Fishing?? shouldnt you know

winger7mm · #1 02-08-2012, 08:40 PM

Well this guy, what he told me last week is still bugging me. The lake in question holds pike, perch, brook trout, brown trout, rumors of burbot. I was just getting out on the ice as he was leaving. "hey have any luck???" the guy goes "had 3 pike on the ice and seen 2 brown trout" (the brown trout are far and few between on this lake) I said "brown trout?? really wow, what makes you so sure they were browns???" The guy gave a "uh duh" look to me and goes "easy the white tipped fins the spots and the bright pink/red sides".

I didnt say much after that. But the guy was sure he knew what he seen and what he was talking about. Now how can one call them selves a fisherman and not know how to tell the difference between species of fish let alone species that are SO different from each other.

winger7mm · #2 02-08-2012, 08:42 PM

Moral of the story, just like hunting know your species or you could end up in trouble. Yea I didnt correct him, but I was in no mood to argue about something so dumb that a guy who has never encountered any other trout but rainbows (me) knows the difference

BeeGuy · #3 02-08-2012, 10:47 PM

There was a poll last year which showed that only a small percentage of viewers on here could tell the difference between an atlantic SALMON and a brown trout.

I'd hazard to guess that the same issue applies to differentiating a char from a trout.

The reg's do a poor job in teaching the differences between species.

npauls · #4 02-08-2012, 10:53 PM

I don't get how you could get a brown and a brookie mixed up.

They look nothing alike and if you have checked out the regs to identify fish species you could easily see the differences.

Did you have any luck at said lake?

dragon · #5 02-09-2012, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by winger7mm

Well this guy, what he told me last week is still bugging me. The lake in question holds pike, perch, brook trout, brown trout, rumors of burbot. I was just getting out on the ice as he was leaving. "hey have any luck???" the guy goes "had 3 pike on the ice and seen 2 brown trout" (the brown trout are far and few between on this lake) I said "brown trout?? really wow, what makes you so sure they were browns???" The guy gave a "uh duh" look to me and goes "easy the white tipped fins the spots and the bright pink/red sides".

I didnt say much after that. But the guy was sure he knew what he seen and what he was talking about. Now how can one call them selves a fisherman and not know how to tell the difference between species of fish let alone species that are SO different from each other.

I don't know the difference between trout species and I call myself a fisherman. Granted I don't fish for them verry often.

although it sounds to me like this guy may not have listened, I would have personally appreciated a friendly correction. perhaps any tips you use to help identify them...?

BeeGuy · #6 02-09-2012, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dragon

I don't know the difference between trout species and I call myself a fisherman. Granted I don't fish for them verry often.

although it sounds to me like this guy may not have listened, I would have personally appreciated a friendly correction. perhaps any tips you use to help identify them...?

The leading edge of the ventral (bottom) fins on a char (laker, brookie, bull, dolly) are white.

perchie15 · #7 02-09-2012, 11:06 AM

Lol yeah he must of been pretty

or just some people dont know what looks like what.. tis like getting a walleye and saugar mixed up....??

TyreeUM · #8 02-09-2012, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeeGuy

There was a poll last year which showed that only a small percentage of viewers on here could tell the difference between an atlantic SALMON and a brown trout.

I'd hazard to guess that the same issue applies to differentiating a char from a trout.

The reg's do a poor job in teaching the differences between species.

yeah but these two fish species can almost look identical...

dkrhome · #9 02-09-2012, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by winger7mm

Well this guy, what he told me last week is still bugging me. The lake in question holds pike, perch, brook trout, brown trout, rumors of burbot. I was just getting out on the ice as he was leaving. "hey have any luck???" the guy goes "had 3 pike on the ice and seen 2 brown trout" (the brown trout are far and few between on this lake) I said "brown trout?? really wow, what makes you so sure they were browns???" The guy gave a "uh duh" look to me and goes "easy the white tipped fins the spots and the bright pink/red sides".

I didnt say much after that. But the guy was sure he knew what he seen and what he was talking about. Now how can one call them selves a fisherman and not know how to tell the difference between species of fish let alone species that are SO different from each other.

What...I though it was a dolphin...geez...I need to study more

BeeGuy · #10 02-09-2012, 05:38 PM

Superficially, yes.

But if you know how to identify them, then they are far from identical.

Length of jaw and pigmentation of the adipose fin are diagnostic.

Hardly any different than, "no black, put it back", for bull trout/lakers.

I think the toughest one in AB has to be cutties and bows.

commieboy · #11 02-09-2012, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeeGuy

There was a poll last year which showed that only a small percentage of viewers on here could tell the difference between an atlantic SALMON and a brown trout.

As an angler in Alberta, I see no reason for me to know what an Atlantic Salmon looks like. After doing a search on the two species, yes there are definitely similarities and I can see why an Albertan angler might make the mistake.

If I were to fish another province or country, I would definitely make time to familiarize myself with the species I might be encountering. But a poll from a website based in Alberta showing that there was poor recognition of a species not even found within our borders? This doesn't surprise or bother me. I have fished in Korea... can you identify all the ocean species found in the local waters?

The initial point stands, though. To not be able to identify species within your fishing territory is really unacceptable.

A friend of mine told me he caught a brook trout on the Bow in the Glenmore stretch and described it to me. After his first few words I was already suspecting he had never seen a brook trout and he'd caught a juvenile brown. He repeatedly insisted it was a brookie, and finally I showed him a picture of a brookie. "That's a brook trout? I've never seen anything like that before!" Well if you've never seen anything like that then why would you assume what you caught was a brook trout?! Sure enough, it was a juvenile brown. THe two don't even look remotely similar!

He's not allowed to fish with me anymore.

winger7mm · #12 02-09-2012, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dragon

I don't know the difference between trout species and I call myself a fisherman. Granted I don't fish for them verry often.

although it sounds to me like this guy may not have listened, I would have personally appreciated a friendly correction. perhaps any tips you use to help identify them...?

Well the white edged fins are all the identification you need for a brookie lol. Anytime I go to a lake iv never fished in I always find out what fish live in the lake. Its not hard the regs tell you what you are possibly in line to catch. In a lake its not overly important but in river systems such as the Athabasca river where almost every species of game fish live, its important to know the difference, keeps you out of trouble for poaching the rainbow that turns out to be a bull trout