Utah's Game Fish: Brook Trout

Also known as speckled trout, mountain trout and char. This is one of the more attractive members of the trout family, with colors ranging from olive to blue-gray to black on the back, with a gray or white belly. It has a wormlike pattern on the back and bright red, white and black fins, with red spots on its side accented with bluish halos. The most distinguishing feature is the white stripe along the edge of the lower fins. Sometimes has a square, unforked tail.

Characteristics

Not a particularly large fish. Most are in the one-pound range, with some going up to two pounds. Utah is known for its large brook trout in the lakes in the Boulder Mountains, some reaching up to five pounds. Brook trout like clean, cold water, and Utah is fortunate enough to have many such waters; consequently brook trout are widely distributed throughout the state. Brook trout can successfully spawn in both streams and lakes and are one fish that benefits from harvest. Left unchecked, the population can be stunted or produce only smaller fish. As a result, many of the lakes in the Uintas and on the Boulders allow the taking of four extra brook trout. Brook trout can live most places where water temperature stays below 70 degrees and are often found in lower elevation tail waters, bigger rivers, spring creeks and spring-fed ponds — both beaver and man-made. The world record brook trout weighed 14 pounds, 8 ounces. The Utah record is 7 pounds, 8 ounces and was caught in a lake on the Boulder Mountains in 1971. This is a very showy fish, which makes it popular with anglers. It is native to the Eastern states. It was brought into Utah in 1875. The first officially recorded plant took place in 1894, when 1,500 fish were stocked into Utah Lake and 500 into City Creek. By 1903, most suitable waters had been stocked with brook trout.

Location

Brook trout are especially abundant on Utah's Uinta and Boulder mountains. Also found in fewer numbers in other high-mountain lakes.

Bait/lures