Today's Trout Stocking Mtg. UPDATE

[Bucksnbows]

No surprises today at the annual trout stocking meeting.  While I didn't do a headcount, there were more than usual in attendance.  The Division staff did a very good job of laying out the issues around furunculosis, and their plans currently and those they will be researching much more closely such as covering the raceways with a roof (birds like blue herons or ospreys or even the bald eagles likely brought in this disease).  There were mostly good questions asked and answered.  There were only a few semi-unreasonable (IMO) comments, but they were either out of fear (unfounded, again, IMO) of spreading this disease to other fish and wanting all the trout killed or were wanting the Division to somehow "make up" for this year's lost fish into certain waters they were concerned about for next year (can't be done, they only raise so many and taking more for one means less for others).  

 

Expect to see mainly rainbows stocked at least for the next 2 or 3 years for several reasons.  First, they have shown no outbreak even though exposed.  They may still be low level carriers of this disease, but have not shown "break out" (visible and/or pathological testing), however, just to note that.  Secondly, they do not compete for habitat of our native (and wild) brook trout anywhere near the way that non-native brown trout do.  Thirdly, they will not produce except in a very small percentage of NJ trout streams meaning you know where they will not spawn and push out native brook trout.  And lastly, and very importantly to anglers, creel surveys continue to show that stocked rainbows are far more catchable than are the stocked brook trout or the stocked brown trout.  There is some old belief that brook trout are the easiest of the trout to fool which may be true of wild fish of the three species, but is not of state stocked brookies, browns and bows.  So if the goal of the state hatchery is to raise trout that anglers can catch for fun and/or to eat, then stocking mostly rainbows is better for your angling community than stocking lots of brookies and browns that aren't caught in as high percentages as are the bows.  

 

Stay in contact with the Division's website for continued updated information:           http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/news/2014/trout_policy14.htm

Edited March 9, 2014 by Bucksnbows

[redsquirrel]

Thanks for the great information!

[BowhunterNJ]

Very interesting and all around great information!  Thank you for the update Brian!

 

The info around the rainbows was unknown to me, and made me wonder why PA stocks predominantly brown trout.  Just a function of their stocking program and what they raise?  Sometimes I catch rainbows up there, usually the bigger stocked ones...rarely see the average stockie size ones, the rest are standard stockie size browns and occasionally some wild/native brookies.  If I catch a big brookie up there it's usually a big breeder that was stocked.  This is mainly in the Little Schuylkill, the Little Lehigh, the Big Lehigh, and the Tulpehocken.

[Bucksnbows]

PA stocks all 3 species as well as tiger trout (brown/brook mix) and golden rainbows which are what I call "specialty" fish or "genetic mutants" but they are still fun to catch.  I don't know what percentage of those species they raise and what their stocking strategies are.  But I do for NJ, so anyone should feel free to ask away.

 

As a TU employee and NJ's Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture Coordinator for TU who is working to restore and protect native brook trout habitat, it warms my heart to see fewer browns stocked and fewer brook trout that have non-native genetics.  Our state stocked brook trout stock is from the Nashua, NH federal trout hatchery and were reared to grow large and do well in a hatchery setting.  They can water down our Heritage brook trout genetics and often do when stocked over the true natives.    

 

For the record and so you know I'm no purist, I still feel that catching a large, wild brown trout on a dry fly is the pinnacle of the sport of trout fishing.  So I also love brown and rainbows, even though neither is native.     

Edited March 9, 2014 by Bucksnbows

[runum n gunum]

Thanks for the update and all your guys hard work Brian

[Rayorsa]

I had the distinct pleasure of attending today's meeting and I must say my level of comfort on the divisions plan of action has increased substantially. The division was really dealt a bad hand with this disease, and their immediate and future action plans are really well thought out. While nothing is ever perfect, the problem appears to be under control and a load of fish are going to be available this spring. Time to get the waders patched and stock up on salmon egg hooks!

[Haskell_Hunter]

I grew up in Nashua and know exactly where that trout hatchery is. I had a class trip there in school once in the early 1970s.

[Palawman30]

Very interesting and all around great information!  Thank you for the update Brian!

 

The info around the rainbows was unknown to me, and made me wonder why PA stocks predominantly brown trout.  Just a function of their stocking program and what they raise?  Sometimes I catch rainbows up there, usually the bigger stocked ones...rarely see the average stockie size ones, the rest are standard stockie size browns and occasionally some wild/native brookies.  If I catch a big brookie up there it's usually a big breeder that was stocked.  This is mainly in the Little Schuylkill, the Little Lehigh, the Big Lehigh, and the Tulpehocken.

Matt PA stocks a bunch of different trout all depending what part of the state you fish....NC pa gets a TON of Brookies with some bows browns and palominos thrown in...

Se Pa gets almost ALL browns and rainbows almost 50/50 split