Alex Argyros
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Thanks, Bill. That’s very interesting information. Enjoy your hiking.
Alex
I’ve caught a few trout since last summer that sure looked like juveniles (too small and cute to be state stockers). All were caught in the upper river, above Rio. Some were pretty far from Ron’s nursery, so I assume that they’re wild fish, but who knows.
As always, your report and analysis is clear and enlightening, Jimbo.
For a long time, my view is that we gain very little by stocking enormous fish. Since these large fish come from a hatchery tank, to catch one is no special accomplishment (as opposed to a fish that grew huge naturally in a stream). Sure, it feels good to reel in (or hook) a lunker, but that feeling is “borrowed” from fishing streams with large wild or holdover trout populations. Here on the Guad, it takes no more skill to hook a 24″ trout than it does to hook a 17″ trout. It’s just luck.
The downside of stocking large trout is considerable. Clearly, large trout are a magnet for anglers, some of whom do not have a conservationist mentality (i.e., don’t respect the trout or the law). In addition, there are fewer trout in the river. Lastly, I have seen anglers (and been guilty of myself) playing large trout to near death, especially when using thin tippet.
I think that a survey of LAP members would be a good thing. I, for one, would vote for a majority of nice trout (say 14-18″) with some lunkers thrown in.
Alex
The tip on my rod got broken because I tripped and fell on it. Other than that, I’ve fished it hard, on and off, for years now with no trouble. I can’t say that about my T&T Contact 1, which has broken twice through no particular fault of my own.
Good to hear from you, Jimbo. Among Austin Creek, Pacific breezes, and some tolerable wine (St. Helena isn’t Fredericksburg, but you can’t have everything) it sounds like you have a pretty good life out there. When you come back, we must go fishing.
Thanks, Scott.
We may, indeed, have a good one, exactly the person the Guad needs.
Very interesting. Do you have the phone number of the kayaking warden?
Good travels, Dana. Will you be near trout fishing?
Alex
Good point, Scott. Now if only the Upper Flats would follow.
One good thing about the masses above the weir (interesting how everyone seemed to know where we stocked) is that it kept the crowds away from other spots. I had Barking Dog Pool all to myself for the early afternoon, that is, until JC and Trent floated by and scared away all the fish.
I wasn’t there, so I wish to thank all those who worked to get the fish into the river. However, I saw a lot of dead trout today. Dan, would you have ordered these fish if you had known the condition they would be in when they arrived? Or would you have considered saving our money for a later opportunity to buy healthier (not bigger, just healthier) trout?
BTW, waders were unnecessary today in the water above the weir at #5. One could easily have walked across the river by stepping from one boat to another.
Alex
The last time I was at River Bluff, the second lock (the one leading to the river) wouldn’t close. Since we didn’t stock River Bluff today, Dan might not be aware of this. Or I may have been doing something wrong.
Alex
One solution, the legality or logistics of which I know little about, would be to use some GRTU funds, perhaps even add a bit to the LAP membership price, and hire someone to patrol just our leases. This person could either have the authority to hand out tickets to offenders, or, at least, be able to call an actual warden.
I know that LAP members don’t just fish the leases, but, if my own experience is any guide, most of the poaching occurs at the leases.
And egg patterns look a lot like Purina Trout Chow.
Fish will always turn on or off based on all sorts of things (atmospherics, bugs, temperatures, etc.), but, in general, I don’t think that you’re seeing a “bite” on the Guad. In my experience, the fishing can be good in a spot for a while, and then it turns off not because the bite has ended, but because the fish concentrated in that spot have grown weary of being caught or seeing the same flies drifting by them. Our river is governed by stocking in certain good holding water (the leases, in general). When the flows are up, many fish migrate, but at these levels, most don’t. So, they get fished over every day. In the morning, they’ve forgotten a bit of what happened the night before, and they’re hungry, so they eat. But after a while they get inured to the same old.
I don’t mean to imply that they can’t be caught after the morning feast. However, it takes a very good drift with no flashing lights indicating an unnatural fly (or fish, leech, etc. if you’re using streamers) to entice them then.
Alex
I don’t think a single one was a LAP member.
