ORIGINAL: SteelPerch

Anyone who eats walleye on a regular basis is nuts IMO.  Those things are so chalked full of mercury and chemicals, I can't imagine anyone willingly eating them once they read up on all of the pollutants that are in them.

 
Not all walleye come from the Great Lakes.

hence why a Pa year resident license cost the same as an Ohio year non resident license

Stocking millions of trout in places they never belonged never made much sense to me. It just isnt natural. The only good that can come out of stocking is. Places that can hold a trout population year round. And in this case fingerlings would be the way to go. Also the commish, to this point have been stocking streams with a good to great population of native fish.
 
If they end stocking. I feel the money could be put to better use.

I agree 100% bings. They should start stocking more edible gamefish walleye crappie exc. I haven't kept a trout in 10 years. 

Strandman and Bings,

Don't make too much sense on here.  You will find little if any support for what you say outside of very few people who can step back and realize the inanity of massive pellethead stocking.  You'll be savaged for it. 

Don't discuss anything.  Don't question anything.  Don't offer any improvements for the current state of affairs.  Spoonchucker and his gang will explain to you, in no uncertain terms that your ideas are not welcome.  They will tell you why you are wrong and why everything the PFBC and any other branch of government does is perfect and cannot be improved.  If there are changes to be made, they have to come from the top down.  They will dictate to you and you will like it.  These branches of government know what is best for you and if you have a problem with it, there must be something wrong with you.  Stocking pelletheads in marginal water is a great idea and stockies are the best eating fish around. The trout stamp is a great idea and if it cost $200 a year, it would still be a bargain.  There is no limit to the money that can be spent stocking pelletheads.  If you disagree, like Mugz says, tough luck, just stop fishing, he won't miss you. 

Just because a majority supports something doesn't make it prudent or correct.  A majority of old men in this state like to see millions of pelletheads stocked in marginal water every year.  They like to take my money and put tiny-mouthed pelletheads in drainage ditches, so people who fish once a year can get their limit on opening day.  Most don't listen to why its ridiculous, they just keep supporting it, because its what they have always done.  Its the fatal marriage of blind faith in government, the romanticization of trout, and an inability to think outside the concrete raceway.  But there are fewer and fewer of you every year.   

I never claimed to love democracy. 

"Inanity"

"They like to take my money and put tiny-mouthed pelletheads in drainage ditches,"
 
You keep forgetting that it's THEIR money too, and no-one forces you to buy a Trout stamp.
 
One would think, listening to some, that there were no warm water stocking at all. Some years they put more Walleye ( albeit not adult size ) in lake Artur alone, than they put Trout in the whole state.
 
As for "romanticizing" them cowboy. Not from this guy. They're dumber than 3 sacks of monkey shiite, but sometimes ( on the ice, or in the spring while waiting for the Striper action ) it's fun to just go whack some "easy" fish. I DO though, recognize the opportunities that it provides ( even in "marginal" water ) for kids, AND adults to go nearby, and catch a few fish. It also DOES mean money. Not only to the PF&BC, but to local bait/fly shops, and other nearby businesses. Small business opportunities ARE a good thing. No?
 
I agree with not stocking over natural/native fish. The PF&BC I believe, is reviewing the Trout program to adress some of these concerns. Here a link that will show what they do, and why they do it.
 
http://www.fish.state.pa.us/pafish/trout/trout_plan/00trout_mgmt.htm
 
 

Ditto.  Thats the only reason I buy one.  Plus, I fish some other creeks that are "approved trout waters" for smallmouths, not even chasing pelletheads and I just don't want to be hassled by the federales. 

every year it's the same thing over and over. the pfc promises a better trout program and wants to raise the license fees, and then comes spring and there is always an excuse, that they are going to stock less fish this year because of this or that. If I gave my boss that many excuses I wouldn't be working there anymore.

the reason the PFBC stock trout is because the fishermen want it.  if they tried to stop, they would be hanged from the nearest tree,  so in that respect they create fisheries where none would be.
 
as for 1st day, that again is a political issue.  could you imagine the cry from the small country areas if they took away 1st day.  i bet they do 10% of their business that weekend.

What happens if I'm fishing Montour Creek or the Casselman River, or Little Chartiers Creek?  Why do I need a trout stamp if I'm fishing for smallmouths?  I wouldn't keep a pellethead anyway, so you're telling me tough luck, I just can't fish there anymore?  You should only have to have a pellethead stamp if you're keeping pelletheads... 

As for the state stocking less fish every year, theres always an excuse and its always believed by certain people on this board.  Bubbaman is correct.  We would all be unemployed if we made that many excuses.  There are warmwater stockings, but they pale in comparison to the cost of the pellethead program.
 
As far as letting them go.  I let almost everything go except for a few walleyes and perch each year, but if you want to keep pelletheads, who cares?  They're going to die anyway, or someone else is going to keep them.  Sure a few hold over, but not too many.  And if the water is conducive to them holding over its a pretty good bet that natives could reproduce in there anyway and all the pelletheads are doing is outcompeting natives or the bigger browns are eating them.  Either way, they shouldn't be in there in the first place...

Once I learned to think outside the concrete raceway, I was liberated.  It was like a weight was lifted off my shoulders and a whole new world opened up to me.  I was 12.  

I like fishing for trout , I don't keep any, unless it floats when it's released. for that matter I like fishing for just about anykind of fish.but with the mentality of some people that say hey I would spend another $10 or $20 on this stamp or why not a stamp for this or a stamp for that, sooner or later it will catch up. we already pay a pretty high price for a resident license compared to surrounding states. the pfc should start producing what they say they are going to do, and not, OH SORRY ! I buy a combo stamp, and I fish erie for walleye and perch and smallmouth, but not the streams, like some one else said it like opening day every day on the erie tribs anymore. But the revenue from the combo stamp was , I thought  supposed to go to access  and habitat improvement. I don;t remember any habitat improvement in the lake . like artificial reefs or other structures in the lake. they have aquired some property along elk creek for steelhead. so how does my stamp purchase help me fishing the lake ? over the years ohio and new york have put in numerous reefs, but not pa. But they will keep pumping money into 2 allready over crowded fisheries.and hey lets get another stamp out of them, they'll pay it.  SORRY just have to vent once and awhile !

ORIGINAL: RhnstnCowboy

What happens if I'm fishing Montour Creek or the Casselman River, or Little Chartiers Creek?  Why do I need a trout stamp if I'm fishing for smallmouths?  I wouldn't keep a pellethead anyway, so you're telling me tough luck, I just can't fish there anymore?  You should only have to have a pellethead stamp if you're keeping pelletheads... 

Theres a small river near my house they stock it with pelletheads, but I only fish it for carp. That too ticks me off having to buy a trout stamp when I'm only after carp! Theres quite a few places I fish for carp that are considered trout approved waters.

I like it when they are stocked in waters were I know there are some big **** pike. Those pelletheads are good easy prey and bait!

Well I do fish for pelletheads at times just when my pap wants to fish cause thats all he wants to fish for is the almighty pellethead (plus I need the bait for some water wolves!)