DFG to limit planting for one year

SK60 · Senior Member

DFG to limit planting for one year

Matt R · Senior Member

That's good news. Thanks for sharing that.��

shon42073 · Senior Member

I've been keeping an eye on this for several weeks now and i beleive it is a great thing. It's time to start putting all that money and time spent to raise these fish and then stock them to better use, I beleive if all that money and effort was put into managing waters for a self sustaining "wild" trout population then we all win. The dfg dose not raise deer on a farm and then announce where and when they are going to be released so a hunter can get one, So why are fish managed so differently ?

windknots · Senior Member

That's great news, I hope this works out well for Putah.

SCM · Senior Member

I have mixed feeling about this court case. I think ceasing plants in locations that traditionally never held trout is logical. However its important to remember that many tailwaters like Putah would not have wild populations without the past stocking activities. While I am all for Putah receiving a "Wild Trout" designation, I am concerned ceasing plants would simply put more angling pressure on resident wild trout. Perhaps the DFG needs to adopt interim regulations (e.g., no take) to protect fisheries, such as Putah, that have wild trout populations. I would hate to see stringers of wild fish coming out of Putah, instead of planted fish.

Lahontan · Senior Member

SCM makes a logical point. I'm curious what other thoughts exist on that.

I wonder if the wild fish, being perhaps a greater challenge to take might result in less gratified anglers, leading to less pressure???

windknots · Senior Member

Wow, i just checked out the list of no longer stocked waters and it is huge:�

http://www.redding.com/news/2008/nov/25/dfg-provides-list-lakes-no-longer-be-stocked-trout/

I do hope that restricted regs follow as well, otherwise you could have meat hunters putting more pressure hunting for wild fish and expecting to have the same "eat my limit" mentality.� Hopefully the meat-heads�just drive to the planted waters instead of hitting these others.� The current regs are not based on reality, they are based on the assumption that the DFG truck just dumped your dinner in the water and you have to haul it out on a hook.

If you check out the thread above you can see how mad the meat-heads are.� I'm not against hardware or bait, but I don't have sympathy for the notion that you're entitled to walk home with a stringer full of�trout every time you wet a line, regardless of what the eco-system can support.�

drifter · Senior Member

i think its safe to say that power bait isn't as effective on wild trout as it is on planters....with that said i think most bait fishers who continue to fish putah will try it, not have as good as luck, and not fish as often, which translates into not having as many opportunities as hooking, and "keeping" that random wild fish. �Moreover, i think that those baitfishers who truley care about the creek, will still continue to fish, as they have their own methods of catching native fish (and so they will continue to be there to support the conservation of the creek). �

Sorry to classify "baitfishers" as all one group, but then again this is a fly fishing board. � smile

I think the most important aspect is that DFG will save money on the plants, which will allow them (in theory, assuming they are just not making straight budget cuts) to re-allocate their resources towards managing rivers, streams, and lakes, in a more efficient, and intelligent manner. �

Ultimately, those who will loose out will be the local business, and i will admit there will be another potential looser, the future of conservation. I cant remember back that far but i'm sure one of my earlier experiences fishing for trout involved some planters. �When your young its a little easier to get a planter to bite, and having that bite when your young is what stays with you forever, which ultimately translates into many years of fishing. �The young cary on the tradition and eventually, the conservation effort. �

However, whatever the outcome, whomever the loosers may be, there is one possitive assurance, the wild trout WILL benefit. �

ps. �On this thanksgiving Im thankful for trout, and hopefully tomorrow, steelhead. �Tight lines over this great weekend all!

-- Edited by drifter at 19:32, 2008-11-26

Otter · Senior Member

I am not so sure this plan was thought out very well. It sounds like the state is just going to shut down hatcheries due to budget cuts. Here is a quote from the bait fishing side that makes a lot of sense.

"What the? Out of control politics with a complete and utter lack of common sense. Growing up in the Santa Cruz Mountains I fished Loch Lomand Reservoir and Stevens Creek Reservoir. Both were created by man made dams and the only reason why people visit these places is to fish for the planted trout. The beautiful marina at Loch Lomand that rents hundreds of boats every weekend during trout season will undoubtedly be out of business in no time. Local merchants will suffer too. No one will go there anymore.

What the heck is native to a MAN MADE reservoir? NATIVE=NATURAL. I guess the dams on these beautiful little recreation areas are next in line so the sucker fish will return, not the native trout they are trying(not really, it's BS) to save.

Wow, San Pablo reservior? Home to the huge planters you see in the fishing magazines and supports many businesses close by. Lots of businesses will close there too.

Is San Pablo reservoir, Loch Lomond and Stevens Creek really on the list? That is ridiculous.
I grew up fishing with salmon eggs and worms. The DFG has no idea what they are doing.

I am glad they will stop planting Putah, but without Wild Trout Status and stricter regulations it could mean people will be taking the big ass wild trout out of Putah.

shon42073 · Senior Member

Those big planted trout in san pablo reservoir are not planted by the dfg, they are purchased from a pvt. hatchery, Just like alot of other lakes. If these lakes want to keep there boat rental, day use, etc. going then they will have to do some things differently and purchase there own trout for there own planting purposes. The only thing i think planters are ok is for taking a kid fishing.

Flying Dutchman · Senior Member

Noticed Hwy. 4 corridor got slammed pretty hard--I enjoy taking my young son to some of these lakes.� Outside of the North Fork, not much appears to be headed Arnold's way...Too bad for the community.� Also, not listed on the map is family friendly Mosquito Lake--I didn't see it on the stocking list (unable to access "not stocking list").

SK60 · Senior Member

Before this landline got planted, PCT was already working on a strategy to propose changes to�the regulations for the Creek that will improve the fishery for all.� Your input/suggestions�are welcome and valuable-just try to keep them brief and to the point.�

Flying Dutchman · Senior Member

Otter wrote:

I am not so sure this plan was thought out very well. It sounds like the state is just going to shut down hatcheries due to budget cuts.
I am glad they will stop planting Putah, but without Wild Trout Status and stricter regulations it could mean people will be taking the big ass wild trout out of Putah.

Of special note, on the Calaveras, no plants--to my knowledge--have taken place below New Hogan dam.� Yet, the regs state that one hatchery steelhead and trout may be kept...Even with signs/pictures posted around the parking area and trail, this is a mixed message.� As a result, I have seen many beautiful trout taken, whether claiming ignorance or straight poaching.� I would hate to see the same happen to Putah or any other river.

�

-- Edited by Flying Dutchman at 23:04, 2008-11-27

shon42073 · Senior Member

Why would the baitguys suddenly start catching and keeping big a** trout ? They rarely catch them when the creek is heavily planted. I'm not sure�I understand why stopping the planting would suddenly and somehow help these same guys catch and keep putahs big wild trout.

Black Cloud · Senior Member

Big fish get caught out of Putah every year by guys using hardware and nightcrawlers. The Pardesha store use to have a board with photos �of big fish caught during the bait season and a lot were caught in Putah Creek.

James

shon42073 · Senior Member

I remember that blackcloud, I'm regretful to say I once had a pic of a 28 incher hanging in there, Still feel bad to this day for keeping it, But i was a kid then. Don't mean to change the subject but has anyone ever heard of a statistic that says about how many trout putah holds per mile ? I know some other rivers have this info. available. Or has anyone on here actually snorkled putah and watched the fish ? I bet theres alot more then most people think.

SK60 · Senior Member

We have researched this and haven't found any reports. If anyone has knowledge of any studies we would appreciate knowing. Solano County Water Agency (SCWA) has done some surveying this fall but I'm sure it will take awhile for that data to become available. DFG is looking at scheduling a survey this winter, resources permitting, as part of the Wild Trout eligibility determination process.

gudawg · Veteran Member

the resort (where most of the plants happen) will have many, who rarely strayed from there, hunting for trout. The plants kept them happy and concentrated near the resort. As much as I would love to see the summer crowds thinned out and the pressure taken off the creek I think it will have the oppisite effect. That is a members only resort those guys plan all year to come catch trout there and they stay for weeks. Anything that takes pressure off the creek is good but I dont think this is it. Also the DFG has to enforce the regs in place (which is rare) so temporary regs though needed will be less than ideal unless enforced.