The term “tiger trout” is used to describe a hybrid fish that is created by crosses of brown trout and brook trout. The tiger trout is a sterile fish, meaning that it cannot reproduce on its own. This type of hybridization is not limited to just these two species of trout, as different types of fish can be crossed to create new hybrid species.
For example, the popular “lunker” bass are actually a cross between the largemouth bass and the smallmouth bass. While most hybrids are created in captivity by humans, there are some instances where hybrids can occur in the wild.
The tiger trout was first created in 1948 by Eugene Pfeiffer at the New Jersey State Fish Hatchery. He crossed a male brown trout with a female brook trout and found that the offspring were sterile. From this original crossing, he then crossed the hybrids with each other and with purebred brown and brook trout.
After several generations of crosses, he had created a new strain of tiger trout that could reproduce on its own. This new strain of tiger trout was introduced into streams in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. The tiger trout have since been introduced into many other states as well.
While most hybrids are sterile, there are some exceptions. One such exception is the whale fish, which is a cross between a whale and a stingray. Another exception is the liger, which is a cross between a lion and a tiger. These two examples illustrate that while most hybrids cannot reproduce on their own, it is possible for it to happen in rare cases.
Conclusion
The tiger trout is an interesting fish that was created by humans but has since been able to reproduce on its own.
Tiger trout are found in many streams in the United States and have been known to grow quite large. If you come across one of these fish while out fishing, be sure to take a picture and share it with your friends!
