Lots of people automatically assume all brown trout in our waters are German browns.
This not correct.
Brown trout were brought to the United States by European settlers in the holds of ships. The adult fish were no brought. The eggs were brought as food stuffs in big wooden barrels with a covering of water and moss to keep them fresh and cool. When the passengers got hungry, they reached in to the barrels and scooped out a handful of eggs and eat them as is. When the settlers arrived they saw that the area looked a lot like their homelands and put the eggs in to locals streams and that is how BROWN trout were brought here by settlers. They are not a native species.
There are 2 strains of browns brought here originally. One is from Scotland and specifically from one lake there. It was lake “Loch” number eleven “Leven”. The strain from Scotland are called Loch Leven Browns. Loch Leven browns are typically longer and skinnier than their German cousins. They have fewer spots and do not have red spots.
Trout with classic “Loch Leven” characteristics
The German brown trout is a little heavier and has red spots mixed in with the blackish brown spots.
Trout with classic “German” Brown characteristics
Through the years the 2 strains have intermingled and it is hard to say that this a German or this is a Scottish brown. They sometimes have traits that look like their ancestors. The only true way of telling which country the trout are from is check to see which is wearing “Lederhosen” and which has a “Kilt” on.
