Stocking Fish with High Water

[Wildbrowntrout]

Here in Berks County, we received a lot of rain last night and this morning. I tried to fish the class a part of hay creek, but only lasted a few minutes because the water was totally chocolate milk. I know the stocking for hay creek was scheduled for today, and it is really close to my house. I was wondering what they do with stocking if the water is like this. I didn’t see that it was rescheduled (yet), but I was just wondering if they still stock the fish in very high water or not. I wanted to go out again today to help stock, but I wasn’t sure if they were going or not.

 

[Swattie87]

Generally, they still stock them. I've helped at stockings with streams to their banks before. If it's a safety issue for PFBC staff or volunteers, or the truck can't get access to the stocking locations because of flood stage high water they'd postpone, but otherwise it's just less distance to carry the buckets.

It was a good, heavy rain last night and this morning, and though I don't know for sure, I don't think that was enough to warrant a postponement. Streams that I saw today were high and dirty, but in their banks. Keep in mind that they have nearly daily stocking runs to complete right now, and a postponement causes serious issues in rescheduling and keeping everything else on schedule moving forward.

 

[Dave_W]

I dunno....

We had 2.5" in Adams Co last night and local creeks are out of their banks (or barely contained). If it was planned to float stock, they would have to postpone. They might go ahead with buckets at a bridge or manicured park.

 

[Kwright032]

ANyone know if they stocked hay or not?

 

[Swattie87]

It's not showing as rescheduled, and that date isn't removed from the listings on the PFBC site. I'd assume they did based on that, though I don't have any firsthand knowledge.

 

[Wildbrowntrout]

Most cenrtainly did stock it! It was cool to see only browns when the water was still muddy, then the following day with clear water, rainbows and brooks showed up.

 

[bigslackwater]

In my non-expert opinion, I feel like it would be better to stock in high water. It would give the fish a chance to spread out rather than all settling in the hole they got dumped in.

 

[houncer]

I totally agree bigslackwater. I took my 6-yr old son stocking on Monday and there were the usual people waiting at holes for the truck to show up. My son said to me "they shouldn't be fishing when we stock trout." I'm happy a 6-yr old knows this but unhappy the water wasn't high enough to give the fish much of a chance.

 

[Hook_Jaw]

The fish commission states they don't expect stock trout to live as stated at the penns creek meeting so it doesn't matter if it's in there a minute.

 

[HopBack]

The fish commission states they don't expect stock trout to live as stated at the penns creek meeting so it doesn't matter if it's in there a minute.

Why are you always so negative hookjaw?

 

[Wildcat23]

Good point HopBack....it certainly does matter if "it's in there a minute ".......if "it'" is in there several months or longer, it provides additional recreation for all of us.
Depending on the water, it may provide sport for us all year around.
Why is that so hard to understand , Hook-Jaw ?

 

[Hook_Jaw]

Who's being negative? Its purely stated facts. It doesn't matter if its in there a minute or a year as stated by the fish commission.