If splake are viewed by Maine sportsmen as the Rodney Dangerfield of Maine’s sport fishery, then brown trout might be deemed the Willie Loman of the Maine sport fish family. (Liked, but not well liked). Not in my mind, though. Brown trout have always held a fascination for me, even though I have not caught all that many.

My late father, a serious Togue man, developed a thing for brown trout in the twilight of his fishing years. Browns held a mystique for him. Nocturnal feeders, they were an angling challenge. That no doubt was the attraction. Dad did not catch that many big browns, but he sure tried. By reputation, Don Maddox was Branch Lake’s most successful brown trout angler. My father, who had no shame when it came to purloining fishing secrets from others, spied a few times on Maddox. The man always left his dock for the fishing grounds at first light. Dad watched him leave from a distance and, armed with a pair of clunky old field glasses, followed Maddox in his boat at a discrete distance. The King of Brown Trout Anglers kept his fishing secrets pretty close to his vest. Dad picked up a couple of tricks through his angling espionage, but never really did perfect his brown trout tactics.

One June morning, however, by pure luck, I hooked into a handsome 8-pound brown trout on a spinning rig. Before my mother could get the net in the water, the feisty beauty made a big leap right into the boat! I swear. When Dad saw my catch back at the dock, he was more excited than I was. There may have been a little envy there, too.

Brown trout, Salmo trutta, are not native to Maine. Also called German Trout, eggs from Europe were brought here in 1885 and stocked at Branch Lake in Ellsworth. The brown trout’s management history in Maine has had mixed results. Still, it has proven overall to be an ideal sport fish for introduction into marginal cold water fisheries, in which brook trout or landlocked salmon might not thrive.

Today, there about 213 Maine waters that support brown trout. In 140 of these waters, browns are the principle fishery. Only two state waters support a true wild brown trout fishery: Branch Lake in Ellsworth and Redington Pond in Carrabassett.

The good thing about browns is that they aren’t as fussy in their foraging habits as brookies or salmon, and they have greater longevity.

More good news. The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIF&W) recently announced a new brown trout management initiative. In their stocking programs, they are evaluating a possible superior strain of brown trout. The long-used Maine New Gloucester strain may be replaced by the Sandwich strain from another state.

According to a recent release by MDIF&W, “Regional fisheries staff are collecting post-stocking growth, survival and angler catch/return information over a 5-year period, beginning first with an assessment of Sandwich Strain study waters. Hatcheries will examine growth, survival, and food conversion for all strains based on monthly reports and annual fish health inspections. Findings will provide information to determine whether the Department’s current strain of brown trout should be replaced or genetically enhanced.”

Of course, a number of Maine’s streams and rivers also have been stocked routinely with browns making a more diverse and interesting sport fishery for moving water anglers.

By the way, the state record brown trout weighed almost 24 pounds! It was caught at Square Pond in Acton.

The author is editor of the Northwoods Sporting Journal. He is also a Maine Guide, co-host of a weekly radio program “Maine Outdoors” heard Sundays at 7 p.m. on The Voice of Maine News-Talk Network (WVOM-FM 103.9, WQVM-FM 101.3) and former information officer for the Maine Dept. of Fish and Wildlife. His e-mail address is paul@sportingjournal.com . He has two books “A Maine Deer Hunter’s Logbook” and his latest, “Backtrack.” Online information is available at www.maineoutdoorpublications.com or by calling Diane at 207 745 0049.