Capturing the Essence of the Appalachian Brook Trout: A Photographer’s Journey

Just prior to a showdown, two brook trout size each other up. Males tend to compete for nesting areas while females 

 

I embody both an aquatic biologist and an underwater photographer: My endeavors in both fields center around the freshwater diversity found in the Southeastern United States. In my capacity as a biologist, I am affiliated with Conservation Fisheries, Inc. We stand as the sole non-game fish hatchery in the country, collaborating with over 80 species since our establishment in 1986. Our team and collaborators strive to safeguard rare, threatened, and endangered freshwater fish species from extinction. As an underwater photographer, I aspire to illuminate these lesser-known species along with their vital river habitats. This pursuit often involves considerable time snorkeling in untouched streams, gaining insights about my subjects that allow me to authentically portray them in photographs.

 

A male brook trout attentively keeps watch over a smaller female, protecting her from competing males (and photographers)

 

A species of particular significance to me, and a symbol of the Appalachian wilderness, is the southern Appalachian brook trout. This subspecies resides solely in high-elevation streams of the southern Appalachian range and depends on spring-fed watercourses and rivers that remain cool in the summer months due to groundwater sources and forest canopies. Last fall, my aim was to photograph the “brookies” in Great Smoky Mountain National Park, where I was aware of the presence of pure Southern strain fish. This species is rare owing to habitat destruction, interbreeding with stocked northern strains, and competition with introduced non-native trout.

 

The Nauticam EMWL 130° objective lens enables split-level imagery if water can be retained between the elements

 

These fish truly stand out in the autumn. As mating season nears, the trouts’ hues become more vivid, mirroring the colorful foliage of the surrounding woods, making them a stunning subject in an equally picturesque setting. For this session, I prepared my Sony a7R Mark IV, Nauticam housing, Small HD 502 Monitor, Inon Z-240s, and Nauticam Extended Macro Wide Lens (EMWL). The EMWL and monitor have revolutionized my work in shallow, freshwater environments. The monitor simplifies image composition, while the acclaimed EMWL permits extreme close-focus wide-angle views even in very shallow waters. Combined with the Sony 90mm macro lens, I can capture macro or wide-angle shots without leaving the water. The probe-style architecture of the EMWL with the 130° Objective Lens allows me to approach the brook trout, which are typically very elusive.

 

A large male brook trout scrutinizes a smaller contender

 

To get brook trout in front of my lens, I needed to put in effort. I had to trek two to three miles (uphill both ways) with a packed backpack filled with camera equipment, underwater housing, strobes, wading boots, drysuit, and warm undergarments to withstand the hours of stillness in cold mountain water.

On the first day, I parked my vehicle at the trailhead, loaded my backpack with equipment, and made my way up a stream-side trail. Vividly colored leaves cascaded down from trees onto the ravine’s bed. The stream, a series of plunge pools, courses through boulders the size of cars and bedrock adorned with moss and lichen. After a three-mile hike along the trail, I arrived at a location I had explored on prior trips. After setting up my camera and housing, I put on my thermal undergarments, secured myself in my drysuit, took my camera, and entered the stream. No longer concealed by the surface glare of the water, brook trout of various sizes appeared. Larger males exhibited aggressive behavior, tightly grasping females and fiercely defending against any other male rivals, indicating that spawning was imminent.

 

A male brook trout swiftly maneuvers in a plunge pool of a high-elevation Appalachian creek

 

On the conclusion of my third day, as daylight began to wane and I had already told myself several times “just five more minutes,” two large males began to clash over a female. They battled for a minute or two before my lens, too engrossed in each other to notice my approach. In the dimming light, I adjusted my shutter speed to slow down significantly, thus enabling me to maintain a small aperture for a profound depth of field while freezing the action of the trout skirmish in the foreground. As swiftly as it commenced, the confrontation finished and I decided to call it a day and hiked back. I trudged back to the creek for four additional days, capturing images of spawning pairs on successive days, but that brief two-minute encounter was undoubtedly the highlight among all other interactions I had observed.

 

A pair of striking male brook trout engage in a fierce battle for supremacy over a small stretch of stream

 

After a week of photographing, the spawning activity seemed to decrease, signaling it was time to sift through the hundreds (if not thousands) of images I had captured. Brook trout are among the last fish species I document each year, and the effort put into finding them, coupled with the reward of observing incredible behaviors and spending time in such a breathtaking environment with one of my beloved species, is the perfect culmination to my year.

 

A male brook trout watches over his partner as she prepares to spawn on the creek bed

 

To explore more of Andrew’s exquisite freshwater photography, please follow him on Instagram and check out his website.