Spruce Run Tests and Checkup (Stocking Tests)

[KrsnaM]

Brooooo, duuuude or however you want to be referred to as.....

Figure out some simple measurements you can do, you have mentioned stream width, depth, ph and temperature. Pick several accessible points along the stream, ie a bridge crossing, park, your back yard. Collect your measurements at the same location every month or every other week or as much as possible. Plot those results on a timeline and you have your high-school science project. Google the scientific method or monitoring stream temperature and you will get info on basic project design.

Keep it simple.

Alright, thank you. I'll do that for sure, appreciate the advice

 

[wildtrout2]

I think instead of certain people knocking what this young student is trying to do, he should be encouraged. Sure, there are details that he needs to work out regarding this effort, but helpful posts will give him confidence to continue to learn from this endeavor. After all, it's a school project.

Instead of him being out there shoplifting, drinking & driving, participating in street takeovers, or smash and grabs, he's trying to learn about something constructive, not destructive. Give him some respect.

 

[bdhoover77]

I think instead of certain people knocking what this young student is trying to do, he should be encouraged. Sure, there are details that he needs to work out regarding this effort, but helpful posts will give him confidence to continue to learn from this endeavor. After all, it's a school project.

Instead of him being out there shoplifting, drinking & driving, participating in street takeovers, or smash and grabs, he's trying to learn about something constructive, not destructive. Give him some respect.

Fair enough, and as I said in an earlier post, he should be commended and encouraged to take an active role in conservation. But there are better ways than by stocking trout, and we should point that out.

Also, I assume you don’t think all (or most) young people are engaged in illegal or destructive behavior.

 

[jifigz]

I think that, overall, our suggestions have been helpful. I have tried to provide useful information. I have also pointed out that I think stocking is a waste of time, though. bdhoover is right, the fella is better off planting trees, shrubs, or something to buffer the stream, maybe installing stream bank rip rap or rock, or, at the very least, promoting and holding litter pickups, etc.

 

[jifigz]

And just to add to the post above: that does not mean that he shouldn't capture scientific data and keep logs and records of everything. He should. That is the useful and interesting part here.

 

[KrsnaM]

And just to add to the post above: that does not mean that he shouldn't capture scientific data and keep logs and records of everything. He should. That is the useful and interesting part here.

Yeah you guys definitely have given me some really useful ideas, and ur right, maybe up until the summer I should just be planting shrubs and trees to lower the overall water temp, cleaning up the area, etc, just to really get the best possible test results come summer... also, I was looking at the ninemile run fish survey again a little, and I was surprised to see that in the run they also found Blacknose Dace, a species in common with Spruce run. Not sure what these little guys need to survive in terms of water conditions, but it could help me a little as well.

 

[jifigz]

I think dace usually take very clean water, but I could be wrong. Mike should chime in on that one. If there are dace, I assume trout are a possibility if water is cold enough.

 

[troutbert]

..maybe installing stream bank rip rap or rock, or, at the very least, promoting and holding litter pickups, etc.

A permit is required for installing rip rap, rocks, or any other type of stream structural work. The reason a permit is required is that if done incorrectly or at wrong locations, it can be harmful.

 

[jifigz]

A permit is required for installing rip rap, rocks, or any other type of stream structural work. The reason a permit is required is that if done incorrectly or at wrong locations, it can be harmful.

I understand that, and I was already aware of that. I never told him not to obtain a permit or to do things illegally. I am stating that that is a more beneficial use of time and resources than buying trout and dumping them in.

Plus, there is already an organization working on streams in the area, and I am sure they would be on board if time and money allowed.

 

[KrsnaM]

I understand that, and I was already aware of that. I never told him not to obtain a permit or to do things illegally. I am stating that that is a more beneficial use of time and resources than buying trout and dumping them in.

Plus, there is already an organization working on streams in the area, and I am sure they would be on board if time and money allowed.

Not to mention, there is already lots of area along spruce run that already has such structure built, so it may not be as necessary. About the dace tho, i did some quick research on them and it’s said they can’t tolerate waters too warm and they prefer clean water. Do you think it’s a possibility that later on in the year trout come in to these waters to feed on the dace?

 

[moon1284]

I say stock it and see what happens bro.

 

[KrsnaM]

I say stock it and see what happens bro.

Yeah I feel u, im still set on stocking it if by the summer the water temperatures are cool enough and it still has depth. In the mean time imma just survey the waters some more and pick up some trash along it. Who knows, maybe some trout will show up anyways

 

[HopBack]

The group that did the survey is called "Upstream Pittsburgh", here's the link

Annual Fish Study - UpstreamPgh

Studies of fish in the Nine Mile Run stream date back to the 1940s, when one identified no fish in the stream. Numerous additional studies were conducted by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, U.S. Army Corp of Engineers and others before the restoration; nearly all showed very meager or...

upstreampgh.org

Idk I feel people are getting way too technical with these trout, they can adapt pretty well... don't think anyone is stocking them, definitely not a significant amount by any means. I gotta check back there sometime, maybe I can get some pictures of them.

Trout can adapt pretty well? They can’t adapt to things like high summer water temps, high or low PH, low dissolved oxygen due to restricted flows in the summer.

Carp and catfish can adapt. They are everywhere, trout… not so much.

 

[HopBack]

KrsnaM,

In reading back through your posts, I feel like we missed a key detail. You are only 16 years old! I’ll commend you just for knowing what a forum is in the first place. The fact that you have stuck with us old farts( over 30 crowd) deserves another commendation.

I think it is very impressive that you have gone to the lengths you have to determine stream quality. You are certainly on the right path.

I think if you determine that there is no wild brown trout or brook trout population in spruce, there would be no harm in dumping a few buckets of rainbow trout in the waterway. This is assuming you have the means and landowner cooperation as well as fulfilling all the legal obligations that come with private stocking of a stream.

Stick around the forum for a while and soak up whatever knowledge you can. There are a lot of conservation minded wild trout enthusiasts on here as well as people who love fishing for stocked trout.

 

[hemlock]

I think instead of certain people knocking what this young student is trying to do, he should be encouraged. Sure, there are details that he needs to work out regarding this effort, but helpful posts will give him confidence to continue to learn from this endeavor. After all, it's a school project.

Instead of him being out there shoplifting, drinking & driving, participating in street takeovers, or smash and grabs, he's trying to learn about something constructive, not destructive. Give him some respect.

I won't encourage man, woman, or child to conduct a project with the goal of stocking a non-native species. A project with the goal of true conservation in mind, I'd encourage. Finding any potential issues with this creek and trying to come up with a solution would be great.

Dumping a few buckets of rainbows just because there are no other trout present doesn't make sense either. Not every trickle of water in the state needs to be a trout fishery.

 

[KrsnaM]

I won't encourage man, woman, or child to conduct a project with the goal of stocking a non-native species. A project with the goal of true conservation in mind, I'd encourage. Finding any potential issues with this creek and trying to come up with a solution would be great.

Dumping a few buckets of rainbows just because there are no other trout present doesn't make sense either. Not every trickle of water in the state needs to be a trout fishery.

Don’t worry man, I’ve heard your opinion plenty and I appreciate your input. That being said, it’s possible we as humans have already removed native species from spruce run unconsciously, so to act like I would be disrupting a sacred and pure chain sounds a bit far fetched. Anyways, I’m not gonna argue this, I’ve kinda made my decision.

 

[KrsnaM]

KrsnaM,

In reading back through your posts, I feel like we missed a key detail. You are only 16 years old! I’ll commend you just for knowing what a forum is in the first place. The fact that you have stuck with us old farts( over 30 crowd) deserves another commendation.

I think it is very impressive that you have gone to the lengths you have to determine stream quality. You are certainly on the right path.

I think if you determine that there is no wild brown trout or brook trout population in spruce, there would be no harm in dumping a few buckets of rainbow trout in the waterway. This is assuming you have the means and landowner cooperation as well as fulfilling all the legal obligations that come with private stocking of a stream.

Stick around the forum for a while and soak up whatever knowledge you can. There are a lot of conservation minded wild trout enthusiasts on here as well as people who love fishing for stocked trout.

I appreciate it, I’ll be sticking around for sure, I feel like I’ve already learned lots. Of course, I’d be cooperating with the law if I did stock spruce, getting a notice of stocking etc.

 

[wildtrout2]

I won't encourage man, woman, or child to conduct a project with the goal of stocking a non-native species.

Dumping a few buckets of rainbows just because there are no other trout present doesn't make sense either. Not every trickle of water in the state needs to be a trout fishery.

So then, you must be against Pa's stocking program, right?

 

[hemlock]

Don’t worry man, I’ve heard your opinion plenty and I appreciate your input. That being said, it’s possible we as humans have already removed native species from spruce run unconsciously, so to act like I would be disrupting a sacred and pure chain sounds a bit far fetched. Anyways, I’m not gonna argue this, I’ve kinda made my decision.

Just because a waterway has been altered in the past does not mean it is deserving of further alteration or disruption. If you believe that just because it doesn't have a "sacred and pure chain" that you should be able to stock whatever whenever, I think you should rethink your motivation for the project. I'd say don't bother with water quality testing, current species composition, or anything else. Just stock it.

 

[hemlock]

So then, you must be against Pa's stocking program, right?

Yes. I would not shed a single tear if another trout was not stocked.