Fall stocking?

[Jessed]

Can anyone explain why they choose to stock in the spring rather than fall? I understand water temps are rising rather than dropping but that can be a good thing. Wouldn't you think it be better if they stocked the streams once in the fall once in the winter and then agian in the spring rather than stocking streams March April and May? My local creek is done by late June. Just a idea

 

[krayfish2]

I believe the survival rate for fish making it through the winter is VERY low.

 

[lycoflyfisher]

Not many people fish during the winter, the fish that survive would have significantly slower growth rates than in the hatcheries which would lead to unhappy white truck chasers in the spring. In some more productive streams I think fall stockings make a lot of sense, but in more marginal water the food supply might really be lacking to support the fish throughout the winter.

 

[Jessed]

Kray not when winters were like this past one lol

 

[Jessed]

I always thought hay creek in berks would be a perfect stream for that. On top of special regs. And mannatawny creek! Plenty of food in the winter time to support fish

 

[SteveG]

I don't think food supply is an issue, as much as not being equipped to survive.

Fwiw, I think it's better they don't stock in the fall. Less uneducated folks disturbing the wild fish spawning.

 

[ryansheehan]

A number of Maryland DH streams have fall stockings, depending on reasonable flows. They seem to fish pretty well through the winter even though Garrett County can be pretty cold.

 

[Jessed]

Yeah I'm not saying every stream. It would be cool if there was a few per county.

 

[afishinado]

Jessed wrote:
Yeah I'm not saying every stream. It would be cool if there was a few per county.

A few short years ago there were a few fall stockings of trout in nearly every county. It was called the "fall stocking" but it has been, for all intents and purposes, eliminated because of the budget shortfalls of the PFBC.

It really is a shame that fall fishing trout is no longer supported by the FBC. Many/most of us avoid fishing the wild trout streams as not to interfere with the fall spawning. The fall stocking gave us a decent place to trout fish close to home without messing with the wilds.

It all about angler counts. For some reason the FBC is excited by 200 angler visits in a week to a stream, but seems to discount 10 weeks of 25 angler visits in the fall.

 

[dryflyguy]

Spring is when most people fish for trout.
Always been that way - always will I guess

 

[afishinado]

dryflyguy wrote:
Spring is when most people fish for trout.
Always been that way - always will I guess

^ Yep

But it usually rolls sumthin" like this:

Spring in ATW's

Week 1 200 visits
Week 2 50 visits
Week 3 25 visits
Week 4 10visits
Week 5 5 visits
Week 6 3 visits
Week 7 3 visits
Week 8 2 visits
Week 9 1 visits
Week 10 1 visits
Total 300 visits

Fall in DH sections:

Week 1 60 visits
Week 2 40 visits
Week 3 25 visits
Week 4 25 visits
Week 5 25 visits
Week 6 25 visits
Week 7 25 visits
Week 8 25 visits
Week 9 25 visits
Week 10 25 visits
Total 300 visits

Why aren't 300 angler visits counted as 300 angler visits when they are spread out and more consistent.

 

[PennKev]

krayfish2 wrote:
I believe the survival rate for fish making it through the winter is VERY low.

Someone must have forgotten to tell the trout that.

 

[Jessed]

I'd say more would make it through winter than summer. Especially in these conditions.

 

[Mike]

That type of study was done by the PFC in northcentral free stoners in the mid-1970's in response to angler opinion that fall stocked fish would provide more desirable fishing come spring. Overwinter survival was pitiful.

 

[afishinado]

Mike wrote:
That type of study was done by the PFC in northcentral free stoners in the mid-1970's in response to angler opinion that fall stocked fish would provide more desirable fishing come spring. Overwinter survival was pitiful.

It's hard to believe, Mike, but I believe you. It's just surprising.

 

[Nymph-wristed]

Plenty of coop stocked trout making it through the winter in SEPA. I target those streams on the warm days in January and February. With the short hours of daylight, close to home is nice. I was told by my local CO that no one fishes the fall and winter on the Wissy, for example, but I know many of those fish lasted until opening day. Penny still gets a fall stock with the PFBC, and those fish can be caught all winter too. It is def a money and use of resource issue, I believe. Why wouldn't fish survive Pickering, which was also taken off the fall list? Just not enough license holders using the resource. Stocked trout are not cool enough for the young bulls, but living in an urban area, I personally still like to catch fish close to home Valley is nice and all, but no one needs to fish it every day.

 

[SteveG]

I don't find what Mike is referencing shocking at all. Hatchery fish often hang in the current burning up calories, waiting for food coming down the conveyor belt, instead of holding in soft current and picking off food. That's why you'll see some holdovers, even on very fertile streams, that are skin and bones.

 

[PennKev]

Mike wrote:
That type of study was done by the PFC in northcentral free stoners in the mid-1970's in response to angler opinion that fall stocked fish would provide more desirable fishing come spring. Overwinter survival was pitiful.

They can't survive the winter. They can't survive the summer. And they won't stay put where you stock them. Yep, we got this stocking thing figured out.

All sarcasm aside, I've not found lack of trout to be a problem in fall stocked waters in NWPA. Just about every fall stocked water I've fished with any regularity gives up fish through the winter without too much effort.

 

[Jessed]

I do well on the tully in the winter. Fish are there and eating

 

[The_Sasquatch]

Tailwaters may not produce the same results that NCPA freestoners would produce.

Would studying freestoners in a part of the state that has a LONG winter and a pretty solid freeze over of streams really give us an accurate depiction of whether or not Fall stocking would work for PA?