Private Stocking of public lands...

[JVenezia]

Does anyone know if this is possible or if their is any program currently in the works or ongoing?

 

[pcray1231]

Happens all the time. Co-op nurseries.

 

[JVenezia]

So someone could buy babies and drop them wherever they like in a county or state fishing area ?

 

[JVenezia]

So would anyone be interested in going out on our own and trying to rebuild a local fishery and keep it on the down low for our enjoyment? or maybe a few different areas?

 

[JasonS]

If you want to fish for stocked trout on private water why don't you just join a club? It'd be a lot cheaper and a lot less work.

 

[JVenezia]

More of hoping to restore / rebuild a local stream.. As far as I know you cannot relocate Naturals. So I know of no other way to rebuff the area.

 

[JasonS]

Stocking trout does not and will not restore/rebuild a stream. What you are talking about is a hugely complex and expensive project that will require approval and permitting from government agencies. So I will revise my previous suggestion based on your previous comment: join TU or a similar type organization.

 

[pcray1231]

I'm not sure about buying fish. People do it all the time to stock private lakes and so forth, so I know it could be done. Not sure of the availability of fingerlings, though.

Whether on private land or not, ALL streams are public water. And if you wish to stock fish in them, you need to go through an application process with the PFBC. I'm not sure of how difficult that is, or what is required for approval. You may have to agree not to post said water and list the stream publicly as an ATW. I'm not sure.

Regardless, the chances of success of using modern hatchery trout to seed a wild trout fishery is pretty slim. Modern hatchery strains are far different than the wild strains, and they are ill suited for stream life. You might get a generation or two, but the chances of getting a viable population to take hold are slim.

On top of that, if the stream is capable of holding a wild trout population, it likely already does.

 

[osprey]

I have been "relocating" wild brookies for years , and it has worked out quite well there are redds with fry every year for about 12 years now. They come from the same stream i just move them upstream a little to give them a little help with the trip.

 

[RCFetter]

I've heard of some TU chapters stocking public streams with fingerlings. Watsons creek in Bucks County was stocked by TU and the local township a few years ago.

 

[troutbert]

osprey wrote:
I have been "relocating" wild brookies for years , and it has worked out quite well there are redds with fry every year for about 12 years now. They come from the same stream i just move them upstream a little to give them a little help with the trip.

Were there no brook trout in the section of stream before?

 

[Squaretail]

I tried what osprey spoke of when I was younger. There was about a 8ft falls/rock slide that I would catch natives up to, but not above in a little mouintain freestoner called Tublick run.
More than once I moved fish above the falls and they would just not take hold and always left me dissappointed.
Funny, back in those days every trickle I came acroos had natives in it except that one and I just couldn't bare it.
Yep. I was spoiled.

 

[ebroesicke]

There is a creek near me that runs through a city park, which is stocked by the private purchase of fish. This is open water ie. not ATW or other designation. It is apparently OK on some level because everyone knows about it including the PFBC. Interesting place, 6lb+ trout in a stream that is 10ft wide.

 

[Chaz]

Most streams on public land already have plenty of trout in them if they are cold water streams and it is NOT recommened. Plus you need to contact PFBC before stocking anything. You cannot just buy fish and throw them anywhere.

 

[Chaz]

I've heard of some TU chapters stocking public streams with fingerlings. Watsons creek in Bucks County was stocked by TU and the local township a few years ago.

Watson creek, I don't think so, there have been wild trout there for years.

 

[Chaz]

Furthermore, it takes years of stocking thouasands of fish before any discernable spawning population occurs, because of every generation of fish produced only 1 in a 1000 survive to reproduce.