One of the most important aspects of a stream that
determines whether brook trout will find it hospitable is the
geology that makes up the stream and the watershed surrounding
it. The geology of an area is usually the backbone for the hydrology
of that area's streams and thus is an important thing to inspect
initially. When searching for Ohio brook trout streams, a good
place to start is in the Sharon formation sandstone that appears
in the higher elevations (over 1100 feet). Sharon sandstone is
important because it is more porous than the other rock formations
found locally, and hence yields more springs as is the case with
this iron spring that comes out of the Sharon formation in the
upper mile of Sulfur Springs:
The best ways to help identify Sharon formation sandstone
is to look for ample rounded quartz pebbles in the gravel of the
streambed. These pebbles not only show the potential for spring-yielding
geology, but also work as the ideal substrate for brook trout
spawning beds. The most clear examples of these rocks is in Spring
Brook as this photo of the gravel there shows:
Though Sharon sandstone is a great indicator of a potential
trout stream, it is not absolutely necessary. It is possible that
other local geological formations can create cold, spring fed,
stable streams (though Sharon formation is certainly the most
likely to do so).
