Trout Management Plan Report

[flyrodder]

This should be required reading.


http://www.ct.gov/dep/lib/dep/fishing/freshwater/trtplan.pdf

[The Patriot]

Spectacular post Bob! Thanks for sharing that!

I read through most of it quickly, and from almost everything I can glean, any proposal to raise the creel to five fish and lower the minimum length to nine inches on the lower ten miles of the Farmington River totally flies in the face of every stated management strategy and objective! It is absolutley contradictory!

And I must also assert that I believe the the DEP is underestimating the lower Farmington's ability to sustain large holdover trout and to hold over trout through the summer. I believe the entire Farmington River from Hogsback to 177 should all be designated as a Blue Ribbon trout stream in accordance with the section on Blue Ribbon trout stream designation, not just the West Branch. Certainly, the lower ten miles of the Farmington has every bit as much ability to sustain large holdover trout, and hold trout over the summer, as the Housatonic TMA, and the Housatonic TMA is proposed as the other "Blue Ribbon Trout Stream".

Thank you again for finding and posting that. You've provided me a wealth of ammunition to challenge the DEP proposal on the table. I have alot of homework to do....

See ya Friday,

Jim

[alan18lpl]

From what I read there, fishing pressure is the problem. Why are they suggesting increasing the creel. What is the real deal here...?

And...they do mention "cost" as a factor. What does a license cost, 20 bucks? How much do 5 fish cost? Who the heck is bit chin? Some guy who pays 20 bucks and wants 200 bucks worth of fish per year? And not to be an a$$ but I talk to a spin guy who throws everything back...waiting for a "wall quality" fish. I don't get who the special interests are here.

Jeesh.

[Gary]

Thanks for the link. Excellent.

[Painter]

I haven't read the report yet, but I have one question. It looks as though the report is eight years old. Is it possible that some of the data and conclusions are actually a little out of date?

[The Fisherman]

Certainly some of the information is out of date, like there being only one WTMA in the state.

[The Patriot]

Old, true... but it included plans and objectives thru 2007, and certain principles of management that are not likely to change... i.e. the fact that the hatcheries are operating at capacity, or that the rivers in question are at their carrying capacity, or the fact that stocking more fish means smaller fish and is expensive, while management thru regulations such as minimum lengths, lower creel, or catch and release are inexpensive and more effective....

.... there's just a load of information in that report that can be effectively used to argue against a five fish 9 inch creel limit in the lower Farmington.....

[Gary]

The following were taken from the report. The DEP ought to take their copy off the shelf and re-read it then re-think the proposal.


Hatchery production of catchable size trout is currently at capacity. Hence, our ability to
increase the total amount of fishing generated by put-and-take trout stocking is limited.

Stream Survey sampling has shown that there are only two large streams in the state, the
Housatonic River and the Farmington River, that are capable of supporting large numbers of
holdover stocked trout. Late summer holdover (from the previous year) densities range from 7 to
22 trout per acre in the Farmington TMA (including some large wild holdovers), and from 0.7 to 23
trout per acre in the Housatonic TMA. Other sections of these rivers that could produce significant
numbers of holdovers currently do not because of harvest (Farmington) and lack of stocking

E) Angler Survey Results
Connecticut’s anglers are a diverse group. They range from the "Opening Day/early-springonly"
angler who seeks to harvest a few trout without having to make a large investment in the sport,
to the fly fishing purest who fishes year-round and invests large amounts of time and money into
trout fishing. Despite this wide range of interest and participation, opinion surveys have shown that
most trout anglers rank time spent outdoors in pleasant surroundings, camaraderie with fellow
anglers, catching trout, and opportunities to catch large trout as being most important. Harvesting
and eating fish are important to many anglers, however some anglers prefer to release most or all of
their fish.

Studies of the
removal rate of stocked fish (Butler and Borgenson 1965, Thorpe 1944) have shown that in put-and-take
fisheries, a high percentage of stocked fish are removed during the first four days of the season,
or the first 4 days after in-season stocking. Consequently, in many streams open to harvest, fishing
effort declines as stocked fish are depleted and catch rates drop.

Greater fishing per fish stocked (and higher catch rates) in TMAs was due to “recycling” of stocked
trout. In Trout Management Areas each fish was caught two or more times on average as a result
of catch-and-release regulations and reduced creel limits. The popularity of TMAs demonstrates that
many anglers are willing to forego the opportunity to harvest fish in return for higher year-round
catch rates and, in some TMAs, opportunities to catch large holdover trout.

When reproduction is not a limiting factor, minimum length limits maximize the harvest of
fish at and above the length limit. For example the greatest harvest of fish 12 inches and over is
achieved with a 12 inch minimum length limit. Minimum length limits also generate higher overall
catch rates due to catch-and-release and recycling of sub-legal-size fish. High minimum length
limits can be very effective. They are similar to catch-and-release regulations because they virtually
eliminate legal harvest (except for a few trophy size fish).

Moderate to low creel limits (2-5 trout/day) prevent skilled anglers from harvesting excessive
numbers of fish, and promote some catch-and-release fishing. As a result, the harvest is spread
among more anglers, and catch rates and angler participation can be extended later into the spring
(Hunt 1975).

. Surveys in other states (Vermont, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania) indicate that most
anglers would rather catch larger fish even if it meant catching fewer fish.
. The Housatonic River TMA and the West Branch Farmington River TMA are among the
most heavily fished rivers in Connecticut and are the only two large stream sections where
significant numbers of holdover trout have been sampled. These rivers are also recognized
nationally as high quality trout fisheries.

The popularity and cost effectiveness of catch-and-release areas is well documented in
Connecticut and elsewhere. At no additional production cost, sizes and numbers of trout
caught could be increased in selected streams with stocked or wild fisheries by eliminating
harvest.

Trout are the most popular gamefish in Connecticut. The vast majority of trout
fishing in the state is put-and-take fishing supported by DEP hatcheries, which are currently at
maximum production capacity. Consequently, angling opportunities based on put-and-take
management, while extremely important, cannot be greatly increased.

[The Patriot]

My point precisely, Gary... thank you for taking the time to copy and paste that! Well done!

Great minds think alike, I guess.... ;) :D

I'd say the DEP just made our case for us.....