Tiger Trout

Below are some great tiger trout shots and information on this fine game fish.
For those lucky enough to hook one will find out what great fighters they are.

The Tiger Trout is a sterile hybrid trout produced by fertilizing female brown trout eggs with male brook trout sperm. Because they are sterile all their energy goes toward feeding allowing these fish to grow larger faster. Pound for pound, their aggression and fighting ability surpasses all other trout. We here in MA are fortunate to have them stocked within some of our waters.

Many fisherman who catch one for the first time are baffled and are not sure what they caught or quickly dismiss this fish as a brook trout. The name tiger trout stems from the appearance of the adult fish, which have beautiful tiger-like stripes (vermiculation's) that cover most of their body. Typically they are a chocolate golden brown with yellowish vermiculation's but coloration can sometimes vary (as you will see by the examples). This fish can occasionally occur in the wild in areas with breeding populations of brown and brook trout share the same waters but these occurrences are rare. Most tiger trout are hatchery bred and stocked by the division of fisheries and wildlife and are a product from the Sandwich State Fish Hatchery and are stocked annually.

This handsome fish began being stocked in 1998 and only a small quantity of 300 of them, averaging 15 inches long were released. But In 1999 enough of them were being put out to get their own category and became a official new game fish option for Massachusetts trout angler's.

This past 2007 trout season 8,000 tiger trout were released and this upcoming 2008 season 5,000 tiger trout will soon be released, thankfully thats a much higher number of them, than the original 300 stocked back 1998. Allowing angler's a decent shot at catching this unique prized fish.

Since its inception this record has already been broken a few times. In 1999 the first record was established at 3 lbs.1 oz. This tiger was caught in Westfield River, located in Russel, MA. In 2002 the record got broken with a 5 lbs. 9 ozs. specimen caught at Peters Pond, Sandwich MA. Again in 2004 the record got broken again with a whopper of 9lbs. 7 oz. This record fish once again as the previous record was caught out of Peters pond by Michael Shelton (check out the photos of our current state record below).

I had a chance to fish with Mr. Shelton and I had an enjoyable time, while fishing with him, he showed me the exact location and technique he used to catch his record fish. Though we did not get into any tigers that day. We did get into countless rainbows and I hooked up with a big broodstock atlantic salmon on the fly rod. It was a great day on the water.

How long will Mr. Shelton's record last? Being a fairly new species to our state of MA, it is very possible to see this record get broken again in the years to come.

It is rumored that when the current MA state record was stocked into Peters pond with it was also a larger specimen in the 12 lb class stocked out. Another rumor around Peter's pond was there was a trout caught in that size range by a fisherman who could not identify the species, nor did he have it weighed and certified (what a shame). Instead he made diner out of it.

Trout are excellent eating, however if your lucky enough to land such a giant and if your not going to put it on the wall, let it go and release the fish back into the water for someone else to enjoy. These trophy fish are to far a few to make a meal out of them. Plenty of smaller trout for eating (which taste better anyway). I also urge trout fishermen to release wild/holdover and native trout. Again plenty of pan sized hatchery fish to enjoy, without guilt of depleting what little wild trout we have left.

If you do keep a giant for the wall have it weighed and certified by your local bait shop. Nothing wrong with taking some credit for a fine catch and sharing your success.

The world record Tiger Trout is 20 lbs. 13 ozs and was caught out of Lake Michigan, WI, on Aug. 12, 1978. By Peter M. Friedland.

Tight Lines,
George