Lopatcong Creek 8-14

[LopatNympher]

So I am at home bored out of my skull. Its 6:45 PM and I decide to hit the creek for a few minutes. I walked down sans waders knowing there were probably about 2 or 3 spots I could fish without getting my feet wet. And then I remembered the springpool. It was half grown over with that floating algae, you know the kind that mats on the surface. I did notice that a small current was going through the 2 foot deep pool and it made a sort of u-shape in the algae. I crept up slowly on my knees and dropped my caddis larva ever so softly into the u. As soon a it hit the bootom there was a dark green flash and my rod started to bend. I set the hook and the fish pulled my line farther under the mat. After about 5 minutes (or so it seemed) I managed to pull him out from under the mat and lift him into the grass. This was the darkest trout I ever caught and probably the second largest I've caught in my little creek. Here he is:

On a side note, I caught a simialr fish in that pool last year but he was much smaller. I am wondering if this could be the same guy as there is really no way for a fish that size to get in or out of there. What do you think?

[mike734]

beautiful fish there Lopat

[Walshmiko]

Why do some of the trout Turn that color blackish? I have seen this before but never actually caught one..They really stick out like sore thumbs with clear water

[BlackLabel]

You answer your own question when you said they would stand out in clear water. Lopat mentioned the section over river was covered in algae so the trout was blending in to its envoirment.

[LopatNympher]

That's right Nick, besides the cover there was a dark green weed growing from the bottom. I'm betting this fish is getting fat on scuds.

[AaronJasper]

I would guess that the darked color is a more normal coloration of the fish. I think that they are pale because of the hatchery. The trout in the Madison and most other rivers are darker in spite of lighter color bottoms. You also have to keep in mind that those fish don't belong in that stream so as my granpa would say, "that's just mother nature's way of weeding them out!"

[AaronJasper]

Oh we will be! I would guess that the darked color is a more normal coloration of the fish. I think that they are pale because of the hatchery. The trout in the Madison and most other rivers are darker in spite of lighter color bottoms. You also have to keep in mind that those fish don't belong in that stream so as my granpa would say, "that's just mother nature's way of weeding them out!"

[BlackLabel]

Did you have a little phone posting moment Aaron?

I know other fish such as bass will change color to blend into its surroundings. Trout do not do this?

[LopatNympher]

Yeah but I don't think this is a hatchery fish.

[LopatNympher]

Nevermind, i misread Aaron's post.