This is the Troutbitten podcast. Thanks for tuning in. My name is Domenick Swentosky. I’m the owner of Troutbitten, I’m a fly fishing guide, and the author of Troutbitten.com, which is a very large resource for anglers interested in fly fishing for trout.

Today we’re gonna talk about wild trout and stocked trout. My friends are here to join me, and I’ll introduce them in a moment. 

But first, let me thank everyone out there who has supported this podcast since we launched. Your kind words and enthusiasm have been overwhelming . . . and encouraging. To help keep this podcast growing, you can find the donate button at the bottom of every article on the Troutbitten website. And, just as importantly, you can subscribe to this podcast. Leave a comment and give it a five star review on Apple Podcasts. Because those things are really what drive success in the podcast field.

Alright, so now, a little more about this topic of Wild Trout vs Stocked.

Back in 2016, I published an article on Troutbitten titled, The Hierarchy of Trout in Pennsylvania. And in that article, I argued that there is a clear order, or grading, so to speak, of the trout we catch. That order is: Wild Trout, Stocked Fingerling, Holdover Trout, Stocked Trout and Club Fish.

Tonight, we’ll talk about each of these five kinds of trout that we catch, because this hierarchy holds up all across the country, not just here in Pennsylvania. 

Now, as I learned when I wrote the article, this topic can really be turned on its head. And my meaning or intentions often get misunderstood. I know that people can feel protective or defensive about the way they fish and the trout they catch. I get it.

So let me say this as plainly and honestly as I can: All trout have value. And if you are having a great time catching trout, well, that’s sort of the point. So that’s excellent. Enjoy it. Get out there, fish hard and have fun.

And yet, there’s also nothing wrong with talking about all this, and understanding that there are major differences in the trout we catch. Stocked trout are often nothing like their wild counterparts. It’s true.

Why does ANY of this matter?  Why not just leave people alone and stop judging their fish? Right. Let people go fish for what they want.

Well, I agree with ALL of that. 

But here’s the thing. Overstocked fisheries often set up unrealistic expectations or ideas about what good trout fishing really is. And stocked trout can, honestly, teach an angler bad habits.

Perhaps most importantly, stocked trout can do great harm to wild populations.

We believe wild trout populations should be protected, wherever they are found. That starts by eliminating the stocking of hatchery trout over wild trout. And it continues by finding struggling wild trout populations and helping them out -- strengthening their numbers by improving water quality and habitat.

Neither government nor private organizations should be permitted to stock over established wild trout populations. Full stop.

We believe that wild trout, wherever they are found, should be kept wild and given a chance. 

Keep wild trout wild.

Alright . . .  one more thing before we get going.

The Native vs Non-Native Topic inevitably comes up in this kind of discussion. 

But we’re not doing that today. I will simply say that, here in Pennsylvania, and in so many other places across the US, we are thankful for the introduction of the brown trout. Without it, many of our best trout rivers would have no trout, as our native brook trout simply cannot withstand the warmer water, agricultural and other pollution that the brown trout tolerates.

Native trout ARE ideal, yes. But in a changing world, sometimes, the only survivor is a non-native trout.

Alright, so how about some introductions and a little Q&A round . . .

. . . Introductions and conversation . . .