Fingerling stocking on Little Sandy? ( Venango County)

It'll be interesting to see how this will all work out. Even though I'd rather see the stream not stocked, imo I still think stocking fingerlings may be better. We'll just have to wait and see.

Either were goinng to be fishing for sardines or maybe some of the fingerlings will grow into fish that closely resemble wild fish.
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I was going to ask about the fin clippings, but I re-read the thread and found my answer. I've caught fingerling stocked fish(well, a little bigger than fingerlings) in Neshannock and Cool Spring Creeks that were stocked by the local TU chapter and when they got bigger they looked very much like wild fish. I'm glad they're fin clipping them since there are wild fish as mentioned already in Little Sandy and I'm sure some of the other streams.

 
Didn't say what the reason was, but it's to reduce poaching of the fall stocking. If it accomplishes that then it is a success.
 
Mike wrote:
Fingerling trout stockings are occasionally successful in Pa streams, but usually they are not (low survival rates to adult size).
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So, why go that route? And why specifically on C&R, FFO sections?

What is the goal, purpose, rationale, etc.?
 
Fingerling trout stockings are occasionally successful in Pa streams, but usually they are not (low survival rates to adult size).
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Low survival, or low residency? I'd guess that both come into play, depending on the situation. But I've always thought the latter doesn't get enough consideration.

For instance, with the later year trials on the Tully, I caught a significant number of fingerling bows around the mouth and in the Skuke itself.

I don't consider poor residency much of a "problem". That's the whole point of a wild/fingerling fishery, the fish are spread out more naturally, not just piled in the stocked areas.
 
troutbert wrote:
And why specifically on C&R, FFO sections?
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I'm geussing that they think the anglers who frequent special regs would support this sort of move while general regs and opening day guys would just see it as the gubment stealing their rightfully deserved trouts?

Kev
 
I heard it was because of complaints of poaching on the C & R FFO sections.
 
I've never experienced a lack of trout in the Little Sandy. Only a lack of holding water. As far as wild trout go there are plenty in that stream, just not o much in the C&RFFO area. Again habitat is a likely issue there. Yeah there's probably poaching there and a million other places too, but if there is a lot of poaching going on it's being done by **** poor fisherman IMO. FWIW, the wild trout population in LSC seems to be a lot more robust than many streams in more remote settings, some of which get a good deal of discussion on this board.

I can't imagine that this is any sort of move to deter poaching. I think the economics of stocking fingerlings is a more a likely motivation. Even then these streams are only a drop in the bucket of the total stocking program. I'll wait for the PABC to comment on the motivation for this change, until then it just makes sense to me that they'd start it in areas where they'll recieve the least resistance.

Kev
 
Sorry guys, I responded at length, but when I submitted my response an "invalid.....code" message appeared. I'm not going to repeat my effort.
 
Mike wrote:
Sorry guys, I responded at length, but when I submitted my response an "invalid.....code" message appeared. I'm not going to repeat my effort.
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Mike, same thing happens to me on my work PC, so much so that I now always copy the text before submitting. At least that way, I can go back in and paste without having to re-type.
 
Streamer guy, it looked like they just dumped them in by the pumphouse. I fished the entire fly stretch and never noticed them until i was about 50 yds below the pumphouse.
 
I got a laugh out of a guy (stream side) he told me those fingerlings were wild rainbows from a spring run......
 
PennKev wrote:
As far as wild trout go there are plenty in that stream, just not o much in the C&RFFO area. Again habitat is a likely issue there. Yeah there's probably poaching there and a million other places too, but if there is a lot of poaching going on it's being done by **** poor fisherman IMO.

Kev
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PennKev,

I've seen so many bait containers, snelled hook pkgs., etc. in the special regs area over the years, it's ridiculous. A few years ago I almost got into a fight with a guy fishing bait right off of Rt62 outside Polk. When I threatened to report him, he had few choice words to say, told me to be sure to check my car before I leave, then he hightailed it. Luckily, my car was parked right at the pulloff on 62 and nothing was done.

Now outside C&RFFO, especially above Rainbow Bridge, I agree with you, not so much... but only because, poachers follow stocking trucks. IMO, poaching is a huge issue in this water. Especially early season.
 
I decided to stop by on my home home from the camp up there and fished by the pumphouse and down off 62. They were all along the stretch by the pumphouse up into the open regs section, and there were a bunch down off 62 also.

Of course I had to make a few casts while I was there, but I didn't want to bother them too much and limited myself to only a couple fish. One of the fish looked to be a rainbow, but I didn't get a really good look at him before he escaped. I saw silver, blue, and pink. Could have been a fingerling bow that got mixed in, or a wild fish, or my eyes were just playing games on me.

In all honesty even if they don't get a lot bigger than they are now I would still rather them keep with the fingerling stockings instead of adults. They definitely spread themselves out more and inhabit the little runs the adults wouldn't fit into, or just simply don't go into on that stream. It just seems a little more natural than fishing for 12-15in bows only in a couple holes imo.

With that said I believe they may also compete with the smaller wild fish more so than the adult stockies would. I'm not sure how this will turn out. On a positive note hopefully it will help with the poaching, unless they're after fish sticks lol.
 
I can second what ghost said. I have found a lot of night crawler containers and hook wrappers along the ffo stretch.
 
Anyone ever hear the "official" reason they stocked fingerlings in the regs section on Little Sandy?

Anyone fish there lately? Are they still there? Spread out?

 
I fished there in the beginning of January. They were spread out more so than the adult stockies would be, but that's because since they're much smaller they would hold in the shallower runs and such were the adult fish couldn't/wouldn't hold on that stream. I'd really like to fish it once this spring and definitely next fall right before they stock it again and see how they are then.
 
elguapogurn wrote:
Anyone ever hear the "official" reason they stocked fingerlings in the regs section on Little Sandy?

Anyone fish there lately? Are they still there? Spread out?
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Suposedly the fingerlings are fin clipped and the PAFBC will be surveying for survival rate. This is according to Oil Creek TU. OCTU is also planning more habitat improvement projects for the stream. I would like to see the PAFBC contribute to the cause as well. Holding water is the only thing the streamis missing IMO. There are already good numbers of wild fish, particularly in the streches that have good structure. I would be suprised if the stream was not at least class B. Though, I would suppose that depends on the stretch surveyed.

Kev
 
bikerfish wrote:
the local TU chapter may throw some fish in there also, but like others have said, why? that stream has some great wild trout fishing, need to quit the stocking and let people learn how to catch real fish. plenty of other marginal creeks around that people can fish for stockies.
saying that, I do know there are some browns in there that would happily eat those fingerlings!
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It's a bit of a mystery because it's otherwise open, stocked water. So, this good wild trout or fingerling-supplemented wild trout fishery will work over just a 1 mile segment? That doesn't make sense when every other fish outside of this section is aggressively targeted in a medium to smallish stream with ready access.

Little Sandy, while being easily accessed, is quite out-of-the-way from prying eyes. Poaching around the pumphouse is huge, and too many of the people who stock (sorry to say this, but this is my experienced and it left me dumbfounded) are oblivious OR complicit in the poaching. Stocking mature trout begs for poaching and maybe the Fish Commish is avoiding that.
JBeary
 

[/quote]

Suposedly the fingerlings are fin clipped and the PAFBC will be surveying for survival rate. This is according to Oil Creek TU. OCTU is also planning more habitat improvement projects for the stream. I would like to see the PAFBC contribute to the cause as well. Holding water is the only thing the streamis missing IMO.

Kev[/quote]

That isn't just your opinion, its a fact. There is SOOO much skinny, flat and slate bottomed, featureless water on Little Sandy... such a shame. you can see where years ago, stream structures were placed but now are eroded-behind. And this lack of structure in a mature woods. I don't know what could be done without a backhoe to do some serious ground breaking in the stream. A jack-dam won't make structure in solid rock. Also, the pump-house pool has that separate channel draining maybe as much as 1/2 the water from the stream. And the best stream work habitat is below this.

Little Sandy, from below the pumphouse to the tressel will be a tough fix!
 
Sylvaneous wrote:


That isn't just your opinion, its a fact. There is SOOO much skinny, flat and slate bottomed, featureless water on Little Sandy... such a shame. you can see where years ago, stream structures were placed but now are eroded-behind. And this lack of structure in a mature woods. I don't know what could be done without a backhoe to do some serious ground breaking in the stream. A jack-dam won't make structure in solid rock. Also, the pump-house pool has that separate channel draining maybe as much as 1/2 the water from the stream. And the best stream work habitat is below this.

Little Sandy, from below the pumphouse to the tressel will be a tough fix!
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Which is why I don't fish the FFO much except for the pool below the tressel. Even this pool has changed quite a bit over the last two years. First filling in significantly with gravel after extreme high water, then the face of the dam collapsing.
 
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