The feeding and energetics of stream‐resident trout in winter*

Abstract

The feeding of brook and brown trout in a temperate Canadian stream was studied over two winters. Stomach analyses indicate that feeding continues throughout the winter. Both species had similar diets. Despite continuous feeding, condition factors declined significantly in early winter and remained low until the spring, suggesting an early‐winter depletion of lipid reserves. Energy (calorific) intake was similar in winter to that found in late summer or spring and therefore was not the cause of low winter condition. The derived energy from feeding was insufficient to offset the costs of maintenance metabolism in the early winter period, for both immature and recently spawned fish. It is suggested that stream‐dwelling trout suffer a metabolic deficit during acclimation to rapidly declining water temperatures in November/December. Such a phenomenon has important physiological implications for overwinter survival.