Expired Trout

[Simms]

Fishing along the Flatbrook this evening, I saw dead trout all over the place. It was heartbreaking, as some of these creatures went 17'' in length! Little or big, its a tradegy none the less! Im not sure if its baitfishermen causing the destruction, or uneducated fisherman who haven't taken "How to unhook a fish 101", but its a disgrace. Im sure others have noticed this too while fishing the BFB. It seems this is the worst I have ever seen it, or maybe I have been paying more attention this year.

 

[MS22]

While on a hike, I found a decent brookie in bad shape at Point Mountain the other day. Was able to face her upstream and get some water moving over her gill plates. She got some energy back made her way back into the pool. Hopefully she made it.

 

[Kronk]

I counted 10 in the pool I was fishing today and two on the bank
a disgrace....Kronk:down:

 

[troutrob]

On the farmington this weekend had a fly fisherman (and probably the best cast in the pool- besides my self :fart catch and handle a stockie rainbow for about 10 mins describing how fat he was etc. - now I am all for loving on a fish but it was excessive a minute + after he put it back in the water the poor little guy was gasping for air white as can be and settled backwards downstream a foot away from the bolder i was standing behind- trout and salmons can be pretty hardy but there still pretty delicate- catch and release, ff only, and barbless regs are useless if fish are put back in such terrible shape- love the fish you catch but be careful!!!

 

[PRomano]

Fishing along the Flatbrook this evening, I saw dead trout all over the place. Im sure others have noticed this too while fishing the BFB.

I have fished Flatbrook at least a dozen times this year and have not see 1 single dead trout. If you're seeing dead fish all over the place then maybe something other than careless fisherman is responsible.
Just my 2 cents.

 

[coolkyle]

I'm no expert on anything, so this is only a hypothesis: Is it possible that these large fish are getting stocked into an environment that can't fuel their big metabolism?

 

[BIGBOW]

I have fished Flatbrook at least a dozen times this year and have not see 1 single dead trout. If you're seeing dead fish all over the place then maybe something other than careless fisherman is responsible.
Just my 2 cents.

I agree. It seems like a different cause.

 

[Simms]

I would like to agree, however where I have seeing these fish are in deep holes, plenty of oxygen and food. The places where all these trout are dead are very popular spots too, and im sure people sneak in at night and use garden hackle...

 

[Trout Nazi]

Don't most bait fisherman keep the fish though? I would imagine there would be some mortality from stocking. Your taking fat pond raised fished and sticking them into a more rigorous environment. What happens when you take a fat couch potato and ask him to run a 10k race?

 

[JeffK]

I wouldn't let fly fishermen using 6x tippet off the hook either. Fishing is a blood sport and I generally cringe when fly fishermen put all the blame on the bait guys. I've seen plenty of problems with flies, of which using way too light a tippet is one. George Harvey always claimed it is more sporting to use the largest tipper that will fit through a flies eye - puts more pressure on perfect presentation (thin tippets can hide a lot of sloppiness) and you can bring the fish to hand in short order.

 

[AKSkim]

Re: Expired Trout v. Bear Population

If you really care to find out the true answer to the recent death of so many innocent trout on the BFB...

I will lead you in the right direction.

There is proof out there that exists where the recent death of so many trout and the rise in the bear population on the BFB is a major contributing factor.

 

[MACFLY]

Don't most bait fisherman keep the fish though? I would imagine there would be some mortality from stocking. Your taking fat pond raised fished and sticking them into a more rigorous environment. What happens when you take a fat couch potato and ask him to run a 10k race?

I would snap every bone, tendon, and ligament in my body...and thats just in hte first 100 yards. Clearly this isnt just about bait fisherman but there was a time I was sitll using my spinning rod in NJ and ultralight line with small spinning lures while practicing catch and release. I was still quite young (16) and I fished every week. It would not take many folks using similar gear to cause a problem. I think the bait fisherman do keep much of their catch but i have seen enough ultralight spinners and flyfisherman handle fish improperly or play the fish out too long. For the ultralight fisherman, a treble hook can do a lot of damage.

 

[MACFLY]

Re: Expired Trout v. Bear Population

If you really care to find out the true answer to the recent death of so many innocent trout on the BFB...

I will lead you in the right direction.

There is proof out there that exists where the recent death of so many trout and the rise in the bear population on the BFB is a major contributing factor.

AK you do know the bears read these posts dont you...You had better lock your doors at night, Be careful when getting into your car and check your six at all times

 

[Burtbords149]

Re: Expired Trout v. Bear Population

If you really care to find out the true answer to the recent death of so many innocent trout on the BFB...

I will lead you in the right direction.

There is proof out there that exists where the recent death of so many trout and the rise in the bear population on the BFB is a major contributing factor.

You sir are a fool....the real answer lies within you. If AKSkim made more pilgrimages to the Flatbrook he could look these dying fish in the eye and will them back to life. He received his training from......Chuck Norris. (SIMMS may be the only one to the laugh at this)

 

[BIGBOW]

I dont think bears would leave the fish behind either. I mostly use 6x on the BFB and maybe lost a fly just a couple of times, except snags (all blamed on my knot or old tippet). I've seen some brutes come out of there as well, but nothing 6x couldnt handle. I got some monsters out West on 6x, as well as 7x.

 

[Simms]

Oh, im not soley blaming this issue on the bait guys, as I have seen many a fly fishermen improperly handle a trout, or play it to long. Face it, we were all guilty of that at one time or another. I think most of the reason the fish have been expiring is when guys play the fish out way too long. I have seen 10'' fish go twenty min on the fly rod. RIDICULOUS! However, I diagree with that 6x tippet BS...I have landed more 16''+ fish than I can count on 6x/7x. Its not the game, its the player...

 

[AKSkim]

I dont think bears would leave the fish behind either.

BIGBOW SLAPSHOT:

You're comment just speaks volumes that you DON'T know bear tactics what-so-ever.

Let me, AK Skim, NJ/NY/PA/MO/MT/IN/TN/LMNOP... Registered Professional Bear Hunter help you...

A fly fisherman sees a trout drifting calmly down stream.. belly up.

The fisherman stops and watches.. thinks to himself.. poor little trouty-trouty.. here trouty-trouty...

While he is looking down.. the bear herd is watching from above for the moment to leap from the trees down upon the unsuspecting fisherman.

It's all over in a matter of minutes.

Now you can see why the herd leaves a few belly up...

Nothing but the bare tactics of your enemy.

DEFEND YOURSELVES !!!!!

Pay no mind to those fish drifting down stream belly up.... watch the trees.

As always, with an eye skyward

AK Skim

 

[BIGBOW]

Skimmy Boy,
You really need a psychologist.. actually a team of them.. one for each of your issues!!

 

[Agust]

Fishing is a blood sport. Even doing everything right, you can expect to kill some fish (either right away or after you release them). However, using to small a tippet, using barbed hooks, excessive handling, playing to long, warm water or maybe fish weakened by being in the truck to long on the way from the hatchery can all contribute.

By the same token, using heavier tippet whenever possible is a good idea. I always have 6x and 7x, just in case, and end up using it once or twice a year becasue it does cover a lot of sins. But in general 4x and 5x are plenty, especially if the water is slightly discolored or high. It allows you to play the fish to hand much more quickly, and release them much sooner. Just as using barbless hooks allows you to release them more easily.

The science tells us that barbed vs barbless, that 5x vs. 6x , that treble or single hook are individually statistically insignificant. However, taken in total I find that I kill fewer fish using heavier tippet, barbless single hooks and avoiding taking the fish out of the river as much as possible.

But even doing everything right some fish will die, it is something we all need to acknowledge and get over. But keep that in mind when you have one of those extraordinary 60 fish days, chances are statistically pretty fair 4-5 of those fish will die.

Then again if you plan to harvest them it doesn't matter.

 

[AKSkim]

Skimmy Boy,
You really need a psychologist.. actually a team of them.. one for each of your issues!!

`
Oh yeah....

I think that someone who has this posted under his post needs more help than I.

Listen To The River Sing Sweet Songs To Rock My Soul...<!-- google_ad_section_end -->

Oh yeah.. like a river can sing... whats next dancing mountain tops?

 

[Agust]

Re: Expired Trout v. Bear Population

He received his training from......Chuck Norris. (SIMMS may be the only one to the laugh at this)

Chuck Norris uses an Epic fly rod he acquired by chasing down the bear who took it from AK and beating him into submission. When Chuck shows up at the river, the fish all roll over and submit before he even makes a cast or ties on a fly.

 

[BIGBOW]

`
Oh yeah....

I think that someone who has this posted under his post needs more help than I.

Listen To The River Sing Sweet Songs To Rock My Soul...<!-- google_ad_section_end -->

Oh yeah.. like a river can sing... whats next dancing mountain tops?

Be a good girl Skim.. thats the Grateful Dead your poking fun at.

 

[BIGBOW]

`
... whats next dancing mountain tops?

"We are one when dancing with the mountains, wo wo"
-John Denver

 

[creekhopper19]

I can definately understand that hypothesis. I live just on the other side of the mountain from the southern end of the river where it dumps into the dware and we have more bears and bears problems than we know what to do with.

 

[Stonefly]

Has anyone reported all these dead fish to F&W?

 

[Broadheadscreek]

Having fly fished for many years and being a well known member of the 10% club. 6x tippet does'nt kill fish the fisher man how ever is the culprit 6x can drag in most average size fish with no problem. It is the handling of the fish when it is brought to hand or net. I personally do not handle fish unless it is for a quick picture as seen in my post. And when I do this they are put straight back into the water. I retrieve my hemos and remove the hook from the fish while it remains in the water less stress on the fish. Most spots I fish and fish often rarely see more than 2 to 3 dead fish a year and on more than one occasion I have caught the same fish several times over the course of a year. And if the fish is to large for the 6x I am using it will most always break off and be fine.

When I find larger fish and that is my target for the day I use 4x tippet for dries and keep the play minimal. And for dredging streamers and big nymphs it's 3x all the way so as to with stand the violent takes you get doing this and keeping the play to a minimum thus increasing the survival rate.

 

[Ryan R]

Dead stockies in a stream, I wouldn't suspect baitslingers since they usually take there catch home. Could be the growing number of buffon fly anglers out there that remove the hook by molesting the fish half in the water for 5-10 minutes. They release it, continue fishing, completely oblivious to the half-dead fish floating downstream behind them. There is an older sport that frequents the Pequest TCA. I stop to watch on my way home from work sometimes and twice now have watched this guy fishing upstream catch a trout, handle it in the water forever, release it and not have a clue as the trout goes belly up behind him. I tried to tell the guy once but he just waved me off for bothering such an expert. A lot of guys out there know every bug by it's Latin name and all that but watch how clueless they are when they actually land a trout and have to remove the hook quickly. Cracks me up every time I see it.

It could also be an isolated environmental factor, a deep hole in a stream is not an automatic indicator of "plenty of oxygen and food." Maybe so but perhaps something is entering that pool that is affecting the fish only in the immediate area?

 

[podobed45]

I dont keep any fish, but if my friend or a fellow angler has a fish that is obviously not going to make it, i generally take it home and eat it.


One of the worst sights in fishing tbo. that and seeing a bait fisher man or a spin fisherman with a stringer. then again ANY one with a stringer.


i cant wait for the muskie tca to be year round.....and for the hold over trout increase exponentially

 

[hondo]

i have one other factor that may be contributing to all the "expired" trout in the Musky, section of this river are getting too warm. I fished the Musky Friday upstream from the old tri-county firehouse on 57. I saw some fish that no matter how fact they we landed and released, you needed to spend a lot of time reviving them. I checked the water temperature at 5:30 PM and it was slightly over 70 F in a shaded area. The week before the temperature was 66.5 F. I was waiting for the usual sulpher hatch and spinner fall Friday that never happened.

This was once a great spot to fish and kept holdover fish but that day is gone thanks to all the lack of planned development upstream on both sides of the road and along the stream. You can take all the dams you want out form this area I doubt if it will help.


BTW - I traveled downstream and stopped at the McDonald on Rt. 31 just north of the Musky Bridge for a soda...........I found my sulphers they were massed all over the black top parking lot.

 

[Kronk]

I happened to bump into the hatchery truck in warren county lately and I think I have your answer. When they throw them in some don't quite make the deeper water and expire.After they left I put my boots on and revived several fish that were stuck in the muck. Not the answer to all the dead ones but after seeing this most of the dead fish at the stocking points are from bad AIM!!!!!!!!!:down: