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thedrake -> RE: this was an instant classic! (5/19/2007 3:44:36 PM)
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I typically stay away from primarily stocked streams. Not only because I dont enjoy catching stockies, but also because I dont like the culture surrounding them. Every year, I see pictures of stocked fish in our local newspapers, that people caught on the first day of trout, and acted like the fish was a true trophy. They usually dont care that the trout they thought was a trophy was raised in a hatchery and put in the stream a few days before they caught it, or in some cases the same day they caught it.
If it were up to me, we would make all trout streams that have natural reproduction be under catch and release regulations including no bait, and no barbed hooks. Wild trout are too rare to be put on a stringer or killed by a barbed hook that couldnt be removed. I do understand that the vast majority of our stocked streams cannot sustain trout year round, and keeping stockies prevents them from dying off and being wasted when the water gets too warm and shallow. Here in central PA, we are blessed with many wild trout streams and regulations that protect them. Some of our wild trout streams are protected simply by a lack of popularity, but that seems to be the exception.
Yellow Creek, in Bedford County, is a good example of what can happen to a trout stream, when it is overstocked. There is a small population of wild browns in that stream, that I believe, if left alone and protected, could grow to good numbers. Cool water temps, plenty of food (scuds, mayflies, caddis, stoneflies, etc..), and a good streamflow make for a good habitat for the wild browns in that stream. However, groups like the PFBC, TU, and the Spring Ridge Club all stock that stream with loads of hatchery fish. I believe this causes too much competition with the wild browns, for food and niches in the stream, and causes a lot of fishing pressure. Neither of which are healthy for the wild fish, which should be our main concern. With all this stocking, chances are nobody will ever know how great YC could be. Heck, the stockie fishers there are too ignorant to even know about the wild browns. Combine the overstocking with all the litter strung out around the stream left by baitfishers, and you have an even worse situation.
Yes killngrill, there are some real wackos out there, but some of us so called "purist fly fishers" are really looking out for our wild fish and have integrity about it. The guy you encountered sounds like a real jackass, just like anyone who would follow around a stocking truck (yourself included). Please dont let him give you the idea that all flyfishers are that way. Most of the fly fishers I know dont want anything to do with that kind of fishing or culture. You mentioned that you will throw the story you just told in the face of the next flyfisher you meet...Hopefully that person isn't someone like me, who chances are, picked up the styrofoam bait containers your baitfishing brethren left streamside, or spent his own time/money on stream improvements, that you yourself may have benefitted from, but may not have contributed too. Keep that in mind the next time you bash flyfishers.
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