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Why stock trout outside of native ranges?


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#1 Guest_donkeyman876_*

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Posted 25 January 2010 - 08:57 PM

Why are rainbow and other trout stocked outside of there native ranges? I cannot figure this out, why did they do it in the frst plac and (aside from pressure from anglers)do they still do it? What is wrong with other native trout species (like brook in my area)? Can anyone clear this up, Thanks.

#2 Guest_fundulus_*

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Posted 25 January 2010 - 09:36 PM

Can anyone clear this up, Thanks.

There's nothing to clear up, it's just plain stupid with a life of its own.

#3 Guest_bart_*

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Posted 25 January 2010 - 09:59 PM

I think some of the reasons brown trout were stocked in america were due to the fact that they can tolerate more angling pressure, siltation and warmer water than brook trout. These 3 things became the status quo as America developed as a nation and brook trout habitat quickly diminished. If I'm not mistaken, rainbows were really easy to raise and were stocked for that reason. I do agree though. Just because you can doesn't mean you should.

Personally I am in favor of leaving things the way they are but am not ashamed to admit that I love fishing for wild brown trout in the beautiful creeks near my house. I also like fishing for smallmouth bass and walleye, both of which are non-native to my area but now prevalent. However I do find put and take trout fishing to be rather deplorable. Just my opinion though.

#4 Guest_SunnyRollins_*

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Posted 26 January 2010 - 11:09 AM

Why are rainbow and other trout stocked outside of there native ranges? I cannot figure this out, why did they do it in the frst plac and (aside from pressure from anglers)do they still do it? What is wrong with other native trout species (like brook in my area)? Can anyone clear this up, Thanks.


They did it in the first place most likely for no other reason than angler pressure.

I would guess they still do it because the states makes so much money off trout stamps.

#5 Guest_mikez_*

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Posted 26 January 2010 - 09:25 PM

Trout fishermen pour tons of money into local economies. Licenses contribute to the states' general funds. Trout fishermen historically have been the best organized and most politically active. TU has been around forever. They demand trout to catch and they're [we're] willing to pay.
Trout are easily raised in large numbers, survive well in appropreate habitat and they bring out the fishermen in droves.
That pattern was established close to 100 years ago when there was much less concern or understanding of the impacts of introduced species.
Some states are making attempts to rectify some of the damage. Some western states are poisoning headwater streams in the Rockies to get rid of all things, our beloved brook trout. There are other cases but there's a long way to go.
Personally I don't believe non-native farm raised trout should ever be put into water that could potentially support native trout.
On the other hand I can't be too bothered by stocked trout in ponds and streams that would otherwise have no native game fish or are too far impacted to support native trout.

#6 Guest_bart_*

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Posted 26 January 2010 - 10:50 PM

Mike, I like what your saying and totally agree. I know a few creeks that have lots of wild trout in them yet the state continues to stock these creeks with doughy no-fin havin' pellet heads. Disgusting. Valley Creek in valley forge is a great example to the contrary. This creek is in a rather urbanized area and was a put and take trout creek until a pcb contamination was discoverd. They stopped stocking the creek and made it a no kill trout area as eating these fish would be hazardous. This creek is now full of wild brown trout and supports plenty of angling pressure yet still produces good fish.

Trout fishing is a sticky issue. Nothing breeds contempt for your fellow man like a little trout fishing. :closedeyes:

#7 Guest_fundulus_*

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Posted 26 January 2010 - 11:06 PM

Wow, that creek is doubly cursed, PCBs and brown trout. Completing the trifecta might not even be necessary.

#8 Guest_bart_*

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Posted 26 January 2010 - 11:21 PM

I've often wondered how many Chesapeake logperch my beloved brown trout consume on a regular basis? Of course don't forget the introduced walleye and smallmouth bass as I'm sure they get their fill too. :twisted: What a mess.

I read somewhere, TU website I believe, that the Susquehanna river was full of brook trout before the white man showed up. Is this true?

#9 Guest_dmarkley_*

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Posted 27 January 2010 - 08:45 AM

I've often wondered how many Chesapeake logperch my beloved brown trout consume on a regular basis? Of course don't forget the introduced walleye and smallmouth bass as I'm sure they get their fill too. :twisted: What a mess.

I read somewhere, TU website I believe, that the Susquehanna river was full of brook trout before the white man showed up. Is this true?


I'm not sure if the Susquehanna ever was a haven for brookies. Even before the dams, it would have been a rather warm water area for brookies.

My grandfather used to live on the river as a kid (circa 1915) and told me of huge catches of eels and shad.

Dean

#10 Guest_creekcrawler_*

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Posted 27 January 2010 - 04:00 PM

Hmmmm. So what your saying is stocking 400-500,000 steelhead in four of Ohio's Erie tribs ain't natural??

:rolleyes:

#11 Guest_smbass_*

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Posted 27 January 2010 - 04:20 PM

It's actually 5 rivers that are stocked in Ohio and they return to nearly every Lake Erie trib not just those 5 and they are definitely able to reproduce in some of the cooler smaller tribs. I have found 20 plus young rainbows/steelhead in a short stretch of stream in late summer at multiple locations. In most areas they may not be doing too much damage but I question what could be going on the the Chagrin system where we do still have a few native brook trout.

#12 Guest_farmertodd_*

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Posted 27 January 2010 - 06:00 PM

Not even cool water streams. We caught a juvenile rainbow in the Ottawa River (Maumee Bay Drainage) this summer just before it got hot. I guess you gotta watch what you wish for when you take out a dam ;)

Todd

#13 Guest_smbass_*

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Posted 28 January 2010 - 09:19 PM

yeah I think there are a lot more naturally produced steelhead in Lake Erie than most people know of or would care to admit.

#14 Guest_bart_*

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Posted 29 January 2010 - 11:07 AM

A friend of mine caught a "natural" steelie in erie pa in the fall. I'll see if he has a pic. Very pretty fish.

Edited by bart, 29 January 2010 - 11:08 AM.


#15 Guest_creekcrawler_*

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Posted 29 January 2010 - 12:00 PM

Can the steelies make it upstream to the brookie habitat though?
I thought that was pretty far upstream.
Was in a very small trib (of the Cuyahoga!) this spring and in one spot every scoop
of the seine was 50% lil steelhead. I was amazed.

#16 Guest_bart_*

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Posted 29 January 2010 - 10:15 PM

How little?

#17 Guest_smbass_*

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Posted 29 January 2010 - 10:50 PM

They can't make it all the way to what was the one remaining historic population of brook trout but they can make it to some of the reintroduced locations. ODNR stocked about 20 sites with brook trout that were hatchery reared from fish from the one remaining Ohio native population. About 6 or 7 of these reestablished populations in other very small tribs are now self sustaining. Fish were stocked for 4 years and then left to continue on their own. Most of the 20 locations were less successful but a few have done quite well.


The Cuyahoga does seem to be a river that produces a lot of natural fish. I have found quite a few there myself in some small tribs to it.

#18 Guest_az9_*

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Posted 31 January 2010 - 01:03 AM

In the book Brook Trout by Nick Karas he says Mannhattan once had more trout streams per square mile than any other place in the country. Of course it's now mostly concrete and asphalt. :sad2:

#19 Guest_donkeyman876_*

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Posted 31 January 2010 - 03:47 PM

On a half-related note, has anyone ever heard of coaster brook trout? They are brook trout that live on the northern coast of Lake Superior and live right up in the shallows in about 18" of water. I'm interested if anyone knows anything about them. Coaster brook trout are at risk because of stocked brown and rainbow populations in their waters.

Edited by donkeyman876, 31 January 2010 - 03:51 PM.





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