Trout Eat More Mammals Than You’d Think

[bearpaw]

interesting article....


Trout Eat More Mammals Than You’d Think

University of Washington researchers recently published a study in Ecology of Freshwater Fish that concludes grayling and trout consume more mammals, namely shrews, than previously assumed. The findings address questions about the fishes’ feeding habits, which have long fueled intrigue among anglers and scientists. 

Of the 1,568 grayling and 2,424 trout examined over the 13-year study in Alaska’s Bristol Bay watershed, researchers found 75 shrews and one vole in the fishes’ stomachs. More interestingly, scientists discovered shrews in 25 percent of the fish larger than 12 inches in length.

In addition, the number of shrews found in the fish fluctuated during the course of the study, with eight years producing no shrews. Researchers surmise this variability may stem from changes in shrew’s abundance, not the fishes’ appetites.   

What remains unclear is how or why shrews enter the water in the first place.

read more: http://sportingclassicsdaily.com/issue/2015-1/article/trout-eat-more-mammals-than-you-think

[quadrafire]

Got any Shrew patterns? 

[Seahawk12]

Wow.
Learn something new all the time. A quick search resulted in this cool pic:

Last year’s photo of a rainbow trout from Togiak National Wildlife Refuge with 20 shrews in its stomach. This is not as isolated an incident as many believe. Photo courtesty U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

[ouchfoss]

Thats something I've always wanted to try for bait when it comes to summer run steelhead and dolly varden. I can just imagine a big 2 to 10 pound trout is not going to pass up a tiny mouse swimming across a calm deep hole during summer.

[Yelper Guy]

They make a mouse imitation fly. They can really work well for lunker browns & bows.

[Bronson]

They make a mouse imitation fly. They can really work well for lunker browns & bows.

 

[JimmyHoffa]

feeder mice from the pet store coming to the bait stand.

[boneaddict]

I have successfully fished with a mouse imitation pattern for big bows and of course bass

[groundhog]

The picture with all the shrews that were taken out of the trout is from the Kanektok River in western Alaska. This is the river that my brothers and I have several fly fishing camps on and have guided on since 1981. The mouse pattern is a "go to" pattern all season long and it is the fly that we use more than any other. Here is a pic of one of the many mouse patterns that we use. We mainly fish for rainbows with the mouse but it is not uncommon to catch Dolly Varden, Arctic Char, Arctic Grayling, Silver, Pink, and Sockeye Salmon.

[gaddy]

Never seen such a thing. I have in my early years caught a few trout on poppers but i never thought they would eat anything like that. The biggest thing I've ever taken out of a trout was a large bug.

[JimmyHoffa]

Some of the bigger steelhead will have dipper birds in their stomachs.

[jasnt]

I've seen a lage mouth bass eat a duckling. 

[buglebrush]

When we were kids we used to go out to the grain bins and catch mice.  Tie them to a hook, and let them swim around.  Caught some monster pike and bass.  Never really tried it for trout, but it doesn't surprise me.  I once saw a giant trout take out a 12" swimming garter snake. 

[groundhog]

I have caught Steelhead on mouse patterns also. I have a great video of several great takes on a hookless mouse but for some reason it will not upload. I can email it if someone knows how to put it up. Can I send it to you Dale?

[groundhog]

here is another