Brown Trout Behaviour

[trailhead]

I tend to spend time along both rivers in Calgary and recently came upon a group of younger people wading down the Elbow. Turns out they were doing a brown trout redd count and I engaged with them and found out that they had not seen many in the stretch they were wading. I know the stretch and personally have not come across many fish there in the past. Then a few days later I was walking by the Bow and had seen redds on that stretch in the past and also observed fish on them. So I stopped to look and saw four big redds and counted 18 fish over top. That is the most I have ever seen in that spot. Nature is truly mysterious and I believe we have a limited understanding of all the factors in play.

[eagleflyfisher]

So I know rainbows in the spring and browns in the fall…

other than that have limited knowledge of what goes on.

I know some rainbows stay in the bow during spawn but a large percentage head up tribs.

i don’t know why some stay or go.

I know the waters on the bow below police fairly well as I live down there.

I saw many many washed off areas on some flats that I know as reds. This was a month back.

At this point a month back are the browns laying their eggs and getting fertilized?

Do the trout return to these reds and stay on them for a period of time ?

Where are the bull trout spawning ? Ones that live in the bow spawn in the bow ?

inquiring minds ….

[toolman]

Here is a link to Brown trout redd surveys completed on the lower Elbow river from 1980-2022. Very high redd counts in recent years. https://calgaryrivervalleys.org/annual-redd-count-2/

[DonAndersen]

Trout spawn in areas where there is typically upwelling springs. These springs tend to keep the  interspacial areas clear of debris in the redd thereby increasing egg survival. These upwellings are transient depending on upstream bottom configuration which  may vary from year to year.

 

Don

[monger]

Like Don said the fish are searching for places where the water is moving UP through the appropriately sized cobbles to provide the oxygen and favorable temps for the eggs to hatch. There can be a lot of competition for these high quality spots, especially in smaller streams.

Hopefully folks can respect what is happening and NOT fish for them. 

 

[FraserN]

I always thought it was kind of random where trout spawn, although for years and years the browns would spawn in the exact same places every year on the bow in Bowness. Right below a bridge in relatively shallow water with lots of gravel; an ideal spot. Then came this season, with the lowest flow in november, I have ever seen. Now, there are redds in the middle of the river, in the fastest flows. It is very interesting how the fish respond to changing conditions when it comes to behavior as important as producing the next generation of trout.

[monger]

A bit of overhead cover is often a welcome addition to picking a good spot (tree branches, bridges). The fish know they are pretty exposed to predators on the redds