Any Forks TU guys willing to answer a PM?

[Nymph-wristed]

Just wondering if you guys provided these critters over the last few years on the lower end of the special regs stretch? Also wondering how the biomass of BT are doing there. There was supposed to be a Biologist Report in 2014, but I haven't seen anything since the 2012.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Nymph-wristed]

What I meant is PM me if you are will to answer a couple question. Thanks!

 

[Nymph-wristed]

Nothing? Just wondering if anyone knows how stocked fish are getting into a class A (or former class A). I figured the stewards of the stretch might know something.

 

[Susquehanna]

I would rule out eagles carrying them so the options are:

Private stocking
Club stocking
PFBC stocking
They swam in from another body of water.

If it is a former class A i would go with Club or private stocking.

 

[Dave_W]

Nymph-wristed wrote:
There was supposed to be a Biologist Report in 2014, but I haven't seen anything since the 2012.

Unfortunately, the number of PFBC surveys that find their way to web publication seems to have diminished greatly over the last few years and this is particularly true for trout stream surveys. Personally, I find this very unfortunate: every PFBC stream survey should have it's results searchable IMO.
Budget cuts are likely the culprit.

If you contact the local AFM with a polite request to see the results of the survey, they may be able to help with this - this is tougher for them in the summer due to fieldwork. Local TU chapters are also often aware of survey results and could convey them to you if you contact the chapter directly or attend a meeting.

I'm not familiar with the stream in question but (as has been discussed in other threads lately) stocked trout get into Class A and remote streams all the time. I don't regard such discoveries as a cause for alarm.

 

[Vaughn]

A study was done in 2016 : http://pfbc.pa.gov/images/reports/2016bio/5x08_30bushkill.pdf

The stream is stocked both upstream and downstream of the C&R section. Dams would limit movement, but no reason to believe high water events couldn't wash some stockies down stream.

 

[Nymph-wristed]

Thanks, Vaughn! I must have missed this one. I used to be good with navigating the web site until the update. Much appreciated. Fished the same stream today and got the species trifecta... Not what it once was, but the browns are in there...

 

[fisherboy3]

Im pretty sure those were stocked by the forks tu. Caught some down behind the dye factory.

 

[Mike]

Stocked Brook Trout movement away from stocking points is common in Pennsylvania streams.

 

[fisherboy3]

It may be forks tu, but it also may be the state. Ive caught brookies there for the last few years. Right below the point if stocking for the state too.

 

[Nymph-wristed]

They are also at the base of another impassable obstruction at the upper end of the special regs, so while the ones Kev is talking about, and which I have caught too, may be from the PFBC, the others were put there by someone else. It's a shame because the latest report is encouraging, and I have caught plenty of decent sized wild BT in the creek, and a few year classes, not just random piggies...

One from the other day...

A youngin'

 

[ryansheehan]

Not sure the first one is wild, second one yes.

 

[Jsnyder7]

In high water, the stocked trout get pushed over the damn at the top. Dropping into the C&R. At the bottom, there isn't anything stopping them from moving up stream into the C&R. The water was blown out and really high this year for opening day. I know a bunch of stocked fish got spilled over on the upper end. I've caught stocked brook trout at the top and bottom this year.

 

[fisherboy3]

First one is stocked.

 

[Jaybird]

Im more worried about people living in abandon buildings in the lower C&R water than stray brookies .Kidding , but not really

 

[ryansheehan]

I'm more interested in brookies than people in abandoned buildings.

 

[fisherboy3]

Theyre just stocked brookies....I am worried sometimes about the meth epidemic in stroudsburg and the people living in the tents in the woods along the brodhead. Had a guy follow me last week while I was fishing.

 

[ryansheehan]

Bear spray......it works on meth heads too.

 

[fisherboy3]

I know a guy who had a gun pulled on him as well while fly fishing the brodhead. Bear spray versus a gun is like bring a knife to a gun fight.

 

[JeffK]

When NJ stocked brookies the brookies tended to go upstream and congregate at a blocking dam. In the special regs areas on the Musconetcong the stocked brookies never stayed, but went to dams just above the boundary, where they were hit hard by bait guys. I would guess something similar could happen in the Bushkill.

NJ also tested the catch rate of stocked brookies vs rainbows by stocking several stretches of river 50/50 with brookies and rainbows preseason. The early season catch was 4:1 rainbows to brookies. Theories were that stocked brookies don't start feeding as well as stocked bows or that the brookies move a great deal. Some evidence for both views, but not enough to be confident.