Tiger Trout!

[AaronJasper]

What a great send off as I head back to work tomorrow. I went fishing with good friends Torrey and Oscar. The fishing was on fire and we all caught more than our fair share of nice brown trout as well as two exotic Tiger Trout. Oscar and I were lucky enough to catch one each. These fish were amazing, the colors and markings were stunning. I fished this stream since I was 7 and have not caught any! My guess is that they are in fact wild! You guys can decide. Off to work tomorrow after an extremely enjoyable summer.
<table style="width:194px;"><tr><td align="center" style="height:194px;background:url(http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/tran...background.gif) no-repeat left"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/troutpre...dwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_kcAfFsgRnZU/Sp...igerTrout.jpg" width="160" height="160" style="margin:1px 0 0 4px;"></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center;font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/troutpre...=embedwebsite" style="color:#4D4D4D;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;">Tiger Trout</a></td></tr></table>

[Flyfisher]

Nice looking trout! those bastards fight like hell from my experience with them.

[LopatNympher]

First time that I've ever seen one. What a beautiful fish!

[BritSteve]

Same, that's one neat looking fish

[alanb_ct]

I also think they are wild. That stream seems like the best possible habitat for that to occur. Lots of wild browns in the main steam, plus ample small cold tribs full of brookies. It seems like a union between a female brown and a male brook trout could naturally occur, although this hybridization is extremely rare in nature. If it was more common, each species would quickly lose its identity, and this has not happened. Thanks for the beautiful pictures. I caught several small tigers last year on the Farmington, but they were certainly stocked there.

[steve z]

[quote author=alanb_ct link=topic=3522.msg26423#msg26423 date=1251852377]although this hybridization is extremely rare in nature. If it was more common, each species would quickly lose its identity, and this has not happened.
[/quote]

From my understanding, Tiger Trout are like any other hybrid species. For all intensive purposes they cannot reproduce.

[AaronJasper]

Steve,

you are right. They cannot reproduce. How has the Farmington been?have you been there lately? Also, I know that we all want to see that crazy dry fly!

[Davyfly]

It is possible that there was a natural reproduction but as Alan states it would be a very rare occurance.
Other than that it may well be that fish or eggs got mixed up in the hatchery, which is also often the case.
Check out to see if the hatchery that stocks that river also raises tigers. That would confirm one way or the other.

DW

[FishyboY]

wow that is such a cool fish. I have heard of them before but never caught one!

[steve z]

[quote author=AaronJasper link=topic=3522.msg26617#msg26617 date=1252459509]
Steve,

you are right. They cannot reproduce. How has the Farmington been?have you been there lately? Also, I know that we all want to see that crazy dry fly!
[/quote]

It's been slow for me. Been buried with work so I can't get up there everyday like usual (tough life). Happy to show you the fly anytime.