Seasonal Movements of Brown Trout in Northeast Wisconsin

Abstract

Abstract –Seasonal movements and winter habitat use are not well described for large stream-dwelling brown trout Salmo trutta. Movements and stream reach use by adult brown trout were documented in the Beaver Creek system from April 1988 through March 1990. Radio transmitters were implanted in 22 brown trout (total lengths, 13.9–22.7 in) that were tracked up to 165 d (mean, 90 d). Long-range (4.5–12.5-mi) movements occurred in spring and fall. Brown trout were relatively sedentary at other times, spending the summer in Beaver Creek's lower North Branch, a second-order stream, and the winter in the Peshtigo River, a fourth-order warmwater stream to which Beaver Creek drains. Portions of a system that do not hold brown trout in the summer may be important winter areas. The results verify the importance of barrier-free streams and suggest the importance of a drainage system approach to brown trout management.