Savage River Tailwater Surveys

Type: Freshwater
Region: Western
Location: Savage River

Inland Fisheries Staff and volunteers from across the State conducted the annual trout population surveys in the Savage River Tailwater within the Fly-Only Trout Fishing Area and within the Artificial Lures/Flies Trout Fishing Area. Great news – strong year-classes, (small trout that hatched this spring or young of year (YOY)) for both brook trout and brown trout were documented this year – this is the first strong year-class in several years. The adult population consisted mainly of brown trout in the 12 – 16 inch size class, with fewer numbers of brook trout in the 8 to 11.5 inch size class. Adult rainbow trout were also found in each station, as well as one adult cutthroat trout and a fingerling tiger trout. The cutthroat trout was stocked in the North Branch Potomac River as a fingerling in an earlier year. A tiger trout is an accidental cross between a brook and brown trout, and they are very rare. Preliminary results show a combined adult species density of 572 trout/mile and 2103 YOY combined species/mile in the Fly-Only Area. There were 440 combined species adult trout/mile and 2341 YOY combined species/mile in the Artificial Lure and Fly Area. Thanks to all staff members that traveled to Western Maryland and the volunteers to help out with the survey!

Tags: Brown Trout, Brook Trout, Cutthroat Trout, Rainbow Trout, YOY Brook and Brown Trout, and YOY Tiger Trout