Brook Trout Heaven is my gathering of resources, and experiences with this gem of a fish. While there is a fine line between “hobby” and “mental illness”, my ultimate interest and goal is to educate, and protect the Nipigon strain of brook trout that can be so alluring and elusive. Although there is a regional variety and differences in appearance and habits throughout the world, I will focus specifically on the strain of brook trout native to Lake Nipigon, the Nipigon River and the “Coasters” of Lake Superior.

The Brook Trout (Savelinus Fontinalis) or the speckled trout is one of the most beautiful fish in the world. It is known by many different names and remains one of the most sought-after fish species. “Savelinus” is another name for Char and “Fontinalis” means “living in springs”.

The current world record brook trout was caught by Dr. W.J. Cook in 1915 on the famous Nipigon river. While this monster weighted an impressive 14 lbs. 8 oz, brook trout are more typically known for their small stream size, yet remain one of the most popular fish species throughout the world.

The Brook Trout is a distinctive looking fish with its unique colouration and body patterns. Its anatomy has adapted to the challenges of the Nipigon river system. Size, body shape and eating characteristics are several examples of how this fish has evolved. Scale samples reveal that the Nipigon Brook Trout can live longer(if left alone) than their smaller river siblings. Research indicates that increased fishing pressure and over harvesting have contributed to a reduction in the mean age of the fish. Current changes to the regulations have been made to address this issue based, in part, on river and lake spawning samplings.

These Brook Trout get big because they survive and adapt to the fast flow and big volume of the river and lake.

The Nipigon Brook Trout get big by eating big food items like Sculpins and bait fish. They are notorious for not rising easily to the fly but would rather smash a streamer swing deep in the current.

The Nipigon system has had its ups and downs. The "Nepigon" as it was once called has a rich history of exploration an where the "gentlemen anglers' of the day and even royalty enjoyed its rich fishing history. The world record Brook Trout was caught in these waters in 1915 and is the holy grail of fishing.

Today, the Nipigon is a changed river from that time and the population has been reduced to a remnant of its former self, but efforts are inderway to restory it to the glory of the past. Numerous research programs are gathering data and implementing changes to stabilize the resource for all to enjoy well into the future.

If that isn't enough, here are a variety of my fish'n stories to entertain and amuse. Pictures tell a story even better than words so the Brook Trout photo galleries speak for themselves.

Guidofisherman

So why are the Nipigon Brook Trout so big,
challenging to catch and allureing for the past century,

Those Big Nipigon Brookies