As we all know trout season got an early surprise start and in spite of less than ideal weather and water conditions a fair number of trout fishermen are in pursuit of Pennsylvania’s trout species. I usually hit the special regulated trout stretches early but this year with the early opening we have a lot more water to choose from. I’ve been on several different trout streams and when the water and weather is reasonably cooperative, I’ve been able to connect with a few trout but last week I was surprised by my first Golden Rainbow Trout catch in several years.

For the most part central Pennsylvania trout fishermen are connecting with three species of trout -brook trout, brown trout and the rainbow trout. On occasion we will also see someone with a good-sized Golden Rainbow Trout like the 17 incher I caught and released last week. Brook trout are native to Pennsylvania but unless you are fishing one of our smaller native trout streams most of the brookies that are being caught are hatchery raised and stocked. Brown trout were brought here from Germany and are raised in our hatcheries and stocked every year. Some Browns do hold over and even reproduce in some of our better streams. Rainbows are a western state species that we raise and stock now more than ever before. Rainbows seldom hold over or reproduce in our streams.

The Golden Rainbow, while not as abundant, has certainly been getting its share of attention lately but let’s first take a closer look at its history. The Golden Rainbow actually came from a single fish, a female rainbow trout, with a genetic mutation that resulted in a mixed golden and normal rainbow coloration. That mutation took place in a West Virginia trout hatchery in 1954 and over the years through selective breeding an all Golden Rainbow Trout was developed.

In the 60’s Pennsylvania and some other states hybridized the pure strain of the West Virginia Golden Trout with normal rainbows and produced the “Palomino Trout”. The Palomino was produced and stocked for a time in Pennsylvania; it was a paler color and not the same as today’s Golden Rainbow Trout. Over the years the palomino was selectively bred back to what we now call the Golden Rainbow trout with an obvious golden, yellow coloration and pink in the fins and a reddish stripe down the side.

In an attempt to encourage more participation in trout fishing the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission has begun raising more and stocking more Golden Rainbows. In 2019 nearly 10,000 were stocked but in 2020 about 13,000 will be stocked; that’s an increase of about 40 percent. The commission is stocking “trophy sized” trout-fish of 14-20 inches for the most part. By the way the Pennsylvania state record for a Golden Rainbow is one of 13 pounds.

There is no doubt the Golden Rainbow will get more attention; trust me, you won’t have any trouble seeing one that has been stocked-they stand out like a sore thumb. That they stand out so much is part of the problem. Fishermen tend to target them once spotted and that means they are getting bombarded with everything you can throw at them so it’s no wonder they can become very wary. In addition, they also become the target of predators like Great Blue Herons, Ospreys, Eagles or any other critter or human looking for a big, golden trout.

What’s interesting is the Golden Rainbow has been known to mutate and produce a “blue” trout. Instead of “Going for the gold” we may be “Singing the blues” some day.