Spinner = only male trout in spring?

[SmallStreams]

Looking at my records for the past couple years, it seems that I've only been catching male trout with spinners in the spring (Apr, May, Jun). I'm wondering if any one else has experienced the same phenomenon?

If there were females amongst my catch, then they're totally void of eggs and I've mistakenly identified the fish as male.

I'll also add that I target Willamette Valley cutthroat and/or rainbows in the streams for the most part during the spring.

 

[Modest_Man]

Kind of an obvious question, but how are you sexing them? Killing and cleaning them? Visually? Are you sure it's not your methods that are giving you false results is what I'm trying to get at.

I'm assuming it's visually and sexing trout can be pretty tough visually especially smaller and immature fish.

 

[SmallStreams]

Identification made by killing, cleaning, and subsequent dinner. Fish are mature (typically 10"-12") and I'm used to spotting the eggs when I clean. Starting in July and going through Sep, the numbers of female trout caught swing back to 50-50 balance compared to male.

I've seen small eggs in largish females in July and noticed how the eggs are even larger by the time Sep rolls around.

 

[chris61182]

The true trouts (as opposed to char) are spring spawners, so I would guess you are catching them just-post spawn.

 

[Mad dog]

The true trouts (as opposed to char) are spring spawners, so I would guess you are catching them just-post spawn.

Brown trout are fall spawners!

 

[TTFishon]

Brown trout are fall spawners!

How long does it take for the eggs to mature for spawning? I caught a female brown a month ago that had eggs but they were pretty small.

And for chris61182. I've caught rainbows in the dead of summer that were full of eggs. I also read once that trout spawn in the spring and fall.

 

[Mad dog]

How long does it take for the eggs to mature for spawning? I caught a female brown a month ago that had eggs but they were pretty small.

And for chris61182. I've caught rainbows in the dead of summer that were full of eggs. I also read once that trout spawn in the spring and fall.

TT, I assume you are talking about Wickiup browns? Wickiup browns are primarily October spawners, but I'm sure they spawn in early Nov. as well. Most Brown trout spawn from early Oct. through early Nov.

I catch summer steelhead all the time with Immature roe during June and July....most of those fish won't spawn until late winter, I think most fish can carry Immature roe skiens for months....I think they develope quickly come spawning season.

 

[chris61182]

Brown trout are fall spawners!

Browns are from the genus Salmo, not Oncorhynchus.

It's also worth noting that Brookies, Bulls, and Lake Trout aren't trout either, they're char from the genus Salvelinus.

 

[TTFishon]

TT, I assume you are talking about Wickiup browns? Wickiup browns are primarily October spawners, but I'm sure they spawn in early Nov. as well. Most Brown trout spawn from early Oct. through early Nov.

I catch summer steelhead all the time with Immature roe during June and July....most of those fish won't spawn until late winter, I think most fish can carry Immature roe skiens for months....I think they develope quickly come spawning season.

Yep, Wickiup browns. That's where I caught the rainbow in the middle of the summer with eggs too.

 

[SmallStreams]

How about if I rephrase my question:

For cutthroat and rainbow trout, does your catch have eggs in April, May, or June?

[edit after seeing TTFishOn's reply]
And what did you use to catch the trout?

 

[TTFishon]

How about if I rephrase my question:

For cutthroat and rainbow trout, does your catch have eggs in April, May, or June?

I caught some bows June 4th that had eggs.

 

[Modest_Man]

Well if they're wild stock they usually spawn in spring. All these hatchery fish getting tossed in the mix and the spawning cycles have gotten screwed up as there are some fall spawning populations of rainbow trout, and they've been mixed into the hatchery bloodlines, which have then crossed with wild fish.

I can't say what the sexes are of the fish I catch in rivers and streams as they're wild fish and I let them go to grow and spawn, and I have a very hard time distinguishing visually the sexes. If I'm going to keep trout I'll keep planters.

 

[Born2Fish55]

Browns are from the genus Salmo, not Oncorhynchus.

It's also worth noting that Brookies, Bulls, and Lake Trout aren't trout either, they're char from the genus Salvelinus.

Ah, yes, the truth is out there....