Misplaced Pages

#109890

63-495: The river has been popular as a trout stream since the early 19th century, when it became one of the first resort destinations in the United States. The subsequent depletion of the brook trout population by the 1850s led to an early conservation movement to preserve the river, including the introduction of hatcheries for brown trout . Its popularity as a trout stream arises in part from the many cold springs and deep pools in

126-409: A dark green to brown color, with a distinctive marbled pattern (called vermiculation ) of lighter shades across the flanks and back and extending at least to the dorsal fin , and often to the tail. A distinctive sprinkling of red dots, surrounded by blue halos, occurs along the flanks. The belly and lower fins are reddish in color, the latter with white leading edges. Often, the belly, particularly of

189-617: A great many established wild, self-sustaining populations of brook trout in non-native waters. The brook trout inhabits large and small lakes , rivers , streams , creeks, and spring ponds in cold temperate climates with mild precipitation . Clear spring water with adequate cover and moderate flow rates is indicative of strong habitability for Brook trout. They exhibit high levels of adaptability when exposed to habitat changes from environmental effects, and have been observed to exhibit more resilience to habitat change than other Salvelinus species. The typical pH range of brook trout waters

252-484: A more silvery color, losing much of the distinctive markings seen in freshwater. However, within two weeks of returning to freshwater, they assume typical brook trout color and markings. Salters have faced threats such as habitat destruction , water pollution , and water way damming that have led to their declining population numbers across the Northeastern United States . The brook trout has

315-424: A short-lived form of brook trout that inhabit smaller bodies of water and exhibit less predacious behavior than coasters. They may spend up to three months at sea feeding on crustaceans, fish, and marine worms in the spring. During this time they won't stray more than a few miles from the river mouth, but then return to freshwater tributaries to spawn in the late summer or autumn. While in saltwater, salters gain

378-417: A significant factor in the disappearance of brook trout from their native habitats. In the U.S., acid rain caused by air pollution has resulted in pH levels too low to sustain brook trout in all but the highest headwaters of some Appalachian streams and creeks. Brook trout populations across large parts of eastern Canada have been similarly challenged; a subspecies known as the aurora trout was extirpated from

441-536: A small pond next to a gas station on Route 30 just below the divide with the Hudson River watershed southwest of the hamlet of Grand Gorge and flows initially SSW, through the town of Roxbury . Its upper course winds through a narrow valley containing the river and Route 30. Just past the Middletown town line, the river flows through Wawaka Lake and then receives Dry Brook , whose tributaries drain

504-575: A species not native to North America, has replaced the brook trout in much of the brook trout's native water. If already stressed by overharvesting or by temperature, brook trout populations are very susceptible to damage by the introduction of exogenous species. Many lacustrine populations of brook trout have been extirpated by the introduction of other species, particularly percids , but sometimes other spiny-rayed fishes . In addition to chemical pollution and algae growth caused by runoff containing chemicals and fertilizers, air pollution has also been

567-901: A threat to native brook trout populations. Arguments against artificial propagation of brook trout claim that it can cause a degradation of the overall genetic pool due to the possibility of inbreeding among individuals. This lack of genetic variation could lead to certain populations of brook trout to become extirpated from their deficiency in adaptability . As early as the late 19th century, native brook trout in North America became extirpated from many watercourses as land development, forest clear-cutting , and industrialization took hold. Streams and creeks that were polluted, dammed, or silted up often became too warm to hold native brook trout, and were colonized by transplanted smallmouth bass and perch or other introduced salmonids such as brown and rainbow trout . The brown trout ,

630-530: Is 5.0 to 7.5, with pH extremes of 3.5 to 9.8 possible. Water temperatures typically range from 34 to 72 °F (1 to 22 °C). Warm summer temperatures and low flow rates are stressful on brook trout populations—especially larger fish. Brook trout have a diverse diet that includes larval , pupal , adult forms of aquatic insects (typically caddisflies , stoneflies , mayflies , and aquatic dipterans ), adult forms of terrestrial insects (typically ants , beetles , grasshoppers , and crickets ) that fall into

693-549: Is a subspecies native to two lakes in the Temagami District of Ontario , Canada. The silver trout ( S. agassizii or S. f. agassizii ) is an extinct trout species or subspecies last seen in Dublin Pond , New Hampshire , in 1930. It is considered by fisheries biologist Robert J. Behnke as a highly specialized form of brook trout. The brook trout produces hybrids both with its congeners

SECTION 10

#1732765365110

756-804: Is an intrageneric hybrid between the brook trout and the Arctic char. The US Forest Service has recognized two ecological forms of brook trout, salters and coasters . The forms express the same general features but vary in size, behavior, and location. A potamodromous population of brook trout native to lacustrine regions, which migrate into tributary rivers to spawn , are called "coasters". Coasters tend to be larger than most other populations of brook trout, often reaching 6 to 7 lb (2.7 to 3.2 kg) in size. They also commonly live for longer periods of time and exhibit more predacious behavior than their counterparts. Many coaster populations have been severely reduced by overfishing and habitat loss by

819-661: Is behaviorally problematic and very little natural reproduction occurs. Splake grow more quickly than brook trout, become piscivorous sooner, and are more tolerant of competitors than brook trout. The tiger trout is an intergeneric hybrid between the brook trout and the brown trout. Tiger trout rarely occur naturally but are sometimes artificially propagated . Such crosses are almost always reproductively sterile . They are popular with many fish-stocking programs because they can grow quickly, and may help keep coarse fish (wild non "sport" fish) populations in check due to their highly piscivorous (fish-eating) nature. The sparctic char

882-508: Is characterized by its distinctive olive-green body with yellow and blue-rimmed red spots, white and black edged orange fins , and dorsal vermiculation . The diet of the brook trout is restrictive to the season and location of the fish, but will typically consist of terrestrial and aquatic insects , fry , crustaceans , zooplankton , and worms . Throughout history, non-native brook trout have been transplanted beyond its native borders, where it has spread across North America and much of

945-479: Is filtered and reused). The fish are typically fed a pelleted food consisting of 40–50% protein and 15% fat made from fish oil , animal protein, plant protein and vitamins and minerals. Finally, once the fish have reached a viable size, around 2 inches in length, they are released into the wild. This means of brook trout aquaculture has sparked controversy due to potential decrease in the fishes fitness, adaptability, and environmental resilience, effectively posing

1008-628: The Adirondacks and Catskills were to be kept forever wild. This shift to conservation helped the region sustain a new tourism economy, as rail connections, and later the automobile, brought dry-fly fishermen to the valley. Many of the new sport's early publicizers, like Theodore Gordon , wrote about the trout of the Beaver Kill, particularly the Junction Pool, rich in fish because the trout could not decide which river to swim up, and

1071-733: The Appalachian Mountains to northern Georgia and northwest South Carolina , Canada from the Hudson Bay basin east, the Great Lakes – Saint Lawrence system, the Canadian maritime provinces , and the upper Mississippi River drainage as far west as eastern Iowa . Their southern historic native range has been drastically reduced, with fish being restricted to higher-elevation, remote streams due to habitat loss and introductions of brown and rainbow trout. As early as 1850,

1134-548: The Lamar River watershed, a mandatory kill regulation for any brook trout caught is in effect. In Europe, introduced brook trout, once established, have had negative impacts on growth rates of native brown trout ( S. trutta ). East Branch Delaware River The East Branch Delaware River is one of two branches that form the Delaware River . It is approximately 75 mi (121 km) long, and flows through

1197-717: The New York City water supply system supplying drinking water to the City. It is a popular destination for fly fishing for brown trout . In 1881 John Burroughs , a native of the area, published "A Summer Voyage", recounting a solo boat trip down the East Branch from Arkville to Hancock. There are many variant names for the river that include: Papaconck, Papakonk River, Papotunk River, Pepachton River, Pepacton Branch, Popacton River, Popaxtunk Branch. The East Branch Delaware River rises in eastern Delaware County , from

1260-657: The Town of Colchester for good, passing the small hamlet of Cooks Falls shortly afterwards. The river and the highway remain close, intersecting several times. At the Hancock town line, the Blue Line leaves the river. For its last few miles, it bends northward slightly, staying alongside Route 17. At the hamlet of East Branch , it drains into the East Branch , approximately 10 miles (16 km) northeast of where it joins

1323-546: The U.S. state of New York . It winds through a mountainous area on the southwestern edge of Catskill Park in the Catskill Mountains for most of its course, before joining the West Branch along the northeast border of Pennsylvania with New York. Much of it is paralleled by State Route 30 . The river was impounded just north of Downsville in the mid-20th century to create Pepacton Reservoir , part of

SECTION 20

#1732765365110

1386-531: The US Forest Service . One ecological form is short-lived potamodromous populations in Lake Superior known as coaster trout or coasters . The second ecological form is the long-living predaceous anadromous populations which are found in northern lakes and coastal rivers from Long Island to Hudson Bay , which are referred to as salters . In parts of its range, it is also known as

1449-882: The West Branch to form the Delaware's main stem. Right Gulf of Mexico Brook Black Brook Beecher Brook Scudder Brook Alder Creek Upper Beech Hill Brook Mary Smith Brook Berry Brook Spring Brook Horse Brook Roaring Brook Russell Brook Crystal Brook Horton Brook Spooner Brook Twadell Brook Left Shin Creek Voorhees Brook Jersey Brook Willowemoc Creek Abe Wood Brook Cook Brook Whirling Eddy Brook Roaring Brook Trout Brook The combination of its remoteness and contentious disputes over land titles in

1512-637: The aurora trout , are listed as endangered by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada . The scientific name of the brook trout is Salvelinus fontinalis . Initially, the brook trout was scientifically described as Salmo fontinalis by the naturalist Samuel Latham Mitchill in 1814. The species was later moved to the char genus Salvelinus , which in North America also includes

1575-745: The col between Graham and Doubletop mountains , two of the Catskill High Peaks in the Town of Hardenburgh . It descends gently from here, first on private land belonging to the descendants of Jay Gould , then into the Big Indian-Beaverkill Range Wilderness Area , part of the Forest Preserve in the Catskill Park . Shortly after entering state land, it receives its first tributary , an unnamed stream that flows down steeply from

1638-407: The eastern brook trout , speckled trout , brook char (or charr ), squaretail , brookie , or mud trout , among others. Adult coaster brook trout are capable of reaching sizes over 2   feet in length and weigh up to 6.8   kg (15   lb), whereas adult salters average between 6 and 15   inches in length and weigh between 0.5 and 2.3   kg (1 and 5   lb). The brook trout

1701-498: The lake trout (S.  namaycush ) and the Arctic char ( S. alpinus ), and intergeneric hybrids with the brown trout ( Salmo trutta ). The splake is an intrageneric hybrid between the brook trout and lake trout ( S. namaycush ). Although uncommon in nature, they are artificially propagated in substantial numbers for stocking into brook trout or lake trout habitats. Although they are fertile , back-crossing in nature

1764-456: The lake trout , bull trout , Dolly Varden , and the Arctic char . The specific epithet " fontinalis " comes from the Latin for "of a spring or fountain", in reference to the clear, cold streams and ponds in its native habitat. There is little recognized systematic substructure in the brook trout, but the two subspecies have been proposed. The aurora trout ( S. f. timagamiensis )

1827-562: The list of the top 100 globally invasive species . Since the 19th century, isolated native eastern brook trout populations have faced extirpation due to stream pollution , habitat destruction , invasive species , and waterway damming . Although facing these pressures, the brook trout is not listed as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature , but native population decline has been observed. Some local subspecies of brook trout, such as

1890-526: The Catskills stemming from the Hardenburgh Patent kept the Beaver Kill area unsettled and undeveloped well into the 19th century. Only loggers and trappers visited the area, on a road built in 1815. They told others of the river's clear waters and ample supply of trout, which Washington Irving wrote of in 1819, noting that its isolation kept it out of easy reach of city dwellers attracted to

1953-442: The accepted formula for calculating weight by measurements, and it currently stands as the record brook trout for Manitoba . Since the 1800s, brook trout populations have been grown by artificial propagation and aquaculture . Artificial propagation in fish is the process by which eggs are inseminated , hatched, and grown in a controlled environment that minimizes unfavorable environmental pressures. The fish are then released into

Beaver Kill - Misplaced Pages Continue

2016-634: The age of 4. The brook trout is a popular game fish with anglers , particularly fly fishermen . Until it was displaced by introduced brown trout (1883) and rainbow trout (1875), the brook trout attracted the most attention of anglers from colonial times through the first 100 years of U.S. history. Sporting writers such as Genio Scott Fishing in American Waters (1869), Thaddeus Norris American Anglers Book (1864), Robert Barnwell Roosevelt Game Fish of North America (1864) and Charles Hallock The Fishing Tourist (1873) produced guides to

2079-634: The best-known brook trout waters in America. As brook trout populations declined in the mid-19th century near urban areas, anglers flocked to the Adirondacks in upstate New York and the Rangeley lakes region in Maine to pursue brook trout. In July 1916 on the Nipigon River in northern Ontario, an Ontario physician, John W. Cook, caught a 14.5 lb (6.6 kg) brook trout, which stands as

2142-757: The brook trout's range started to extend west from its native range through introductions . The brook trout was eventually introduced into suitable habitats throughout the western U.S. during the late 19th and early 20th centuries at the behest of the American Acclimatization Society and by private, state, and federal fisheries authorities. Acclimatization movements in Europe, South America, and Oceania resulted in brook trout introductions throughout Europe, in Argentina , and New Zealand . Although not all introductions were successful,

2205-510: The construction of hydroelectric power dams on Lake Superior tributaries. In Ontario , Michigan , and Minnesota efforts are underway to restore and recover coaster populations. When Europeans first settled in Eastern North America , semi- anadromous or sea-run brook trout, commonly called "salters", ranged from southern New Jersey , north throughout the Canadian maritime provinces , and west to Hudson Bay . Salters are

2268-496: The construction of the Quickway, the expressway section of Route 17, along the river. Their efforts resulted in some slight rerouting, and a section near Cooks Falls where the two roadways were stacked on each other in a narrow passage between state Forest Preserve land and the river. It does not appear to have had, by itself, the adverse impact on runoff and stream flows that was originally feared, although both have increased since

2331-419: The deposition of up to 5,000 eggs in gravel beds by the female brook trout, the eggs enter an incubation period from the winter months to early spring. During this incubation period , the eggs source oxygen from the stream that passes through the gravel beds and into their gel-like shells . The eggs will then successively hatch into miniature fry that rely upon their yolk sac for nutrients to compensate for

2394-407: The eggs as the female expresses them. Most spawning involve peripheral males, which directly influences the number of eggs that survive into adulthood. In general, the larger the number of peripheral males present, the more likely the eggs will be cannibalized. The eggs are slightly denser than water. The female then buries the eggs in a small gravel mound where they hatch in 4 to 6 weeks. Following

2457-399: The eggs have begun to hatch, the fry are transported into rearing tanks where they will grow and develop before their release into the wild. Their rearing tanks typically consist of large circular tanks with a constant water flow going through them to allow a current to circulate through the tank and keep it clean (some more elaborate systems operate on a re-circulation system where the water

2520-507: The highway's construction. Brook trout † S. f. agassizii (Garman, 1885) S. f. timagamiensis Henn & Rinckenbach, 1925 The brook trout ( Salvelinus fontinalis ) is a species of freshwater fish in the char genus Salvelinus of the salmon family Salmonidae native to Eastern North America in the United States and Canada . Two ecological forms of brook trout have been recognized by

2583-464: The lack of nutrients provided by the parental trout during the early stages of development. In the ensuing stage of their life cycle, the fry will seek cover from predatory species in rock crevices and inlets. During this period of hiding, the trout will begin to mature into fingerlings by summer and start expressing parr marks to aid in camouflage. At this point, most brook trout will be between 2 and 3 inches in length. Finally, in succeeding months,

Beaver Kill - Misplaced Pages Continue

2646-500: The males, becomes very red or orange when the fish are spawning. Typical lengths of the brook trout vary from 25 to 65 cm (9.8 to 25.6 in), and weights from 0.3 to 3 kg (0.66 to 6.61 lb). The maximum recorded length is 86 cm (34 in) and maximum weight 6.6 kg (15 lb). Brook trout can reach at least seven years of age, with reports of 15-year-old specimens observed in California habitats to which

2709-434: The new sport of angling . Later in the century the valley's first significant industry adversely affected the water quality the trout depended on. Tanneries opened up, harvesting tannin from the bark of the extensive Eastern Hemlock stands on the mountain slopes. There were eventually eight in the valley, their effluents clouding the river and making it less attractive to trout. Charcoal makers also released acids into

2772-473: The next few miles as the East Branch widens into Pepacton Reservoir . A short distance from the north end of the reservoir, Route 28 leaves Route 30 at the hamlet of Dunraven cleared to make room for the reservoir. Pepacton Reservoir continues, with the Blue Line along its north shore, carrying the river through the towns of Andes and Colchester as its course moves more to the west. Route 30 crosses it midway along its length. The Downsville Dam just north of

2835-596: The north tributaries such as Alder Creek . It gradually moves to a more westerly direction until just short of the Delaware County line it turns southwest again and parallels it just past the small hamlet of Lew Beach where it enters Sullivan County . Here it keeps the same course. The covered Beaverkill Bridge crosses it at the Beaverkill State Campground , a popular fishing spot. After briefly bending into Delaware County it reaches

2898-624: The northern Rocky Mountains, non-native brook trout are considered a significant contributor to the decline or extirpation of native cutthroat trout ( Oncorhynchus clarki ) in headwater streams. Invasive brook trout populations may provoke territorial competition with the native cutthroat trout that can impede the recovery efforts of cutthroat trout by environmental agencies. Non-native brook trout populations have been subject to eradication programs in efforts to preserve native species. In Yellowstone National Park , anglers may take an unlimited number of non-native brook trout in some watersheds. In

2961-691: The only significant settlement along its length, the hamlet of Roscoe , where its largest tributary , Willowemoc Creek , joins it from the east at the Junction Pool, the Beaver Kill's best-known fishing hole. The confluence also marks the point where the Beaver Kill becomes part of the Blue Line , the boundary of the Catskill Park. It also starts to parallel another road, the NY 17 expressway slowly being converted into Interstate 86 . Widening and turning westward again, it soon enters Delaware County and

3024-558: The river faced the prospect of being dammed by New York City for its water supply , along with the Willowemoc. The fly-fishing community opposed this strongly, and eventually when test borings showed that the bedrock in those valleys could not support the necessary dams, the city relented. It chose to acquire land along both branches of the Delaware and build Cannonsville and Pepacton reservoirs instead. Anglers later protested

3087-478: The river, further affecting its quality. The industries were prosperous enough to sustain the settlements of Beaverkill, where the oldest extant bridge over the river was constructed in 1865, and Shin Creek (today Lew Beach ). Those industries faded away due to changes in technology and depletion of forest resources in the 1880s. That same decade, New York created the Forest Preserve , by which state landholdings in

3150-687: The southeast slopes of Doubletop. At its first crossing, the Neversink-Hardenburgh Trail , the stream turns west and enters a different state-owned parcel, the Balsam Lake Mountain Wild Forest , paralleling the trail for two miles (3 km) to the Quaker Clearing trailhead at the end of Beaverkill Road. Here it turns southwest again and parallels the road through the minimally developed valley, widening slightly as it does, and receiving from

3213-492: The species has been introduced. Growth rates are dependent on season, age, water and ambient air temperatures, and flow rates . In general, flow rates affect the rate of change in the relationship between temperature and growth rate. For example, in spring, growth increased with temperature at a faster rate with high flow rates than with low flow rates. Brook trout are native to a wide area of Eastern North America , but are increasingly confined to higher elevations southward in

SECTION 50

#1732765365110

3276-448: The temperature of the adult trout's propagation tank to mimic the seasonal changes associated with brook trout spawning season . The acclimated trout are then collected, and the eggs are gently massaged out of the female trout into a collection vessel, and then inseminated with the milt of a male brook. Next, the inseminated eggs are strained of the milt and transferred to a jar for several weeks to develop into viable embryos . Once

3339-532: The town of Halcott , the only part of Greene County in the Delaware's watershed, from the east just outside Arkville . This confluence also puts the Catskill Park Blue Line in the middle of the channel. Route 30 remains parallel as the East Branch returns to the southwest, flowing through the small village of Margaretville , the first significant settlement along the river, where NY 28 joins Route 30. The two roads remain alongside for

3402-401: The trout will fully mature into a trout that is approximately between 10 and 34 inches long and capable of spawning in the fall months. These fully developed adult brook trout will express a vibrant olive-green back, cherry red underbelly, black accented fins, and wavy dorsal patterns. A typical adult brook trout will live to the age of 3 to 4 years old, with occasional brooks living to over

3465-614: The upper river that keep the water at an even cold temperature. The fly fishing industry is centered on Roscoe , home to several fly-shops and bed and breakfasts catering to fishermen from around the world. More local fly fishing history and information can be found at the Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum located in Livingston Manor . The Beaver Kill rises in western Ulster County , beginning at an elevation of 2,760 feet (840 m) just south of

3528-474: The village of that name marks the reservoir's southern end. Below the dam and its spillway the river narrows again, to where routes 30 and 206 cross just outside the village. It continues winding through a wider valley alongside Route 30 to East Branch, where the East Branch's most significant tributary, the Beaver Kill , a world-renowned trout stream that rises in western Ulster County , flows in from

3591-401: The water, crustaceans , frogs and other amphibians , molluscs , smaller fish, invertebrates, and even small aquatic mammals such as voles and sometimes other young brook trout. The female constructs a depression in a location in the stream bed , sometimes referred to as a "redd", where groundwater percolates upward through the gravel. One or more males approach the female, fertilizing

3654-400: The waters from there down to the East Branch. The new attention caused different problems. Overfishing led conservationists and private clubs to buy large sections of the river's banks all the way up to almost its headwaters. The state built Beaverkill campground in the 1920s, one of its first in the Catskill Park, to concentrate angler impact in one area. In the years after World War II ,

3717-752: The wild by the effects of acid rain. Organizations such as Trout Unlimited and Trout Unlimited Canada are partnering with other organizations such as the Southern Appalachian Brook Trout Foundation, the Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture, and state, provincial, and federal agencies to undertake projects that restore native brook trout habitat and populations. Although brook trout populations are under stress in their native range, they are considered an invasive species where they have been introduced outside their historic native range. In

3780-457: The wild when they have reached the appropriate age and size. This process was introduced as a way to counteract the effects of overfishing and aquatic habitat loss and to reinforce brook trout populations across the Northeastern United States . Hatchery rearing was also introduced to raise brook trout in large numbers for food production and sale for human consumption. The process of artificial propagation in brook trout begins by decreasing

3843-456: The world record. Today, many anglers practice catch-and-release tactics to preserve remaining populations. Organizations such as Trout Unlimited have been at the forefront of efforts to institute air and water quality standards sufficient to protect the brook trout. Revenues derived from the sale of fishing licenses have been used to restore many sections of creeks and streams to brook trout habitat. The current world angling record brook trout

SECTION 60

#1732765365110

3906-429: The world. These brook trout have been introduced since the 1800s by means of artificial propagation and aquaculture in hope of promoting fishery resources. Through this transplantation, brook trout have been observed to affect native populations by outcompeting, preying upon, and hybridizing with many native aquatic species. This invasive nature via human-mediated introductory has led to their classification in

3969-682: Was caught by Dr. W. J. Cook on the Nipigon River, Ontario, in July 1915. The 31 in (79 cm) trout weighed only 14.5 lb (6.6 kg) because, at the time of weighing, it was badly decomposed after 21 days in the bush without refrigeration. A 29 in (74 cm) brook trout, caught in October 2006 in Manitoba, is not eligible for record status since it was released alive. This trout weighed about 15.98 lb (7.25 kg) based on

#109890