Stocking???

[BlackLabel]

I fished with Chris and Lopat today out on some small PA streams. One had a fair share of wild fish and stocked fish the other I thought had only wild fish. We got to talking about stocking and I said that I feel that any river that has wild fish should not be stocked. I feel it really takes away from the fishery. I was wondering what you guys think. I realize that this would never happen for a ton of reasons and that a large number of our wild streams are a result of stocking. I'm also not saying there is anything wrong with stocked fish. I mean who doesn't like stockie bashing? I just saying I would like to see our wild streams be truely wild.

[Troutastic]

When I think about stocking I go back to the West Branch of the Delaware River. From what I'm told, the last time they stocked it was about 15 years ago, and it still holds a great deal of fish (correct me if I'm wrong on this). I think stocking is very proactive for fisheries, but steps need to be taken to make sure that the fish can sustain life on that river if possible throughout the year. This means that holdovers become a reality, as well as reproduction, and newer generations of trout can come to be. I personally don't like the idea of stocking streams with the intention that they will either all be caught and taken from the fishery or die by the extremes of the seasons.

[alanb_ct]

In CT, the state DEP proactively declared three classes of wild trout fisheries (1, 2 or 3). These fisheries are carefully stocked (or not stocked) in a way that augments the naturally occurring fish. The CT Angler's Guide on-line has more information.

[NJFred]

Streams capable of supporting decent wild fish should not be stocked. Period. Stocked fish hurt the wild fish populations. As all here know the difference between fishing for wild trout vs stocked trout is like night and day.

[AaronJasper]

Remember, in most of our streams within the region. The wild trout populations are buffered by the stocked trout. The stocked trout are easy to catch and are killed rather than the wild trout being taken. If they made all of the viable trout streams C and R AND stopped stocking them, that would be ok. However, we know that is not going to happen. I know that many of the wild trout here in New Jersey and not kept because the guys that are keeping fish are taking the stockers. So as far as the stocking issue, the grass is not greener on the other side. PA has streams that have very stong populations of wild fish, buts that's a whole other discussion... And please no quoting with this thread. Its a bitch to read through it.

[BlackLabel]

Very good point Aaron. I hadn't thought about it that way. The kill and grill guys will kill and grill no matter what so its better they do it to the stockers.

[AaronJasper]

However, if they were to directly stock the West Branch or Main Stem of the Delaware I would be upset as those are two exceptional wild trout rivers where viable populations of wild trout exist with minimal harvest.

I personally think that the reason why biologists continue to stock streams with large populations of wild trout.

[LopatNympher]

In my little creek they stocked over 2000 fish this spring. BlackLabel and Rubberlips know this creek a bit and that is a very large number of fish for this flow. Luckily they stock in places that everyone knows about which leaves other areas that are off the beaten track free from the tuna fisherman. (love that name) I am still catching some impressive wild browns out of my secret spots and I expect the wild population will have survived another spring onslaught.

[AaronJasper]

See there's one example of where the stocked fish help. If they didn't stock for one season the fishermen there would either not go there or start catching some of the wild fish and taking them home. Also, the stockers might compete with the wild fish for a little while but the wild trout will almost always outlast the wild fish. If they went and stocked a wild trout stream like Van Campens Brook it would have an adverse affect because of the high number of wild trout in there already.

[Flyfisher]

Its a tricky situation. Where I am at In NC PA there are a lot of great native brook trout streams. Some of these streams are still stocked with trout. Being that they are freestone streams with minimal stream life the stocking of trout in any form really hurts these native brook trout. I think that any stream that still has a healthy native brook trout population really should be protected and not stocked with trout. Yes in many of these small mountain streams a 9 of 10 incher is a monster but hey that is what the stream can naturally sustain.

That is just my thoughts.