Anglers trolling stocking trucks...

[oakorchardfishking]

hey roverowner, i wasnt discrediting kids and ice fishing... i was just merely comparing. the difference of getting the into fishing on a freshly stocked creek vs. ice fishing on a really cold day! i have a 15 year old boy and a 12 year old girl myself and the girl is more into it than anything... she will go for salmon and trout, walleye, panfish... you name it! she even baits her own hooks... now the son on the other hand, he will go and is all gung ho about it in the morning but gets bored easily and wants the video games.... god i hate brain-melters...lol i cant complain though, atleast they like to go once in a while. its better than them having no interest at all!

[acsacmboy]

i belive it is wrong for a grown man to come out and catch his limit that way. have to let the fish become adapted and stuff. its ok for kids for the first time ever but it can become a bad habit.

truck
fisherman
 

[USMC130FE]

This is how I see it.  The State feels this is a worth while project and will continue to do so for however long they want to.  The argument shouldn't be "Is this ethical?" which isn't for us to decide, but if they are going to "Waste" our money that we pay for through Trout stamp purchases, how about using some of the money to stock other game fish that we can fish for.  Lake Erie and Lake Ontario probably could use an alternative stocking program with coho, Bows, and browns.  Other lakes could use a new breeding strain of Walleye or Muskies.  The possibilities are endless and unless we as a whole don't bring it up to the powers to be, can anything change??
I say let the people that want to troll behind the stocking trucks troll, at least their not out catching "your" fish from your honey hole that day.

Its legal, ethical, and in no way wrong!!!!!

Sorry just feeling grouchy tonight.
Steve

[bigdave1018]

we all must support the stocking programs because all the fishers over 16 when they buy their license, some of that money is used for stocking. in the usa noone can tell anyone or should have to listen to anyone say anything wrong about what is considered to be fishing. im not into stream trout fishing cause of my health. i use to go every opener when i was younger but didnt have the skills to be a good trouter. i still loved it. tight lines good fishing and what ever you consider good fishing practices is your choice.

[bufford220]

We have to remember that fisheries management is a political machine; it is supported by what people want not necessarily by what is best for the fisheries. Having worked with the PA Fish Commission and growing up in PA I know that following the “great white fleet” is what a majority of the people want, sort of a tradition for many. It doesn’t hurt the fisheries and puts a lot of money into local economies at a time of year that tourism is generally down. Dumping the huge number of fish into local waterways and hoping that they survive would decimate the ecosystems. I have raised and stocked trout as well as managed fisheries and certainly have my own personal feeling on the topic but what the public at large wants is what will drive management decisions. On a personal note the opening of PA trout is like a family reunion for my brother, parents and I…..it doesn’t really matter how many we catch.

As mentioned by others this is strictly my opinion and experiences and I don’t want to step on anybodies toes!

Dan

[missfishylicious]

Well darkcloud I know how much you like to stir the pot.so i'll just tell you that since a close relative  works at the hatchery,We will have to agree to disagree  ,and while I have your attention, tell Toni that dan mccraith did buy lewis point along with another guy who delivers beer around here.He's thinking of building condos.yippi there goes another great acces point to the lake.
Usmc130fe   there is a hatchery in constantia that raises and stocks walleye and I know they put bass into nicks lake so they must raise or buy them to stock as well.
The problem with the fishery dept in ny lies at the top.thats all i can say on that subject without causing trouble.

[Dark Cloud]

Miss F - I'll let Tony know....

Can I disagree still? Ya betcha. The DEC technician we know well down here and heads all the stockings in the area thinks its hogwash about the fish getting blown out. People cant catch fish right away where the buckets are dumped and come up with that excuse.
I got in an discussion(argument) with a yahoo one day who was complaining about stocking a certain creek when it was high. He said all the fish would end up in the river. He walked away when I pointed out that the river was 5 miles away and you mean to tell me the fish could not find one slack spot to hide in those 5 miles?
I grew up walking all the local trout streams and all the creeks in NE PA all spring long. My father and grandfather the same. When I say walk the creeks I mean miles. My dad usually drops me off at a spot and takes the vehicle to the next access spot and leaves it there. When I get to the spot I drive downstream and pick him up at another predetermined spot. Sometimes we are covering a few blocks of water, sometimes nearly a mile. This gets you away from yahoos and into some untouched water. I can tell ya one thing, when fish are stocked in higher water this always equals spread out fish and better fishing for us... Gets us into some awesome native and hold-over trout also.

[wnybassman]

We have to remember that fisheries management is a political machine; it is supported by what people want not necessarily by what is best for the fisheries.

I would agree with that statement.  We are seeing that right now with the DEC's consideration of opening a statewide catch and release bass season (like the western Finger Lakes has) by 2006 or 2008.  I feel they are getting pushed so much to do so, that they are just "giving in".  Money talks!  By the way, I am NOT in favor of such a season, and they can remove the early season on the Finger Lakes while they're at it!. 

I have heard some say  "Most stocked trout are disposable, and any holdovers are a bonus".   Not sure if I agree with that statement or not.

[Polar]

I see it all the time,I live within a 1/2 mile of the Mansfield Creek. One better is they stock the a sportsman's club pond only a handful of people know about it.Mainly club members only. They call themselves sportsman,Catch'in fish in a barrel. Pond about half acre stocked with 200 trout.Nothing but a waste of our tax dollar. If you find this hard to believe watch  the Buffalo paper when the post the stocking report.

[wnybassman]

I have also heard a rumor and was wondering if it was true.  The rumor was that the DEC slightly starved the stockers so once they were in the water they would immdeiately look for some type of food.  Apparently this would get them on a fast start to survival skills (or quickly on the end of a line)  Made sense, but didn't know if any truth was to this??

[missfishylicious]

wnybassman I'll ask for you never came up so I don't know off the top of my head. 
ask and you shall recieve...just like most rumors it's partial truth.They starve the fish for a day because if they don't they'll dirty the water in the trucks and it kills them quickly.

Dark cloud ..From the horses mouth through my fingers to your eyeThey don't stock dureing flood conditions because they don't want the trout to end up in a corn field somewere when the water drains away."thats exspencive fertilizer".The water temp averages between 30-40 degrees the same as the water there raised in it comes directly out of the mohawk river into the rome hatchery.So it makes no sense to test the water temp.Thats why they don't do it.but you can still disagree  if you want

[Jigwiggler]

I grew up walking all the local trout streams and all the creeks in NE PA all spring long. My father and grandfather the same. When I say walk the creeks I mean miles. My dad usually drops me off at a spot and takes the vehicle to the next access spot and leaves it there. When I get to the spot I drive downstream and pick him up at another predetermined spot. Sometimes we are covering a few blocks of water, sometimes nearly a mile. This gets you away from yahoos and into some untouched water. I can tell ya one thing, when fish are stocked in higher water this always equals spread out fish and better fishing for us... Gets us into some awesome native and hold-over trout also.

Nice way to fish isn't it?  My father and grandfather used to take me fishing as a boy and did the same thing.  Very peaceful and you wouldn't believe the fish you'll find off " the beaten path".  It's about the only way to peacefully fish for trout in PA.  Not that I fish for them much anymore, usually once or twice a year as a social gathering.  I do have some fond memories of walking those trout streams as a boy though.

[Dark Cloud]

Miss Fish - The first thing the head honcho on the stocking truck does here is take and record the stream temp. It makes sence to not shock the fish. Must be something "special" in the rome/utica area water. Gotta be cuz anyone I ever met from that area has something "wrong"....  

JigWiggler - It sure is a nice way to fish. Get to see all kinds of wildlife and neat things....

[missfishylicious]

LOL...your right there is something in the water up here.something that makes us smart enough to not worry about a few degrees in temp.when the fish are being shocked from sloshing around in a truck and being netted and poured out of pails .Now lets see you must be talking about the otselic hatchery since they specialise in musky and walleyes.they probably don't know to much about trout,other than over wintering the ones are boys raise for them  .My guess is that you hit the nail on the head your local "big wig " is trying to look like just what you called him a big wig. 

[Dark Cloud]

Theres a little thing called shock that will kill things. If the fish are going into the same water thats supplying the hatchery its not an issue, obviously.
Ever have a batch of minnows and give em a fresh batch of water and have a bunch of "floaters"? The diff in water temp was enough to kill them....
Most of our fish in the Southern Tier come from th Caldonia hatchery. Thats close to two hours from here. When the truck gets here there is enough of a chance that the temps in the truck and the temps in the creek are differnt enough to atleast check and record it. Never seen them not put fish in because it was so differnt but the smart person checks it out.
I believe I called him the head honcho not a "big wig". There is a huge difference.