Fall stocking?

[724flyfishing]

I catch fish in all the fall stocked streams around me throughout the winter. I'm not setting the world on fire but I usually get a fish or two on a couple hour outing on a nice winter day. Even the Loyalhanna DHALO always gives up a couple rainbows in January and February and that's a pretty sub marginal creek compared to a lot of others. They're usually skinny looking but that's how hold overs in a lot of sub marginal freestoners look after a few months.

I'm a big supporter of fall stocking. I really enjoy going out in October, November, and even when there's snow on the ground. Even if it's for stocked fish. It's a nice, quiet time of the year to enjoy a creek, and challenging. If they actually stocked the DHALO's once in October and once in November like they do in the spring, you could have a quality fishing experience most of the winter I bet. (I know they stock them once or twice in October but it's not nearly the quantity of quality of what they do in the spring)

 

[The_Sasquatch]

As far as the issue of people fishing for stockers over spawning fish, pretty simple solution to that potential problem.

Stop stocking streams that have wild populations.

 

[Jessed]

And the 70's were a hell of a lot colder then it is now.

 

[Jessed]

I agree ^ " don't wanna disturb wild trout spawning " what about disturbing them in the spring? Plus all the meat hunters keeping 10 inch wild fish

 

[Nymph-wristed]

Jessed wrote:
And the 70's were a hell of a lot colder then it is now.

You nailed that one.

 

[Bamboozle]

Nymph-wristed wrote:

Jessed wrote:
And the 70's were a hell of a lot colder then it is now.

You nailed that one.

Don't be so sure about that. When you look up weather records you might be surprised.

While snowfall isn't an indicator of temperature, here's some snowfall totals for Philly:

1970-1971 - 18.3"
1971-1972 - 12.2"
1972-1973 - 0.0"
1973-1974 - 20.8"
1974-1975 - 13.6"
1975-1976 - 17.5"
1976-1977 - 18.7"
1977-1978 - 54.9"
1978-1979 - 40.2"
1979-1980 - 20.9"

2000-2001 - 26.1"
2001-2002 - 4.0"
2002-2003 - 46.3"
2003-2004 - 17.8"
2004-2005 - 30.4"
2005-2006 - 19.5"
2006-2007 - 13.4"
2007-2008 - 6.3"
2008-2009 - 22.8"
2009-2010 - 78.7"
2010-2011 - 44.0"
2011-2012 - 4.0"
2012-2013 - 8.3"
2013-2014 - 68.0"
2014-2015 - 27.0"
2015-2016 - 22.9"
2014-2015 - 27.0"
2015-2016 - 22.9"

 

[Char_Master]

My local creek gets stocked three times in the spring in the main sections and once in October in the delayed harvest section. I love fall stocking on this creek, especially since it's primarily Browns. For a guy that doesn't ice fish (yet!) and has been known to fish two feet holes of open water in feeder creeks for chubs, it's nice to be able to drift nymphs for pelletheads all Winter to prevent cabin fever. There's no wild trout in this stream and while I prefer native Brookies, it's a 90 minute drive from me to the nearest wild trout stream.

 

[Nymph-wristed]

As you said, snowfall is no indication...

And they move up opening day in SEPA because?