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BoulderWorks
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Sounds like a Falling Spring Creek scenario as well...
LongWader
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Yeah, now that Maryland's last best trout hatchery is in trouble the whole program is in trouble. Even if they had the ability to raise quality fish they don't have the modern tank trucks needed to transport them very far.
The Upper Gunpowder is low on forage, but the middle and lower sections have plenty of forage. I would agree that more small fish could be harvested, but that is not what the poachers are looking for and if the population was more in balance the larger brown trout would help take care of the small trout problem.
It has been a progressive slide as far as quality and quantity and the process has really accelerated over the past 10 years. In the last 5 years even the numbers of small fish seems to be down.
The Upper Gunpowder is low on forage, but the middle and lower sections have plenty of forage. I would agree that more small fish could be harvested, but that is not what the poachers are looking for and if the population was more in balance the larger brown trout would help take care of the small trout problem.
It has been a progressive slide as far as quality and quantity and the process has really accelerated over the past 10 years. In the last 5 years even the numbers of small fish seems to be down.
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troutbert
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What's the problem at the hatchery?
ryansheehan
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Its a hatchery.
ryansheehan
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Completely agree, no big fish at all but the poachers love to poach there because there are so many big fish, they don't like little ones. Don't waste your time fishing the gunpowder or any other maryland stream they are all garbage.
LongWader
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Not garbage, just not what they used to be or what they could be.
The hatchery has source water problems that were outlined earlier in this thread.
The hatchery has source water problems that were outlined earlier in this thread.
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troutbert
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That's what I'm asking about. Earlier it was stated that the water supply to the hatchery is less than before.
What caused that?
LongWader
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The Hatchery report did not say why and only stated they were looking into it. The water supply is down about 50% and is not enough to raise the normal number of fish to the required 1/2 pound average, but Maryland has not achieved that average in a number of years. In the last few years the only time they stocked good sized robust trout was when they had a pump failure, lost most of their fish, got free fish from the Freshwater Institute, and supplemented them with some brood fish.
Next year they plan to raise about half as many trout.
Since Maryland stocking numbers are small to begin with that does not bode well for the future.
Next year they plan to raise about half as many trout.
Since Maryland stocking numbers are small to begin with that does not bode well for the future.
TheBluegillMaster
Member
I know this is SUPER late (like five years) but do you think marylands problems with the hatchery still persist? I’d like to add that last year I tried to fish the gunpowder (sparks, phoenix and glenco) for stocked trout and caught or seen absolutely NOTHING with the exception of a few days in may. No goldens, no nothing. And there was another guy fishing too, he got skunked as well. Atleast I got fish that season… this fall I went to the GP for the 500 rainbows they stocked. Went to phoenix, sparks and glenco and still NOTHING. Last year in those EXACT same spots, I got fish after fish. Is this an isolated incident or is there really an issue?
Oh and I’d like to add, if you have the fish brain app, you will see that during the stocked season, there would be normally some rainbow or golden trout catches, check it now. The most recent ones are browns and fall fish. No way ATLEAST ONE PERSON using Fishbrain did not catch and log one of the 500 trout stocked…
(My wording may be a little weird, and sorry for the long rant lol, just wanted an explanation)
Oh and I’d like to add, if you have the fish brain app, you will see that during the stocked season, there would be normally some rainbow or golden trout catches, check it now. The most recent ones are browns and fall fish. No way ATLEAST ONE PERSON using Fishbrain did not catch and log one of the 500 trout stocked…
(My wording may be a little weird, and sorry for the long rant lol, just wanted an explanation)
