SevenMileShowcase

imo only musky are harder fish to catch than a wild trout around the 20" length. there is a complete other side to this battle where wild trout enthusiasts are sick of having prime water stocked
 

 
Overall, I have to agree with you there. The fish themselves may not be hard to hook, but you gotta do your homework and know where a biggin may be hiding and when(time of day, weather, flows, etc..) it'll likely be feeding. Can't be afraid to get skunked. Luck can also play a role though lol. I've only gotten a couple muskies so far(I don't target them) but I'm sure the same concept applies. There usually isn't a secret fly/lure/bait, but if you pay your dues and get to know the water you'll be rewarded with nice fish.
 
And don't even get me started regarding stocking over wild populations lol. Some(not all though) streams can be SO much better if they weren't stocked. More and bigger fish + less pressure(since the stream isn't stocked) = good time  
 
 
 
 
 
 

StewFc
Has anyone ever kept track RE: the average number of replies it takes for the post to go completely off topic and turn into a urinating contest?

Welcome to the FishUsa forums! That would be interesting to know though.
 
Anyways, back on topic......
 
Lets stock some snakeheads!!!!!! lol  (just kidding of course....)

Reasearch the studies conducted on the mortality rates of stocked trout. Very interesting to see the numbers estimated to be washed down stream into waters that won't support stocked trout. Even more interesting is the number of these trout lost to predation (other then fishing), starvation, change in enviroment and, transportation.

When you consider the cost to raise/buy these fish, transportation and, manhours to stock. There's a substantial amount of money going down the tubes.

I am referring to the current stamp, which was brought up by Beentheredonethat, read the bold and italicized text. The current ••CURRENT•• stamp is for the improvement of the Erie watershed, not hard to read that straight from the fish commish website. Not for trout around the state holly ****.

 
crappy

BIGHEAD_1
Quite frankly I like them stocking trout Reason is that I Always need Flathead bait Keep ah stocking

THAT JUST AIN'T RIGHT!!!! B-)

jug
 
I just would like to see more variety in what the PFBC can offer us. I know carp are plentiful so I don't feel the need for them to be stocked but I would like for one day carp to be recognized as they great sport fish they are rather than just a garbage fish.

If you look on the PFBC website, they do list common carp as a popular PA sportfish here:
http://fishandboat.com/education/catalog/popularsportfishes.pdf
And that list has been on there for years and is nothing new.
And their carp page has been updated with info. in recent years, but that has more to do with a few PA carpers providing the info. than anything from the PFBC.: http://fishandboat.com/carp.htm
Carp and catfish are also considered game fish in PA if ya read through the semantics of the PA fish code and regulations (their definition from what I've found):

 "Game fish."  Unless otherwise provided by commission
     regulation, the following fish: Brook trout, Salvelinus
     fontinalis; brown trout, Salmo trutta; and rainbow trout, Salmo
     gairdneri, and the salmon family, Salmoidae; walleye,
     Stizostedion vitreum; chain pickerel, Esox niger; northern pike,
     Esox lucius; muskellunge, Esox masquinongy; fallfish, Semotilus
     corporalis; smallmouth bass, Micropterus dolomieui; largemouth
     bass, Micropterus salmoides; crappies, Pomoxis sp.; rock bass,
     Ambloplites rupestris; yellow perch, Perca flavescens; striped
     bass or rockfish, morone saxatili; suckers, Catostomidae; eels,
     Anguilla rostrata; chubs, Semotilus and Nocomis, measuring at
     least eight inches in length; sturgeon, Acipenser oxyrhynchus;
     white perch, morone americana; and all other species or
     varieties of fish except bait fish.

They don't actually name carp or catfish by name and family in the official  list, but they are gamefish by default and fall under "other species".
Of course that doesn't mean that some in the PFBC (or others in general) actually view carp as a gamefish.  But all this has been gone over plenty of times before by us carpers. 
 
You're probably aware that you can now legally fish with up to 3 lines in PA public waters for the last three years now-----before that it was only 2 rods for many years.  It was actually a couple of W. PA carpers that submitted the original proposal to the PBFC to get the rules changed from 2 to 3 rods allowed.  It took a couple years to get the changed implemented, because the PFBC wasn't about to change the law just because some goofball carpers got behind the proposal, but once the Erie charter boat captains caught wind of the proposal and supported it, so their customers could fish one more rod, the rule change was made.  So there is a process to get things changed, if ya go through the proper channels.  So all it took was a couple of carpers to get the ball rolling with the proposal and eventually the change got made once the right group of anglers got behind it, even though most of the higher-ups in the PFBC probably don't give a flip about carp or carpers.

Bass fishing was not that popular until a guy by the name of Ray Scott came along in 1968. Ray just turned 80 on Aug. 24.

Sam I agree, that limit on cats needs to come way down! Five a day would be reasonable. And what are these nesting boxes you mention? Ive never heard of them but would be willing to put some time and effort into building them if its something you can do yourself.

mr.crappie
Jug, I believe that lowering the limit on catfish & maybe ,God forbid, some more people actually helping the cause by building cat fish boxes for nesting etc. would do more for the population than just stocking would. As far as popularity of Carp goes,have you noticed all the times that I have announced when there were free contests that had prizes for carp in this area how few members have responded.You know what they say,you can lead a fisherman to water but,oops nevermind.  sam

I went to one of those free Derby's at mammoth once. There were probably twice as many people there for that than on opening day of trout(i wasn't there for the opener). People were basically bluegill fishing in 2' of water 10' off shore where I would have wanted to set up for carp. I didn't even wet a line. It was a mad house. But still good to see all the kids out fishing.

Fishing guy,That is the main reason for those derbys that we put on,we try to get the whole family involved. I personally don't fish them dispite helping to run them for approx.25 years. I do believe that we could talk the Cnty. into having a separate carp derby if there were enough intrest. I know that it is tough to compete with the money derbys around Fayette Cnty,but these are intended to be fun, sort of like the 1 held at Shawnee State Park where the public can observe & ask questions.  sam

AndyLee
What they should write back to you:
 
"Bass and catfish populations are capable of replenishing on their own in most commonwealth waters.  Carp is a non-native species and considered a garbage fish by most.   We have a massive Great Lake in our Commonwealth that is full of the species of fish you mention, in addition to many other lakes and rivers.  Without stocking programs, trout would be limited to a relative few native streams which contain mostly small brook trout.
 
Perhaps you are unaware, but the PAFBC stocks walleye, muskellunge, catfish, pike, perch, crappie, shad, striped bass, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, sauger, and panfish generally as juveniles throughout the state.   Many anglers buy a fishing license primarily or exclusively to fish for trout and do not target the other species that our state stocks. "

+1

Jug
I personally would like to hear what the PFBC has to say in there reply. Could you post it when you receive it? I will fish in a puddle if I thought I could catch a fish. I put them all, with a few exceptions, back. IMO the PFBC does what it deems the best course for the public.
Tight Lines
Trout Man

I couldn't agree with you more Jug.  Stocked trout are extremely easy to catch - PERIOD.  I too would rather see better and bigger populations of walleye, bass, catfish, panfish and even striper at the same lakes, reservoirs, etc. that receive a stocking or even multiple storckings throughout the year.  I don't have any data to prove this, but I would also think that most people keep the trout that they catch so there is a one time "catch" and one time "fun factor" if you will.  Even though fisherman will most definitely catch and keep walleye, panfish, etc., I believe that many would be returned and have the chance to reproduce.  This would allow for multiple people to experience "the catch" or "fun factor".  These populations of fish would also at least have a chance of reproducing unlike the stocked trout.  I have heard many times that the population of walleye, panfish or even bass, is struggling here or the size isn't what it once used to be at this lake or that lake.  I too believe that too much money, time and effort is spent on stocked trout.  There is no doubt in my mind that kids, families, groups of fishermen or whomever would be able to find just as much enjoyment catching these other species of fish if there were better numbers at some lakes or better size to be found at other lakes.  There most definitely needs to be more money, time and attention spent on these other species of fish.