

It is like comparing apples and oranges.
I like both for their own qualities but in different ways.
The rainbow is faster on the move, and the runs are very exciting.
But the brown is harder to catch (in my opinion) and I experience a bigger high when I get a good one.

I have been impressed with triploid rainbows fighting prowess (like hooking into a railway locomotive with fins!). But we now have triploid browns available, so I wonder how they will turn out in coming years.

experimenter

Just to let you know, I was talking to Dermot at Rathcon Fisheries in GrangeCon, Co Wicklow a few weeks back and he is planning to stock steel-head rainbows in the lake. I think he mentioned that it would be the only fishery in the South to have such fish...

I was doing a bit of research and they seem quite challenging fighters.

rpmcmurphy

experimenter wrote: »

Just to let you know, I was talking to Dermot at Rathcon Fisheries in GrangeCon, Co Wicklow a few weeks back and he is planning to stock steel-head rainbows in the lake. I think he mentioned that it would be the only fishery in the South to have such fish...

I was doing a bit of research and they seem quite challenging fighters.

Im confused, are steelhead rainbows not the migratory version of rainbow trout? If so how to you source them as surely they are born or in this case bred (i presume they are farm reared and not caught first) as ordinary rainbows that "decide" to undergo osmosis and head into saline waters. Its like saying they are intending to stock sea trout into the fishery.

fontanalis

Steel head in a fresh water fishery seems to be a marketing ploy to me. Basically steelheads are a sea run rainbow, and it seems a bit of a mystery what gives them the urge to go to sea. Some of the population do and some don't. Apparently in the past brood stock from the Kamloops region of Canada was used and these were a sea run strain.
The great lakes of the US have a steel head run; a steel head strain was used to stock streams and the sea run urge kicked in and the fish swam down stream, instead of hitting salt water like they would in their native range they hit the great lakes and more or less adopted the same life cycle as a sea run rainbow. A bit like a dollaghan in Lough Neagh.

A bity of info on rainbows.
http://www.nativetroutflyfishing.com/troutandsalmon.htm

experimenter

All I know is that he is getting them from the North of Ireland.

SeaFields

Thanks for replies lads. I suppose the general consensus was with me own thinking so.

Wouldn't mind chancing my arm at those stealheads. I heard before that some fisheries were trying to bring in stocked salmon but that they hit a legal hitch as they would have to have a closed season if they did.

I'm a great fan of the stockies and the stockie lakes. I think they have a great role in taking pressure off our native, wild stocks. I was out last week and counted upwards of 15 other anglers on the lake the same day. That is probably 15 rods that were not fishing for wild fish as result.

ironbluedun

SeaFields wrote: »

I'm a great fan of the stockies and the stockie lakes. I think they have a great role in taking pressure off our native, wild stocks. I was out last week and counted upwards of 15 other anglers on the lake the same day. That is probably 15 rods that were not fishing for wild fish as result.

i agree the stockie lakes provide a great amenity. but i am not so sure about taking the pressure off wild fisheries, there is still a huge demand for wild brown trout fishing and if anything on the major trout fisheries, that demand is more than ever now.

coolwings

The managed fisheries have taught many people how to fly fish, and also how to return their catch. These are two very good achievements.
On the downside, people (I'm including myself in this!) tend to find low stock density wild brown trout very very difficult after much time spent fishing for rainbows in a high stock density water.

Zzippy

Never really fished much for stockies, but I've caught wild rainbows up to 18lbs on a 6 wt single hand rod, and my honest opinion is they were the hardest fighting fish, even the smaller ones (7-10lbs), that I've ever had on a rod. Fought much harder and more acrobatically than any salmon I've hooked. Can't see why a good quality stocked rainbow that's acclimatised to the environment its been stocked in and is feeding well wouldn't fight just as hard as a brownie...

Daroxtar

I find stocked browns a bit sluggish compared to stocked rainbows. However I've caught browns that survived over winter and they were great fish the following year. I've also caught Rainbows that were very dissapointing, just lolling around on the surface. I think it just depends on the day and the fish.
Wild Brownies beat Stocked Rainbows pound for pound any day, i'd say you have to double the size to get the same fight and even then its a completely different feeling. The Brownie just goes nuts:D


Regarding Triploid Rainbows and Steelheads, I'd like to see the documentary proof in some of the places that are claiming to have them. I'm not saying they dont have them but its a bit of a buzzword that stirs up interest.


Now I do know that Lough Owel was recently stocked with Triploid Brown trout supplied from the fish farm nearby, some of which were tagged as part of an experiment/survey into the growth rates of fish in the lake. A friend of mine was down there a short while back and he said lads were taking absolutely silly amounts of them out with spinners so thats the experiment probably fckd

Link---- http://www.midlandangling.com/features/triploid-brown-trout-stocked-into-lough-owel