Cecil- I am not sure on the pathogens and havn't talked to the hatcheries. The Hatchery where I got the browns is quite large and supplies all over Ontario and is one of the fiew suppliers of Browns in the area. The other hatchery where I got the brookies from is quite small and more of a Mom & Pop type little place with him specializing in only brookies.
One thing I have been noticing today and even yesterday that I never gave much thought to is that all the browns are in one area of the pond where there is a small feeder creek running into the pond (I live in a 15 acre woodlot and at the top of the property there is an old beaver pond that currently just holds water, and TONS of frogs)...it then outfeeds out of there and meanders about 200 yards thru the tree's (previous owner lined the creek with gravel)and then drops about 3 feeet just at the edge of the pond. There is an outfeed in the pond but it just drains into the swampy area of our property.
I am wondering if they are not gathering in that area for oxygen comming down from the creek water.
Unfortunatly I do not have a DO meter in order to test the water.
Also, on a side note...I decieded to toss in a line in the area where I am seeing them and within seconds I had a very livly brown that looked more than healthy with very bright red gills. I also got a brookie on the next cast and it too was also very healthy (that one I kept and will be going on the smoker tomorrow). While I was fishing in that area I did see one other brown that was closer to the surface and it was noticably a different colour than the livley one I cought.
I also gutted a few of the fresher dead ones just to see if they had eggs...and non of them did.
I am baffled as to what is going on....hopefully they pull thru this.
