Wild Trout

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#1 mcfly

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Posted 06 October 2004 - 02:08 PM

Here in PA we have what are called Wild Trout streams. On many other forums these streams are the source of a lot of controversy since the PA Fish and Boat commision occasionally stocks over top of these so called wild trout.

For some reason I just don't get it, were not the rainbows and browns brought into PA? I thought the brookie was the only native fish in this state. If that is the case then what is the big deal about stocking over fish that were stocked many years before and now have reproduced on their own? I just don't see the logic behind any of their arguments.

I also ran across the PA Steelhead Association site during lunch. It appears they are trying to get the PA fish and boat commission to outlaw night fishing on the tribs above rt5. They claim this is for the land owners. I think the land owners can post or throw anyone out at any time why would the PA fish and boat commission need to write a law for this??

People sometimes boggle my mind...

To avoid situations in which you might make mistakes may be the biggest mistake of all. - Peter McWilliams

#2 SmallieHunter

For I am Mullis...Lord of the idiots!

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Posted 06 October 2004 - 02:22 PM

I'm confused about the route 5 thing. As of right now you can only fish at night on Elk and Walnut and only from route 5 to the lake. Most of this is public property. The only private area in that stretch is the manchester hole. All of the project waters in Walnut are public. I will not be a happy camper if that happens, most of my Erie fishing is done at night.

As far as the trout goes.....who cares. They are all a bunch of pellet heads in my book

#3 Lance Kekel

Adored by fish feared by women!...no wait a minute, fish adore..I mean, women..feared.......oh forget it!

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Posted 06 October 2004 - 03:29 PM

I usually abstain from those arguments over on the paflyfish board. I've got some passion for it but since there seems to be more than enough go around I stay out!

The stocking fish over wild fish thing actually has couple of things against it.

#1 while yes they were stocked in the stream at some point only the hardiest fish survive and become wild and so the strongest genes are passed on. So your stocking inferior genes over the stronger fish.

#2 When they stock legal size fish in a wild stream it's usually done to supplment the wild stock due to increased fishing pressure. As your probably well aware the catch 22 on this one is that moment a stream is listed as a stocked stream the fishing pressure usually increases 5-10X and so both the streams over there tend to get cropped off at legal size and you not only lose the stocked fish but also the wild fish of breeding size. It's really kind of an ugly circle of events. While this practice is successful in some states it really doesn't serve PA well because the average size of the streams are much smaller than in most the places that this works well at. I'd also note that many of states that have class smaller class -A troutwaters have also stopped stocking over the wild fish over the past 10 years and adjusted there regs to protect the populations.

As far as night regs in PA. I'm not sure what's up with that. I've run into those on some of the special regs areas over there also. I'm not sure if it's just the landowners or also the fact that so much poaching goes on over there.