Time To Watch Out For Those Redds!!!

[SilverDoctor]

Well we’re into October, how time creeps up on you, with the leaves changing out there to their great fall colors the Brown trout are also putting on their best display clothes. They’re getting ready for the fall spawn. The typical time for Browns generally is Mid Oct through Nov so heads up.

 

Those of you who know the bow and it’s seasons will be well aware of the dangers of disrupting spawning fish and wading through spawning beds. Remember these are future generations of trout, if we disrupt this process, it is bad Etiquette and irresponsible. I make a conscious effort to avoid these areas this time of year.

 

For those of you that have not encountered this before on streams and rivers I’ll describe what to look for. The riffles and gravel beds look like they've been cleaned of their normal coating and look a lot 'whiter', usually these are in a round to tear drop shape, with it being dug out at the top end and a pile of gravel at the bottom end. These Redds will look like someone just cleaned all the rocks and gravel. Somewhere around 20" wide and 3 feet long, it varies. The pile of rocks at the tail outs is often covered with eggs.

 

Watch before you wade! Be on the lookout and avoid stepping on them, particularly downstream of them (remember the tails often contain the eggs covered by gravel, the hole at the upstream end is where the gravel is from, not necessarily where the eggs are). If you see spawning activity in an area or think you see redds, avoid the area, because there very well may be a bunch of Redds that are tough to see.

 

I've seen Redds in less than 1 foot to over 4 feet of water, I believe its more to do with the fish finding the right bottom structure that is the right sub straight with smaller pea gravel under a bit larger rocks, this with a combination of the right type of moving water and perhaps water temp in a given area are certainly common factors that I see. Watching browns spawn over the years the females after digging rounded saucer-shaped nests in the clean gravel that lines the bottom then deposit their eggs covering them with a few tail digs.

 

Fishermen who drag their anchor at times to slow a drifting boat will destroy any egg nest the anchor is dragged through. The same will happen with the passage of drift boats, rafts and canoes, even sliding over the Redds, will be harmful.

Please exercise some stewardship, we should act as guardians and treat those area's gently. Its so easy to spook Brown’s off there redds and destroy a spawning run. So light cleared patches of gravel and rocks... stay well away from the areas and give them a very wide berth.

 

 

I’m posting pictures of a couple reds below, they are not always so obvious. If there are any biologists I would welcome comments. Also if anyone has additional pictures they could post please do.

 

Thank you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Harps]

Thanks for the reminder!!

Brook trout should be on Redds right now (getting started), so watch out in those small streams (except Taco who will drag his feet through them).

Bulls are also on redds now (or just about done).

 

 

Here are a couple of older picts (sorry, no time to dig for betters)

 

Bulls:

 

Brookies:

 

Browns:

 

Rainbows:

 

CutBows:

 

 

[Taco]

Brook trout are brush spawners, if you catch a water rat huck'm in the bush to help them reproduce

[SteveM]

Brook trout are brush spawners, if you catch a water rat huck'm in the bush to help them reproduce

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

 

[monger]

Browns digging by the zoo last weekend

[headscan]

Saw a lot of browns on redds today and sadly lots of guys fishing over them - both gear and fly fishers.

[wingshooter]

I saw some brookies spawning in many of the small creeks in the foothills. I wasn't fishing just observing.

 

What I did observe is two guys in a (crestliner camo jet boat with a Merc) on the Red Deer dragging their anchor through an area where the whitefish and browns have been know to spawn. I even asked them if thay had seen the whitefish and they said they had, but continued to make 4 passes dragging their anchor through that area. There are signs right by the boat launch stating this fact. I guess some people are above respecting nature.

 

I hope they have many fishless days in the future...........

[DaveJensen]

One scene of the males chasing each other around from last fall to open this vid, otherwise here's some footage we put together from this last week out west. Funny, haven't had a rod in hand on these streams in 7 visits now. Just out for some vid. Oh, and it's much clearer hitting the HD button too.

Cheers

Dave & Amelia

[Gaffer]

One scene of the males chasing each other around from last fall to open this vid, otherwise here's some footage we put together from this last week out west. Funny, haven't had a rod in hand on these streams in 7 visits now. Just out for some vid. Oh, and it's much clearer hitting the HD button too.

Cheers

Dave & Amelia

 

Great footage. Definately some great camera & stalking skills.

 

Andrew

 

[ericlin0122]

One scene of the males chasing each other around from last fall to open this vid, otherwise here's some footage we put together from this last week out west. Funny, haven't had a rod in hand on these streams in 7 visits now. Just out for some vid. Oh, and it's much clearer hitting the HD button too.

Cheers

Dave & Amelia

amazing video! Thanks for sharing.