Brookies in Kettle - Stocked or Wild?

[Prospector]

I’m creating this thread to allow folks to post photos of brookies so we can all participate in evaluating.

For now this is my control group. All of these brookies were caught by me (in 2024) coming off the mountain from McConnell Road and in the vicinity of dry brook. It was in the first few northern most pools that could sustain a trout in the Hammersley system. They are wild.

 

[Prospector]

Here are some others for comparison. These are from various places along Kettle in 2023.

 

[Shawn_H]

They are wild fish. They don’t stock brook trout there. Plus the parr marks and size

 

[Prospector]

Here’s my last group. I think these are from 2021.

 

[Prospector]

They are wild fish. They don’t stock brook trout there. Plus the parr marks and size

I agree that no one should be putting brook trout in Kettle, but there is a dramatic difference from the vivid colors in my control group.

 

[Skook]

I agree that no one should be putting brook trout in Kettle, but there is a dramatic difference from the vivid colors in my control group.

Caught at the same time of year?

 

[Swattie87]

They’re all wild.

 

[Shawn_H]

I agree that no one should be putting brook trout in Kettle, but there is a dramatic difference from the vivid colors in my control group.

Well colors can vary a lot based on time of year and even the stream. And even photo/lighting. Most of those are nicely colored esp. the more mature ones. And look at the fins. I mean I really can’t imagine anyone is stocking 5 inch fish with parr marks. But of course there is no way to be certain. The state is def not stocking them. As someone mentioned in one of these threads I’m sure time of year would impact how many wild brook trout you find in certain areas - they likely move upstream or into tribs as it warms.

 

[Shawn_H]

As an aside - those brookies were driving me nuts when I was up there recently - so many last second refusals.

 

[Prospector]

Caught at the same time of year?

Yes, within a few weeks each year. The control group is from June 4 2024. The second group is from 2022 (May 21 and June 6). The third group is from 2021 (May 22 & June 6).

 

[Cznymph]

I agree that no one should be putting brook trout in Kettle, but there is a dramatic difference from the vivid colors in my control group.

The majority of the bright and vivid colored fish are males.

 

[caddisflyer]

I cannot speak to wild or stocked from photos but as of about 5 years ago they were still stocking large numbers of Brook Trout in Kettle. The trout were stocked by a private club. I caught many, all the same size and pale coloration. The guy at Kettle Creek fly shop told me about the stocking of them. I have not fished there in 5 years now so I do not know current status. The ones I caught were in the 8 or 9 inch range.
I caught many behind the Wagon Wheel cabins but also up and down from there. Also lot's at Leidy Bridge area. I have no doubt they were stocked.

 

[troutbert]

I cannot speak to wild or stocked from photos but as of about 5 years ago they were still stocking large numbers of Brook Trout in Kettle. The trout were stocked by a private club. I caught many, all the same size and pale coloration. The guy at Kettle Creek fly shop told me about the stocking of them. I have not fished there in 5 years now so I do not know current status. The ones I caught were in the 8 or 9 inch range.
I caught many behind the Wagon Wheel cabins but also up and down from there. Also lot's at Leidy Bridge area. I have no doubt they were stocked.

Quite a few years ago, probably around the late 1990s or early 2000s, we also caught them near the Wagon Wheel cabins and up and down from there.

My fishing buddy thought they were wild brookies. It's easy to be fooled, because their fins were pretty good. That's often the case with stockies from small hatcheries.

Do you know what club is stocking them? I recall that someone mentioned the name of the club when this topic was discussed a few years ago.

 

[caddisflyer]

Quite a few years ago, probably around the late 1990s or early 2000s, we also caught them near the Wagon Wheel cabins and up and down from there.

My fishing buddy thought they were wild brookies. It's easy to be fooled, because their fins were pretty good. That's often the case with stockies from small hatcheries.

Do you know what club is stocking them? I recall that someone mentioned the name of the club when this topic was discussed a few years ago.

I do not know the name of club. The Tackle shop guy also stocks fish in Kettle. I do not know where he gets the fish either. Possibly from same hatchery?

 

[dryflyguy]

I do not know the name of club. The Tackle shop guy also stocks fish in Kettle. I do not know where he gets the fish either. Possibly from same hatchery?

Phil at Kettle Creek tackle?

I seem to recall hearing of a Tamarack sportsmen's club in that area

 

[madifly]

Potter County Anglers did/still does stock Kettle.

 

[wildtrout2]

I do not know the name of club. The Tackle shop guy also stocks fish in Kettle. I do not know where he gets the fish either. Possibly from same hatchery?

If the state stocks Kettle, I don't get why it also has to be stocked by private interests? Especially, when you really don't know what's being put in there.

 

[Cznymph]

Potter County Anglers did/still does stock Kettle.

They no longer stock kettle, and also no longer raise brook trout as a result testing positive for gill lice several years back.

 

[caddisflyer]

Speaking of the quality of fishing overall I think it declined. Not talking about wild fish just the stocked. I suspect a lot of the bigger trout stocked were from the private stockings. One reason I liked it up there was the average fish were decent sized plus all the bugs. It makes sense that the private stockings ended or slowed because the last two years I went all I caught were scrawny and very average state stocked trout.

 

[The_Sasquatch]

The difference in color wouldn't necessarily lead me to think a lot of those fish weren't wild. The presence of par marks-as far as I understand it-is also not an indicator of wild or stocked, but more-so an indicator of age?

What would lead me to lean one way or another would be the general location of where on Kettle I caught the fish. I haven't fished Kettle below Ole Bull in quite a few years, but we used to catch those types of brookies somewhat often back then. 2014 mighta been the last time I fished down through that area, and I caught two at least. The person I was with told me they were privately stocked as well.