Identification Help - Arctic Char Or Brookie?

[Sparkplug]

Not an IT techie, so my apologies in advance if this post doesn't work, and for the poor quality photos.

 

However, I need some help identifying this fish - arctic char or brookie?

 

There were no vermiculations on its back, just spots (all yellow), and belly color was decidedly red.

 

Any thoughts? Thanks

 

 

[SilverDoctor]

Difficult to say without a better picture. Does look like a Dolly especially if no black spots or vermiculations it would take it away from being a brook trout, but I could be wrong

 

Check out this ID Chart

[angler]

I'd say no to Bullie - head too short, mouth too small. Not a brookie. So, prob arctic char.

Caught where.

[Dangus]

I'd say no to Bullie - head too short, mouth too small. Not a brookie. So, prob arctic char.

Caught where.

Dolly varden have smaller jaws than bull trout

[Dangus]

This is a decent little summary but pictures kinda suck

http://drowningworms.com/arctic-char-vs-dolly-varden-vs-bull-trout-vs-salmon-differences/

 

Gonna vote dolly with this one

[Villageidiot]

Brook. Vermiculation's along its sides, square tail and overall shape. Bulls, dolly's and arctic char dont exhibit that shape or patterns.

[McLeod]

Brook Trout

[Swede]

Dam near looks like a fresh sea run brookie to me.

[danhunt]

Looks like a fat and sassy brookie to me.

[Sparkplug]

Difficult to say without a better picture. Does look like a Dolly especially if no black spots or vermiculations it would take it away from being a brook trout, but I could be wrong

 

Check out this ID Chart

 

Thanks Lornce, I hadn't thought about a Dolly until you mentioned it. A zoom-in on the original photos shows no black spots on the dorsal fin. In looking into Dolly vs. A/C, I found that Dollies generally have (i) smaller spots than A/C's, (ii) thicker caudal peduncle (body "connection" to tail), and (iii) less forked tail than an A/C.

 

So looks to me like a Dolly.

[bowbonehead]

Not an expert in these things ie professional but a very large Splake comes to mind

[monger]

Alberta caught fish?

[FraserN]

I'll go with Brook trout. I think I can see black marks on the dorsal fin in one of the pics. Amazing catch!

[McLeod]

Thanks Lornce, I hadn't thought about a Dolly until you mentioned it. A zoom-in on the original photos shows no black spots on the dorsal fin. In looking into Dolly vs. A/C, I found that Dollies generally have (i) smaller spots than A/C's, (ii) thicker caudal peduncle (body "connection" to tail), and (iii) less forked tail than an A/C.

 

So looks to me like a Dolly.

 

Can you give us a general idea of where it was caught as that would narrow it down. I have caught many splake and its not a splake.

 

I still say a Brookie but I am unable to zoom in on the coloration.

[bowbonehead]

I still say its a large splake as they get this coloration with size and it has the same markings on its upper sides of a laker ..... just my opinion.... and I too have caught a few including similar looking fish

[Flyfisher]

Did it come out of a system having brookies and bull trout? Could be a hybrid of the two. If not likely a splake if lakers and brookies present in system.

[Sparkplug]

Caught in a man-made pond in S Alberta. History has it that the pond and surrounding land used to be private ranchlands long ago, and owner at that time may have stocked this pond with these things, whatever they are. No way for them to get in/out of this pond naturally. I still like Lornce's thought re Dolly Vardens. As best I can tell from the original photos, no black spots on the dorsal fin, so not likely a Brookie.

[SilverDoctor]

Whenou buy fry for stocking sometimes the odd one that gets mixed in from another batch.

[Villageidiot]

Caught in a man-made pond in S Alberta. History has it that the pond and surrounding land used to be private ranchlands long ago, and owner at that time may have stocked this pond with these things, whatever they are. No way for them to get in/out of this pond naturally. I still like Lornce's thought re Dolly Vardens. As best I can tell from the original photos, no black spots on the dorsal fin, so not likely a Brookie.

Black vermiculations aren't the for sure tell tale sign of a brook trout. Night pictures aren't helping but fairly certain there are the faint vermiculations on the bottom of its dorsal. Vermiculations on its sides are clearly visible and very square tail give pretty good indication that its a brook trout.

[Dangus]

Fairly similar to this guy.

https://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/FactSheet.aspx?speciesID=939

 

However, I think those vermiculations are questionable, as it looks like pixelation to me--especially on the adipose area of the lower photo.

[bowbonehead]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjNaGVMHqe0 Look familiar

[jgib01]

This is way more entertaining than the vice/vise debate on the other forum.

[Dangus]

Bbh...what about the lack of fork in the tail ?

[SilverDoctor]

That settles it, its the elusive Jackalope in spawning colors.

[bowbonehead]

I think the characteristics are really a matter of whether this is a naturally occurring cross although rare of a male brookie and a female laker or in the case of a hatchery induced backcross of a male splake and a female lake trout which would show more laker characteristics being 75% laker and 25% brook trout which is commonly used for stocking purposes as splake tend to grow much quicker than either of their parents. At the end of the day a cool looking fish as is the Tiger trout which I have yet to catch