This brings up an important question: what would it be like without the hatcheries? As a wild trout advocate I know the damage that stocking can do in some areas. Look at Montana. It's a world class fishery devoid of truck riding and tank scrubbing trout. But CT is a slightly different story. It is a very populated area. If we got rid of every stocked trout, the boneheaded and ignorant methods of some fisherman would be focused entirely on our wild fish. You've all seen the line, the power bait cans, the rusty hooks left stream side in the heavily stocked areas. How would you like that in your secret wild brown trout hole?
Need I say more?
Well Said RM. If people could be thoughtful in their catch and keep it would have an impact but not be horrible... But people regrettably dont. To many people do the old catch a limit, put em in the trunk, go to a new spot: "Just started, havent caught a thing"... Then they act all grumpy that "they" dont stock enough and that "they" should stock more so the fishing is still good by memorial day.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a fish keeper outside the odd ice fishing panfish fry... but I have no issue with the person that wants to keep a meal now and then. The problem is that to few people are in that camp, and to many are in the if I can catch 15, then I'm figuring how to keep them all. Ugh.
Point being, you raised a great point. While a totally wild system would be awesome, in the north east, it would probably result in a wild fish catastrophe.
It is truly unfortunate.
DeleteRM
ReplyDeleteOutstanding trout landed, by the way is your Governor a Republican????? Our Republican Governor and the Republican Legislature here in Alabama has cut funding to all state parks which has which will close a lot of the parks in the state, all have fantastic lakes to fish. Thanks for sharing
Thanks, that last one was from 2014, a 25 inch holdover brown!
DeleteOur Governor is a Democrat. Your's seems slightly more short sighted... cut funding to all state parks? That's crazy!!!
You said it all right! They tried to cut a hatchery in PA last year and it wouldn't fly. What are they thinking? Just when we are getting some streams to hold wild trout that not everyone knows about. We all need to be advocates as you are!
ReplyDeleteTie, fish, write, teach and photo on...
You are in the same situation, but don't get me wrong... I'm not a hatchery advocate! If I could fish for trout the rest of my life, keeping with the same numbers, species, and size I catch now, and not catch a single hatchery fish I would do it.
Delete