Some stockings changed to this Saturday due to past week's snow

[Mike]

If you have expressed a desire to help with stocking if stocking schedules were changed to weekend days, this Saturday may present you with your opportunity. Due to this week's snow event, some stockings have been rescheduled for this Saturday. The ones that I noticed were in SE Pa, the only schedule that I checked. Antietam Lake and Antietam Creek, Berks Co. will be stocked beginning at noon on Saturday with a noon meeting time at the Lake. Wissahickon Ck 04 in Philadelphia will also be stocked on Saturday, with a 12:30 meeting time at Northwestern Ave and Wissahickon Drive. The Wissahickon is a two truck stocking, with half of the volunteers usually following one truck and half following the other. When stocked on weekdays, volunteer help has been very light on the Wissahickon in recent years.

 

[SurfCowboyXX]

Mike-

Do you know if the Wissahickon upstream from Northwestern Ave was stocked earlier this week? I saw a truck in Flourtown on Tuesday, I think. I'm asking because I want to take my daughter down the street for the Mentored Youth Day tomorrow.

 

[Mike]

Given that I did not receive any automated emails regarding a schedule change for Wissahickon, Section 02 and given that the stocking schedule on the PFBC web page does not show any changes for that section, the section was stocked on Tuesday as had been planned.

Given that you can fish all day, you may want to try the Wissahickon, Section 04 in Philly near Northwestern Ave or Bells Mill Rd late in the day if colder air temps in the morning shorten your planned trip in Section 02. With the snow melt, water temps may be cold, but RT should be willing to bite anyway. BT may have tougher. Both sections are normally predominantly stocked preseason with RT, but will be stocked almost exclusively with BT during the inseason period this spring. Because of an RT shortage at Huntsdale Hatchery, however, some sections normally stocked preseason with RT are receiving mostly BT.

 

[SurfCowboyXX]

Thank-you very much. I will take your advice.

 

[afishinado]

Very nice, Derek. I'm sure she'll have a ball....and her Dad too.

Take a kid fishin', if you can.

 

[SurfCowboyXX]

Unfortunately the stream is running a bit too high and cold for me to put a 7 year-old in it today (that snow is melting awful fast-my yard is almost dry, and we had 12" or more two mornings ago). More unfortunate are the three grown-*** men fishing in the park in Flourtown with three little ones too small to hold a rod floundering around in the mud together. I walked over to check the conditions and found these guys doing a whole lot more fishing than mentoring. I guess their theory was to show up and catch 6 limits of trout the week before opening day. How sporting of them. The only saving grace is that 1) they are ineffective fishermen, even with bait, and 2) the water is so cold with runoff that the fish aren't moving a muscle.

 

[afishinado]

SurfCowboyXX wrote:
Unfortunately the stream is running a bit too high and cold for me to put a 7 year-old in it today (that snow is melting awful fast-my yard is almost dry, and we had 12" or more two mornings ago). More unfortunate are the three grown-*** men fishing in the park in Flourtown with three little ones too small to hold a rod floundering around in the mud together. I walked over to check the conditions and found these guys doing a whole lot more fishing than mentoring. I guess their theory was to show up and catch 6 limits of trout the week before opening day. How sporting of them. The only saving grace is that 1) they are ineffective fishermen, even with bait, and 2) the water is so cold with runoff that the fish aren't moving a muscle.

A shame conditions weren't better for the little one.

As I have posted on here many times, I'm a real proponent and fan of the youth mentoring program. But, sadly there are way too many slobs that use their kids as an excuse to fish for themselves, as you have witnessed today. I see those types on the stocked streams all the time, they make sure to bring the kids so you can take another limit and fill their cooler.

The youth mentoring days should be for the youth and not allow fishing for the adults. The mentors should mentor; pay attention and help the kids to learn and have fun fishing.

 

[SurfCowboyXX]

Yeah. The one guy was obviously well-heeled, too, which is just mind-boggling to me. $200 sunglasses, top-name breathable waders, nice ultralight spinning rod and reel. Not even looking back at whoever's kids were behind him on the bank playing in the mud. You'd think he'd had some shame, but it's become obvious that the social contract is almost irretrievably broken at this point. I understand a guy who makes little and has to scrap for every dime doing this. In fact, I'm all for a guy who is just trying to feed his family getting a windfall of easy protein once a year, if that's what it takes to make the ends meet. But some dude with a nice car and gear? What a joke.

 

[afishinado]

SurfCowboyXX wrote:
Yeah. The one guy was obviously well-heeled, too, which is just mind-boggling to me. $200 sunglasses, top-name breathable waders, nice ultralight spinning rod and reel. Not even looking back at whoever's kids were behind him on the bank playing in the mud. You'd think he'd had some shame, but it's become obvious that the social contract is almost irretrievably broken at this point. I understand a guy who makes little and has to scrap for every dime doing this. In fact, I'm all for a guy who is just trying to feed his family getting a windfall of easy protein once a year, if that's what it takes to make the ends meet. But some dude with a nice car and gear? What a joke.

I get your point about feeding the family, but it's not even about that in this case since the "mentors" :roll: have to C&R all the fish. I bet that guy had a cell phone of pics to show his buddies all the lunkers he landed. Meanwhile his kids played in the mud on the bank. He's a real "sport" and a great example of a father.

When I fishing with my young niece and nephew, I've had guys wade right in front us, blocking the stream for the kids fishing from the bank. That's the whole point of the youth mentoring days, a day to allow kids to fish without getting pushed out by people. Unbelieveable!....people making an asses out of themselves for a fish.

 

[Mike]

On a positive note, I left the house at 4PM and biked the length of the stocked Coplay Ck section and then biked along 1.5 mi of the Jordan, which included a township park. Both streams were gin clear. I saw no evidence of adults doing anything more than was intended by the program. Children and young teens equaled or exceeded the number of adults in each group. Among the adults I saw in one case two adults without rods attending to kids. In another case I spoke to an adult who was done fishing, but allowing his child to continue fishing to his heart's content. They had been out in the morning and again in the afternoon...C&R. In all I saw 9 adults and 15 youths. Included were two groups of three teens, which is legit when at least one in each group is fully licensed and 16 or older. In the past, but infrequently, I have run into two brothers, for example, fishing together...one fully licensed and one still qualifying as a "youth." I think it's great to see that, considering the alternatives.

 

[steliejim]

Didn't see much of anything in the way of adults fishing where I was on the Little Schuylkill. In our hole, it was just my son and his friend with me and my buddy tending to our kids, never even picking up a rod to fish ourselves.

The kids had an absolute field day, catching and releasing dozens til finally quitting around 11 am. Went back out to a different stream after lunch, and was devoid of anglers save for us.

Imo, this is the best program initiated by the PAFBC.
They are the future of the sport, and no doubt in 20 years, numbers of anglers will probably be half of what it is now. Anything that can be done to encourage kids to take up the sport should be done.

 

[krayfish2]

Took my kid out and I limited out twice yesterday!




Disclaimer: I don't have a kid, you won't find me fishing before April 15 and I don't eat fish / haven't kept one in 30+ years. Guessing the above statement is said quite often but youth days are still a good idea in spite of some a-holes who use it to steal the fish.

 

[SurfCowboyXX]

You know, last year, I thought it was great. Same spot, but two grown men and about 5 kids, and only the kids were fishing. It was really nice. This year, the clown show rolled in. Better luck next time, I guess. I do think it's a brilliant idea. Give kids a leg up early in the season to basically catch fish from a barrel and get some confidence and fun going.

 

[troutbert]

For those introducing kids to fishing:

Just skip all that chaos described above.

Find good bluegill ponds and lakes nearby. Fish with cane poles, bobber and worms. No reel to get messed up.

 

[laurelrun]

Mike, kudos to you and your colleagues for making this program happen. This is the third year I have taken my nephew. I’m happy to see his skills progressing as he is now handling all the basics just fine on his own.

I fished alongside him yesterday and we had a great time. I kept changing tactics and tackle to show him different methods, like how to read water. He got his first trout on an artificial and also managed a brook, brown and rainbow, which we confirmed with his Fish of Pennsylvania ID book. Every fish carefully released and handled as little as necessary.

We surrendered our early morning spot to a dad and son who came out when the weather warmed, shared some tips on where to cast with the newly arrived and went on our way to help stock a different creek. My nephew enjoyed that almost as much as fishing.

I fished two different watersheds and saw several pairs or adults with multiple kids. I did not witness anyone abusing the program and have yet to do so in my 3 years participating. I did get some loud feedback from a young dad walking past us with his father and kid that he didn’t think adults were permitted to fish and that he was going to calll the WCO. I ignored him and kept fishing with my nephew. I hope he called so he could clarify the regs.

My nephew had fun and likes to fish now. It’s something we enjoy doing together. I’m of the mind that’s the purpose of the day.