Letter to the PA Fish Commission

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. "

DRod, thanks, Ill look him up and see if he can be of any help. Where did I mention Twin Lakes though?

I know Im not gonna get anywhere with this alone, but if we all voice our opinions, we may have a slight chance. So im starting it. Anyone else who wants to join me in trying to make a change is more than welcome to do so. Id like to encourage everyone who wants better fishing in Pennsylvania to contact the PFBC. Be firm but friendly. Cussing and getting nasty will get us no where.

Here is the "Contact Us" page on the PFBC's website:
http://www.fish.state.pa.us/inform.htm

IMO its all a Money thing. They already have the trout hatcheries in pa. And if I'm not mistaken its a lot cheaper and easier to get a trout to adulthood than the other fish species. I totally agree that the trout stocking program is mostly just a waste because the majority of waters stocked can't sustain them through the summer. I hope you get someone's attention on this. I'd love to see them prioritize sustainable fishes in their stocking efforts. I also think stocking minnows in some waters. especially those with big bass regs, but only 10" bass, would really improve the fishing in the long run.

I agree with just about all the comments.
 
I like the one about big bass regulations with 10" bass.
 
Now with this upcoming special panfishing on Sept 1 where the length is going to be waved how many sub legal crappies will be taken out of the special pan fish lakes.
 
I believe too many warm water fish are taken out of waters that cannot afford the loss.
 
It would be great if a different attitude is taken about taking fish home.
 
I know there are certain types that take  ALL the fish they catch home.
 
Sure wish there would be a change in mind set!!!!! 
 
JMO.
 
 
 

It's cheaper to stock 10,000 fingerlings knowing that only 10%-20% will survive rather than raise them in captivity until they're legal size. That's pretty much how it happens in nature, well with trout anyway. anyway. Plus the smaller fingerlings stand a better chance to acclimate to the new environment by the time they grow up. I've seen piles of dead stockies in certain waters that died from the shock of the new environment. It happened multiple years at the waterworks pond when they stock it in the fall for the kids. 
 
If you really want to improve fishing in PA take some kids fishing and teach them how to spend time with mother nature in a respectful and appreciative way. Often times those behaving in ways we don't approve of have no idea that they're doing something wrong. If you show them a better way, they'll more than likely adopt it as their own.  

After reading through some of the responses, I'm gonna guess Jeb that your thoughts are geared more towards the small lakes in the southwest - county park lakes like Twin, Mammoth and Keystone, and most of the Fish Commission owned lakes.  
 
There's only so much those smaller lakes can support, and trout provide the most bang for the PFBC buck in those waters.  Fishing the 3 Rivers or some of the larger lakes in the area (KPD, Arthur, Yellow Creek, Crooked Creek, etc) that are managed for warm water fish can be pretty daunting without a boat, but if you put in the time, there are good fish to be had even for shore fishermen.  

lol, your a clown
 
thats called an erie stamp THATS WHY IT WAS CREATED FOR PUBLIC ACCESS TO THE TRIBS ... again do some research. . . i dont fish for stockies either and practice C&R on all my catches. i started out with stockies and anyone who wants to go for wild trout i would refer honing in your skills there. I dont understand what is challenging about a bottom dwelling fish. also a sucker egg is bright yellow and they run in the spring, more than likely that is why the trout is eating it along with the other fish. stocked trout fishing in PA is basically intended as a put and take fishery, minus the regulated waters. . . its pretty common sense, WE FISHERMAN PAY FOR THEM TO BE PUT THERE SO WE CAN CATCH AND EAT THEM AS IT IS OUR RIGHT TO TAKE A LIMIT ACCORDING TO THE PFBC
 
PS the OP brought up a seasoned angler having more of a challenge with those species but that would require you knowing how to read
 

Jug,
 
I have had very poor results in getting the PAFBC to return any correspondence. I hope you have better luck. The bottom line, as I'm sure you know, is that they don't have to and they face NO consequence for choosing not to do so. It amazes me that the PUBLIC sector is permitted to ignore the PUBLIC the way that would drive a private sector entity out of business. Again, I wish you more success than I have ever experienced.

you cant fix stupid

No known for many years. Have you ever been to the windy knob and been there done that?? ive never fished there, but i heard the suckers and cats really give a good tug there. check it out.
 
btw jug, i would really like to know why you think those species are more of a challenge and why we as a whole commonwealth should vest more money into their stocking and rearing?

BeenThereDoneThat.
click.... click...........click........BZZZZZzzzzzzzzz............. FISH ON!!!

Nothing more exciting than that.

I find carp, catfish, and just about any larger fish to be more challenging because of the sheer size and the fight in the fiah. Also with carp, youve got to figure out what they want. Theres also a strategy in creating a long term bait that carp will seek out for not only its taste and presentation but nutritional value. I did my share of trout fiahing as a kid and up into my late teens. I see no challenge, no fun. Its very boring to me. The o ly thing i like about trout fishing is the scenerey when fiahing the creek. As for the fishing itself i can do without.

Also i never said you didnt have the right to take your daily limit. Its the "im taking these fish because i paid for them" mentality that a lot of people need to get over. If youre not going to eat it throw it back to catch again another day.

Thank you.

I respect everyone's opinions/thoughts, but wow, there's a lot of misconceptions on here. I didn't read every word on every post yet(yes I know I probably should, so if I repeat something I apologize) but here it goes.....
 
The PFBC stocks many other species besides trout. Hybrid striped bass can't reproduce on there own so of course they're raised in hatcheries. MANY lakes and rivers can't support fishable wild populations of walleye or muskies on there own, so they have to be stocked by the PFBC as well. Catfish and other species are stocked in certain situations. And GUESS WHAT?? Our license dollars pay for those fish, and PFBC facilities such as access areas(at places that don't have trout), boat ramps, etc.. Not just trout...
 
And in regards to trout, it's a LOT more than just throwing powerbait on opening day to freshly stocked fish that don't act like real trout. There are many, MANY, streams throughout the state that have solid populations of wild trout. And a lot of them are NOT your dinky jump across native brookie streams, but bigger streams and even big rivers(such as the Delaware) also have great populations of wild trout as well. And there are also situations where fingerling trout are stocked(Allegheny, Yough, etc....) and the fish grow up and act like real trout. Also, some streams can and do support your average stocked fish year round, or at least through most of the year(say Sept. through June). We just need to get rid of the whole "opening day rope 'em all" attitude and we'd have more stocked trout opportunities available(to add to the many wild trout opportunities).
 
If you think trout fishing in PA is just truck chasing and throwing plastic bobbers to stupid fish, then you need to get out more. Trout are challenging fish........just don't fish for the rubber rainbows that come from the white trucks.......and if you do wait a couple months until they adapt and act like real fish.
 
 
And FYI, all of the trout in the 20in class I caught this year(which as quite a few.......good year for me). were all wild, and they were caught out of stream sections that aren't stocked and not included in "the yearly circus." They weren't easy.......took many trips to learn the streams, the fishes feeding habits, and what tactics work best during certain conditions. It's more than tossing maggots in the bridge hole. A lot more. Logged many miles and explored a lot of water, but it's rewarding in the end. And I don't see many other anglers where I fish for trout(since a lot of the streams I fish aren't stocked).
 
 
And in regards to carp, yeah, they're a blast and very challenging. I love sight fishing for them in the summer. It's not easy and the catch rate isn't high but I love the challenge. Lots of fun. But carp are plentiful and widespread, so the PFBC shouldn't waste what little money they have on them, or other species that have solid populations on their own.

"thats called an erie stamp THATS WHY IT WAS CREATED FOR PUBLIC ACCESS TO THE TRIBS".
 
SevenMile, it sounds like you're the one that needs to do some research; that is not why the Erie Stamp was created.  It was created years ago to subsidize commercial fishermen who could no longer use gill nets banned by the fish commission.  We, as non-commercial fishermen of Lake Erie, had to subsidize their losses and the program was only supposed to last 3 years.  I refused to buy the stamp and boycotted fishing the lake for those 3 years.  But when did anyone ever see a "tax" rescinded?  I assumed the commercial fishermen took their handouts for these 3 years and were no longer getting subsidized so I returned to fishing the lake.  Can you imagine the uproar if this stamp was put into place for the reason you stated, to buy easement rights for steelhead fishermen?  You do realize that everyone who fishes the lake is not necessarily a steelhead fisherman?  And that's exactly why there's a movement to get rid of the stamp.  Hypothetically, let's say I'm not a steelhead guy, yet I have to buy a stamp to fish the lake so the commission can buy easement rights for you to steelhead fish on private property?  I don't think so!  Good thing these monies go for other Erie projects or there'd be a bigger uproar than there already is.  No, this Lake Erie stamp project morphed into something completely different once the commercial fishermen were taken care of.  I don't agree with the easement program either as these easements are granted in perpetuity.  If I go to buy a piece of property and I'm then told by the owner that I have to grant access to anyone with a fishing pole, I'm going to tell that seller to get bent.  But supposedly, all monies from the sale of the Erie Stamp are kept and used strictly for Erie projects.  Don't know if I believe that one.

@7mile So, what you're saying is that, as a trout fishing enthusiast, you also want the pfbc to quit spending so much money on trout stocking? I like that point of view.