The brown spawning season is in full swing here in Wyoming. At the tailout of a small side channel, I watched today as a massive buck (23-24") attended to his busy Betty. She dug at the redd while he chased off a smaller male who was hanging in the tailspill either looking to mate or scarf up some eggs. I could have easily caught the big male with a streamer, but that would have been wrong!!
Darker than the female, bigger and very aggressive, at one point he had the smaller male pinned in his jaws as the hen flipped on her side to kick gravel out of deposition area. I couldn't tell if they had spawned and she was covering her eggs or digging the redd itself.
In any case, it was fascinating to watch and I urge anglers to leave spawning trout to their business!
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| A beautiful brown on a parachute Adams! |
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So shineth a good deed! Interesting the male was bigger than the female. Usually it's the other way around, isn't it? Can I add that it's just as important to recognize a redd even after the adults have moved on? Walking through a redd crushes hundred of eggs with each step you take. We're thinking positive thoughts for you tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteThanks Doug, and I totally agree!! The eggs are vulnerable for a LONG time!!
ReplyDeleteMy rule is: If I think it's a redd, I stay off of it!