Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program: Tennessee
Education, Research and Technical Assistance for Managing Our Natural Resources

Adult brown trout were radio-tracked in an east Tennessee reservoir (Boone Lake) and its headwater rivers to estimate their survival and movements. Annual mortality was fairly high (38%) and was probably influenced by bouts of high water temperatures in late spring and early summer and some catch-and-release mortality. Tagged fish in both headwater rivers exhibited strong site fidelity and most resided in the same pool-riffle sequence except during fall 2010, when most fish undertook spawning migrations. Only two fish were ever located in the main basin of Boone Lake and then for relatively brief periods. Some tagged brown trout occupied the reaches on both rivers governed by special regulations to reduce harvest or protect spawning fish.