Winter trout fishing impact

[Nymph-wristed]

There seems to be a theme in some of the replies here, and in the disparaging dirty spin fisherman post that started it, that fly fishing causes no mortality?

I am with Bamboozle on some of what he wrote. I do my best to leave spawning fish alone and educated myself about what to look for and what to avoid, but any fisherman regardless of gear could make those commitments too. I also own the fact that the sport I love, even with barbless hooks, quick, wet releases and so on, still does damage to the environment and kills a few fish each year.

Take up bird watching for fish if you don't want to accept that you may kill a couple despite your best efforts and intentions. You may have killed 38 caddis larvae out counting redds without a rod yesterday. Bug lives matter too....

 

[afishinado]

Nymph-wristed wrote:
There seems to be a theme in some of the replies here, and in the disparaging dirty spin fisherman post that started it, that fly fishing causes no mortality?

I am with Bamboozle on some of what he wrote. I do my best to leave spawning fish alone and educated myself about what to look for and what to avoid, but any fisherman regardless of gear could make those commitments too. I also own the fact that the sport I love, even with barbless hooks, quick, wet releases and so on, still does damage to the environment and kills a few fish each year.

Take up bird watching for fish if you don't want to accept that you may kill a couple despite your best efforts and intentions. You may have killed 38 caddis larvae out counting redds without a rod yesterday. Bug lives matter too....

I've been FFing for quite some time, and while I agree there are times when fished are harmed by being caught, it's really a very rare occasion if one practices good C&R techniques.

The biggest harm to trout, IMO, is fishing during high stream temps. Good C&R technique cannot make up for catching temperature stressed fish. BTW, I'm referring to wild trout; stocked trout should be beat over the head and put into a cooler during the summer months.

I look at fishing during spawning time as putting anglers on the honor system to never intentionally target fish on the redds. While most do not, there will always be some that can't resist the temptation of sight fishing to big fish on the redds. Those guys suck, but we don't live in a perfect world.

So if you are a true sportsman and don't fish in high temps, never fish over redds and avoid wading through redds in winter, than no harm no foul.....fish on!

All those that do not do all the above, hopefully bad karma will drown them, or at least in their fall make them freezing wet and break their rod, and they go the hell home.

 

[Hook_Jaw]

I usually don't fish July and August other then that I am out somewhere trout fishing

 

[moon1284]

So if you are a true sportsman and don't fish in high temps, never fish over redds and avoid wading through redds in winter, than no harm no foul.....fish on!

I agree with that (but still think there should be a closed season to allow fish to spawn unharrased and allow eggs to hatch).

As far as lake run fish spawning in the fall that is correct, but again a true sportsman doesnt fish over redds (including lake run fish). This is something that is not followed by the majority and the reason there are sections completely closed to fishing i.e. beaverdam brook.

 

[sarce]

I understand not fishing during the spawn and wanting that to be closed (I usually take a break this time of year), but post spawn winter fishing? Not unless you believe angler foot traffic kills more trout eggs than high water events that can literally rearrange the stream bottom for miles. I'd like to see a study that shows wading in winter has ANY statistically significant impact on trout populations - I haven't heard of any.

 

[bigjohn58]

ryansheehan wrote:

bigjohn58 wrote:
I'll go out a few times during the winter but mid/late fall I say let them spawn. If you want to fish for trout go up to NY and fish for the lake runs. I just do not think the added pressure of fishing over spawning fish is a good thing. It has to add stress and decrease the survival rate. In the winter though just use common sense when wading but I know common sense isn't so common these days.

But aren't those lake run fish going up to spawn?

Almost all (if not all) those browns coming up to spawn are stocked fish anyways. Very few if any actually do reproduce. There is a lot of debate whether any successfully spawn or not.

 

[moon1284]

sarce wrote:
I understand not fishing during the spawn and wanting that to be closed (I usually take a break this time of year), but post spawn winter fishing? Not unless you believe angler foot traffic kills more trout eggs than high water events that can literally rearrange the stream bottom for miles. I'd like to see a study that shows wading in winter has ANY statistically significant impact on trout populations - I haven't heard of any.

Just googled this...

https://afspubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1577/1548-8675%281992%29012%3C0450%3AEOAWOS%3E2.3.CO%3B2

 

[sarce]

Thanks for sharing that, Moon. I can see the case for restricting fishing in high-use areas. But it may be more feasible to implement no wading. Most of the places I fish are neither high use nor require much wading, so I'd hate to see a blanket no fishing rule on those places.

 

[afishinado]

moon1284 wrote:

sarce wrote:
I understand not fishing during the spawn and wanting that to be closed (I usually take a break this time of year), but post spawn winter fishing? Not unless you believe angler foot traffic kills more trout eggs than high water events that can literally rearrange the stream bottom for miles. I'd like to see a study that shows wading in winter has ANY statistically significant impact on trout populations - I haven't heard of any.

Just googled this...

https://afspubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1577/1548-8675%281992%29012%3C0450%3AEOAWOS%3E2.3.CO%3B2

^ Good find / info moon!

Let's face it, ripping a hook out of a trout's gullet to save a 10 cent hook causes 99% mortality as well as fishing in tepid water and on and on. An A hole angler is an A hole.

I'll stick to the common sense thing I wrote above >

I look at fishing during spawning time as putting anglers on the honor system ...so if you are a true sportsman and don't fish in high temps, never fish over redds and avoid wading through redds in winter, than no harm no foul.....fish on!

All those that do not do all the above, hopefully bad karma will drown them, or at least in their fall make them freezing wet and break their rod, and they go the hell home.

 

[Nymph-wristed]

I look at fishing during spawning time as putting anglers on the honor system ...so if you are a true sportsman and don't fish in high temps, never fish over redds and avoid wading through redds in winter, than no harm no foul.....fish on!

I agree those are tempered and wise words, afish. I too would hate a blanket ban. I personally tend to target stockies in the winter, not only for all the right reasons, but also due to the short fishing window most days and my less than desirable locale for short trips. A place like Valley? Less wading and more targeting deep holes with midges from the bank!

 

[larkmark]

If you think the honor system will work when a guy slinging a Rapala sees those big spawners then you have a better view of humanity than me! What? Pass up a chance for a photo shoot holding a big wild Brown!!! Or a gopro video shoot and pretend to release it "unharmed"! No way!
In general winter fishing is okay. I do wonder why NY shuts down a lot of their streams though. There must be some impact? They have some good fishing up there.
The winter stocking over wild fish is a bad thing no question.