Youth trout derbys - opinions

[troutbert]

There are two different topics being discussed, and it is important not to conflate them.

Topic 1: Stocking over wild trout. IMHO, it should not be done. It harms wild trout populations. And also reduces the number of hatchery trout available for stocking other waters.

Topic 2: Children's fishing events. IMHO they are fine. Hatchery trout would be produced and stocked whether there were children's fishing events and childrens fishing areas or not.

The idea of children's fishing events and areas is to give kids a chance to fish for hatchery trout without getting crowded out by adults, which is something that commonly happens during the typical opening day and inseason stocking situations.

But of course nothing, including children's events, should be used to justify stocking over wild trout. There are plenty of places to have childrens events where you're not stocking over wild trout.

 

[Mike]

They are not separate topics in a number of cases. The events are small community events and there are no other waters within the communities other than wild trout streams. Move the events outside of the communities and they don’t much feel like community events. Finding property owners outside of the communities willing to host such events is also problematic.

No, I am not a proponent of fishing rodeos; at best I am neutral. The practical side of it, however, is to realize that they are not going away.

 

[KenU]

Often kids even participate in stocking, thereby teaching them that hatcheries are where trout come from. Most trout anglers truly believe stocking is what trout fishing is all about. Until we start training kids about the value of wild and native trout, and all wild critters for that matter, they will just be regarded as commodities to be exploited. This is the way we train people to be truck followers. Sure some go on to become dedicated wild trout and fly anglers. But we need to be careful about the message we are transmitting.

 

[Bamboozle]

I once, believe it or not, had a grand slam (brook, brown, rainbow) on the Letort about 100 yards above the "Small S" in Vince's Meadow with all the fish coming from the same hole over the course of a few hours of patient fishing.

I'm not a fan of derbies, especial on wild trout streams but the grand slam was something I'll never forget... ;-)

FWIW - The brown was small and definitely a "Letort regular" (pardon the pun) while the rainbow & brook were larger but in good shape. That leads me to believe they were holdovers from the derby which was held downstream earlier in the year.

 

[salvelinusfontinalis]

The only reason "political realities" exist around stocked fish is because the PFBC created them by catering to the entitlement.

Only they can break it also.

Resource first, unless the political realities come first or license sales or.....


You reap what you sow. Those political realities became ever apparent to the Director when the PFBC simply wanted to raise license sales.

Now that is cutting ones nose off.

 

[silverfox]

KenU wrote:
Often kids even participate in stocking, thereby teaching them that hatcheries are where trout come from. Most trout anglers truly believe stocking is what trout fishing is all about. Until we start training kids about the value of wild and native trout, and all wild critters for that matter, they will just be regarded as commodities to be exploited. This is the way we train people to be truck followers. Sure some go on to become dedicated wild trout and fly anglers. But we need to be careful about the message we are transmitting.

Exactly. PFBC is so focused on numbers that they fail to realize the impact of the messaging they're delivering.

I have a problem with the trout in the classroom initiative too. It teaches kids that trout are made by humans, raised in tanks and stocked in streams.

This stocking over Class A streams teaches kids it's ok to stock trout anywhere you want. Even the most fragile ecosystems are fair game for stocking.

 

[Acristickid]

Just join a “sportsman’s club” and assault the stockers in their ponds at will.

 

[mossyoakpenn]

Trout need water to live in. The future of our sport needs kids. Let it alone. If there’s been a derby there let it continue. We are all aware of stocking trout in class a waters. It’s not the best thing to do but if we don’t have kids interested in fishing the waters and then we don’t have a future of fishing.