Missing fins/Stocking numbers?

[Spinning Fool]

1) I catch a lot of stockers with fins that are basically "nubs." Do other fish nibble them down in the raceways or what? But on Waters Creek, all 'bows I've caught have full, healthy fins. 2) And about 'bows... don't get me wrong, I love catching any trout. But I just wanted to say that I've ONLY caught rainbows in stocked streams. I've prob. fished 8 dif. stocked streams over Aug.-Oct., and caught no browns/brookies. Just wondering, are browns/brooks stocked at all later in the season or only in the beginning or... what's the deal???
-KB

[Bill Couch]

SF,
Fin nipping is the primary reason for nubbed fins on hatchery reared trout. Most stream reared fish do not approach the extreme densities of hatchery reared trout. In the wild, most likely, terriorities are established and maintained, and there is minimal fighting, and therefore minimal fin damage.

Georgia's trout program is approximately 85% rainbow trout and 15% brown trout. Most of the brown trout are stocked as fingerlings in larger rivers (Chattooga) or tailwaters (Lanier). Most of the remaining stockable browns are stocked in the Lanier Tailwaters.

Your best chances to catch hatchery reared browns are in the Chattooga River or Chattahoochee River below Buford Dam.

Bill