It's fall and along with cold mornings, falling leaves and migrating geese, the Brown Trout (Salmo trutta) are spawning. As anglers, the importance of this species of trout in our fisheries goes without saying. Often times we take the "brownie" for granted, but the fact remains that the Brown Trout makes up a significant portion of the game fish that we all love to pursue. Obviously, fishing for spawning Brown Trout is a personal decision that every angler needs to make. The purpose of this article is provide information on the spawning areas of this fish and suggest some ways in asserting caution and care when coming in contact with them.

Brown Trout generally spawn between October and December by depositing and fertilizing their eggs in shallow depressions in the riverbed. These light colored depressions are called "redds." The trout's requirements for a successful redd area are quite specific. As anglers, understanding these requirements will not only help us in identifying redds; but key us in on river locations that we may want to concider avoiding during the most critical period in the Brown Trout's yearly cycle.

From the fish's standpoint, choosing the right location for a redd is paramount in ensuring a successful egg-fry cycle. For example, trout need loose gravel, 70% of which needs to be in the size range of 6-76 mm. As the female deposits her eggs into the gravel area, they sink and become lodged in between and under the small rocks. The rocks provide a holding area for the soon to be fertilized eggs. A water depth of 14-28 cm and a velocity of 22-38 cm/sec are also necessary for the eggs to survive the various phases of development before emerging as fry.

Rarely are these conditions found in the main channels of rivers. For this reason, the spawning Brown Trout may enter smaller tributaries of the river or move upstream where the river may be of a lesser volume. Likewise, the fish may locate these ideal conditions along the banks or river bends in shallower water. From the moment the eggs are deposited and fertilized, the odds are stacked against the egg hatching to fry. While even slight levels of silt can decrease egg survival, spawning success is even more sensitive to temperature. Although adult Brown Trout can withstand water temperatures up to 64 degrees F, eggs do best with temperatures of no more than 36 degrees F. In fact, temperatures above 46º F can vastly reduce trout egg survival. These factors, combined with egg predators such as other fish and leeches, make successful Brown Trout fry hatches quite a monumental event. As anglers, our role in assisting the success of the Brown Trout's spawning cycle cannot be overlooked.

Some ways that we can still enjoy our sport and help out with the Brown Trout's spawning season are:

Avoid wading in or near the redds:
Challenging wary trout in a stream is one of our sports most enjoyable experiences. Success requires stealth approaches and a constant knowledge of water structure. Utilizing these two skills will also help you in locating spawning redds and minimally impacting them in an area that you may be fishing. Stepping in an active redd should be avoided at all costs. It drastically reduces the chance of the eggs maturing. Even though a small portion of the redd may be damaged, there is no guarantee that the host fish will return to protect the eggs. When a redd is located, it's best to move away from the area. Observing Brown Trout spawning is an enjoyable experience but is best done from a distance.

Some signs that you have encroached too far are:
- Trout leave the redd and seek cover in nearby structure
- Trout are hesitant to return or remain on the redd

Fish for trout that are downstream of the redd!
If you do decide to fish in the vicinity of a spawning redd, be selective. Generally speaking, feeding trout will pod below a redd. These fish are relying on water currents to dislodge eggs as well as other foods. The consumption of dislodged eggs play an important role in a trout's pre-winter feeding cycle. Focus fishing efforts towards these feeders as opposed to the trout that are actually on the redd.

As responsible anglers, we rely heavily upon our self-sustaining trout fisheries for a level of enjoyment that simply cannot be measured. The burden falls upon all of us to ensure that these fisheries continue to thrive and flourish. Part of this burden is acting responsibly with regards to the Brown Trout's spawning season. Taking into consideration the amount of enjoyment these fish provide us throughout the year, being observant and respectful of their simplistic needs is the least we can all do.

If you are fortunate enough to find yourself watching Brown Trout spawn in your favorite stretch of water, understand the significance of this event and act responsibly. Doing so will not only help to assure a successful spawning season, but provide us all with rewards to enjoy during the seasons to come.