Post By: Team CO.F.F. Posted: 3/21/2020 5:20:50 PMPoints: 18
I have fished this stretch of the Colorado River for decades really heavily over the past few years, and have never caught any trout that looked like these. I'm curious to hear/see what people think? Are these just off-colored rainbow trout?
Pictures are of two fish and they look like a cross between a Kokanee and a tiger trout. It had very feint tiger trout patterns but chrome/silver like a Kokanee. I have several pictures but attached the best looking of the three. I feel like they're tiger trout haha but that shouldn't be the case.
Fish 1 wasn't the best pictures due to the fish getting off really quick Fish 2 Better pictures, I used a detail enhancement filter on these to show the pattern of the trout better.
These will be in seperate videos i'm making in the near future but I wanted to share these photos ahead of time to see what people thought...Again, I'm VERY CURIOUS to know what people think.
Reply by: bharper Posted: Mar. 21, 7:17:06 PM Points: 217
It could possibly be a Tiger? If you go to Colorado Fishing Atlas and select fish species in the left menu then tiger trout it will show a tack pin! Heart Lake has Tiger Trout that feeds into a Creek that flows into the Colorado above Dotsero! My friend caught one very similar. The picture is kinda blurry but looks a little like a Tiger pattern! I’m not a 100% sure because I wasn’t with him when his wife caught it in the same general area where you were?
Reply by: Team CO.F.F. Posted: Mar. 21, 7:45:41 PM Points: 18
johnski
Right! I thought it was for a second until I held it closer, it has really feint tiger trout marks and had it all over its body. The glare off it's chrome color make it so you can't really see it in the photo. Looked very similar to the darker photos.
Reply by: Team CO.F.F. Posted: Mar. 21, 7:48:54 PM Points: 18
bharper
Looked the most similar to a Tiger out of all the trout species i've caught. Almost looked like a Rainbow/Tiger Hybrid or a Kokanee/Tiger Hybrid... Just crazy to catch two in two days. That's very interesting...then it could be! Wonder if any of the Mesa lakes that have them flow out and eventually lead to a river/creek that hits the Colorado. I was in Glenwood Springs on the Colorado for both of those days. About half a mile apart for both fish. Thinking of showing CPW to see what they think too.
Reply by: bharper Posted: Mar. 21, 9:04:21 PM Points: 217
My friend and his wife were west of Glenwood at the C. Creek and New Castle exit,if that’s where you were? If you find out let me know? I fish there sometimes but haven’t caught one yet.
Reply by: serrfisherman Posted: Mar. 21, 9:48:08 PM Points: 746
It's either a rainbow or tiger trout. Some hatchery rainbows have very unique patterns and display. But more likely than not that's a tiger trout just adapting its colors to its surroundings. Fish will actually change their colors slightly darker or lighter to blend in with their surroundings. When I took care of the fish at Bass Pro Shops, whenever we poured in chemicals to curate the water PH levels it would cloud up the tank in a yellow color and fish would turn more white within a few minutes to adjust and darken as the chemical disappears. More likely than not it's a tiger.
Reply by: SGM Posted: Mar. 22, 9:01:01 AM Points: 11352
Sorry to say but they look like just regular rainbows to me. Lots of different color patterns and markings on bows.
Definitely not a Koke. As for anything being a cross between a tiger trout, I do not believe that is possible since a tiger is a cross already between a brookie and a brown.
Reply by: Wmdunker Posted: Mar. 22, 2:24:36 PM Points: 387
I thought Tiger Trout were supposed to be sterile hybrids, but then who knows what happens when you start "creating" new species by messing around with the ones already in existence. Not to open up a whole 'nother can of worms, but you know what I'm talkin' about!
Reply by: Team CO.F.F. Posted: Mar. 22, 8:45:39 PM Points: 18
SGM
Don't have to be sorry to say anything, I'm posting on here to see what people think...I've caught thousands of rainbows on this side of the state, never seen one that looked ANYTHING like these, that's why it caught me off guard. Probably just a weird color pattern, but still very strange that it looks so much like tiger trout patterns.
Reply by: Team CO.F.F. Posted: Mar. 23, 11:37:06 AM Points: 18
Ajax5240
I've caught plenty of tigers too man, big and small...Just like i've caught plenty of rainbows, just saying the pattern was completely different then any rainbow i've caught and it resembled a tiger...The filter was to show the pattern off more since it was dark. Not trying to use imagination or anything to say I for sure got one, was asking opinion.
Reply by: FXA0 Posted: Mar. 23, 5:47:04 PM Points: 165
Well, I have probably caught fewer rainbow and tiger trout than both of you, but I'd wager I am a better lurker than you. :) There was another thread like this some time ago on this forum about silver colored tiger trout. Brown trout can be light in color too. I'd say it's a tiger trout.
Reply by: Team CO.F.F. Posted: Mar. 23, 7:45:14 PM Points: 18
FXA0
Haha :) I don't think I was on this forum when that was posted. Very cool though...I caught a tiger through the ice this year that was very very pale and silvery too, not as pale as the one in the photo but the marks weren't very visible...I could see either being a tiger or just a very weird rainbow. Glad to hear your opinion though!
Reply by: Team CO.F.F. Posted: Mar. 24, 11:28:27 AM Points: 18
Ajax5240
Then just say you think it's a rainbow...I think we ALL can agree most, if not all trout species look different based on a wide variety of factors. Different diets, environments, etc. Just because you caught that little tiger with that pattern, doesn't mean ALL tigers are vibrant and colorful with that pattern.
Reply by: Team CO.F.F. Posted: Mar. 24, 11:58:22 AM Points: 18
Ajax5240
It wasn't your original post that rubbed me wrong, it was your smart @$$ remark that you replied with that was really lame.
"I must have forgotten to read your resume before responding...."
I'm on here like my post said to get opinions about some strange looking fish caught on 2 different occasions. Not start arguments or take chip shots. Best of luck to you too!
Reply by: Team CO.F.F. Posted: Mar. 24, 12:30:51 PM Points: 18
bharper
We weren't that far down but basically same vicinity. I was a few miles East!! I've fished the Glenwood - New Castle stretch for decades, this is my first time encountering these types of fish. IF I get another one, I'll get better pics next time lol.
Reply by: xavierk31 Posted: Mar. 24, 1:45:22 PM Points: 1221
To whom it may concern- first of all there needs to be a font for sarcasm.... I've been saying this forever, lol. Secondarily, and I am NO expert, but I have a lot of computer time at work for research... I can't find anywhere where it says that tiger were stocked in the Colorado. And all the tiger I've seen that are that silver are from lakes, not so much rivers. Leads me to believe that it's a bow, unless some moron decided to take matters into their own hands and throw some tiger in there, or there's been some stocking that's taken place that hasn't been published....
Reply by: Team CO.F.F. Posted: Mar. 24, 3:48:25 PM Points: 18
xavierk31
This area is pretty bad when it comes to people taking things into their own hands, wouldn't surprise me if that was the case lol. Usually it's with Pike though over here.
Reply by: FXA0 Posted: Mar. 24, 8:03:36 PM Points: 165
^ Well, the only consolation is that, without the "trolls," there wouldn't be this much exposure/publicity... I'd say it was a win/win. Hate the man, love the sin. Wait, iI think it was supposed to be the other way around. :)
Back on topic: Fisheal keeping the suspense going...
Reply by: FishSeal Posted: Mar. 24, 8:50:25 PM Points: 2593
That young man is my teenager now... 14, going on 15 in just a few days. He has outfished me twice at Mary's Lake in Estes Park... not that I'm counting. :D
Okay, tip two... check the tail. Is it square? or forked?
Reply by: FishSeal Posted: Mar. 25, 7:48:20 AM Points: 2593
FXAO, No, your signature should be... "Fish Catcher... dare me!!"
I don't know anyone as successful as you with your posts and number of times being able to get out. Just because I work with fish... doesn't mean I can catch them. :D
