Can you identify this fish?

[WinterrunRon]

Not certain what this is. Anyone know?

[Darian]

Kinda looks like a sea-run Brown or maybe some sort of pen raised Salmonid (an escapee perhaps )

[jbird]

Definitly a brown to my eyes. Nice fish!

Jay

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

They have had Brown Trout in the Nimbus fish hatchery on the lower American River.

They get some on the Trinity River too.

They get some on the lower Feather River.

Veteran local fly fisher Walt Bennett said many years back he saw some Browns caught on the lower American River near Gristmill/Herrington access.

That looks like it could be a Brown trout? I have seen thousand of Halfpounder Steelhead (sea-run Rainbow trout) in this river for over 40 years and that just looks different. The head is different too.

It also does look a little like an Atlantic Salmon?

[Ed Wahl]

Looks like a brown alright. Did that come out of the American? Ed

[JT]

That definitely looks like a brown to me. How big was it? It's kinda hard to tell in the picture.

[Jgoding]

I'm going to say brown, from the Trinity.... Or could it really be an actual specimen of the almighty elusive American River brown...

[David Lee]

Nice little Brownie .

The rock doesn't look like one outta the American though .....

I've heard rumors of Sea-Run Browns in the A for the past 15 or so years . Every person that shares these tales has yet to provide a photo for me to see , so it's all jive 'till I catch one .

A related idea here - why not stock a few thousand Brown fingerlings in the American and lake Natoma ?? It'd be ideal habitat

David

[davkrat]

I was going to say a coastal cutthroat though it doesn't seem to have as many spots as the other cutts I've seen in photos. I have never heard of one in the American either though I'm never surprised when some freak individual animal shows up where we say it shouldn't. I've never personally seen a searun brown or cutt so I'm definately not the expert to ask. Here is a link to jbirds coastal cutt that jumped to my mind when I saw your fish http://www.kiene.com/messageboard/vi...cutthroat+gold

As far as introducing browns why would you want to add one more piscivorous fish eater to the American? Don't the salmon and baby steelhead smolts get hammered enough. I can't imagine browns would be able to stay in the river system year-round like warm water fish but I imagine they would eat there share of small fish.

[David Lee]

As far as introducing browns why would you want to add one more piscivorous fish eater to the American? Don't the salmon and baby steelhead smolts get hammered enough. I can't imagine browns would be able to stay in the river system year-round like warm water fish but I imagine they would eat there share of small fish.

Not that I have a snowballs chance of getting the DFG to stock Browns anywhere ......

Why would I personally want to add "one more piscivorous fish-eater to the American" ?? To fish for them , of course .

Guess you're not too keen on Browns , eh ?

David