Small planters this year.

GeryG · Post by **GeryG** » Wed Apr 13, 2011 1:16 am

Every year the planted rainbow trout get smaller. I wish I new what hatcheries planted the lakes I fish. I would go there and buy a bag of food and feed them myself, to fatten them up. I was at Blackmans today, a 3.8 to a pound fish they planted is 7-8 inches. Look at the plant web site, that is the common size there planting. A few lakes up north get 2 per pound, last year it was 1.7 per pound. Every body just talks about the tripolid now. We need to figure out how to get more food to these fish. Where do you buy fish pellets? Mabe I'll just dump a bag in the lakes where I fish. And no I wouldnt fish over that spot, I'm not a chumly. I release all fish, but I like a fight. Maybe I'll have to make a fishing pole the diameter of tooth picks.

Website · Post by **The Quadfather** » Wed Apr 13, 2011 1:28 am

Maybe post your question to "Our own" WDFW represenative, Stacie Kelsey. She has a thread going with questions regarding how the state operates the fisheries, etc.

Jay K · Post by **Jay K** » Wed Apr 13, 2011 2:10 am

The Quadfather wrote:Maybe post your question to "Our own" WDFW represenative, Stacie Kelsey. She has a thread going with questions regarding how the state operates the fisheries, etc.

I think Stacie's a dude.

BentRod · Post by **BentRod** » Wed Apr 13, 2011 2:28 am

Jay K wrote:
The Quadfather wrote:Maybe post your question to "Our own" WDFW represenative, Stacie Kelsey. She has a thread going with questions regarding how the state operates the fisheries, etc.
I think Stacie's a dude.

Really? 'Doh!#-o I thought Stacie was a girl too. Guess I'll ask and get that cleared up.

Edit: I just checked out her profile...yes, her. Definitely a girl. :smurfin:

Post by **Stacie Kelsey** » Wed Apr 13, 2011 3:01 am

A dude? LOL! Nope, I'm a girl!

As to your question about the size of fish there are many different factors including but not limited to the amount of room at the hatchery, the amount of water at the hatchery. It's not necessarily a matter of feed them more and they get bigger.

What I would recommend is contact your local fish biologist and ask him about the size of the fish. Our fish average about 2/lbs. We did have one hatchery that was closer 3-4/lbs. and discovered it was an issue of water. We were able to fix that and now are getting those fish up to a larger size. Credit that to some fantastic hatchery workers.

There may be other issues at hand. What I don't particularly like about the oh ah factor of the triploid is that people tend to think 8" fish are not worthwhile and that's not true. It still makes a nice dinner fish.

I see way too much high-grading of fish because they are trying for larger fish and they rip out the hooks and kill the 'not cool' 8"'ers. That is not cool.

So, contact your bio, talk to him about the specific lakes you have in mind and they will be able to tell you what their management objective for that lake is and if there is any issues within the hatchery that prevents them from raising the larger fish you would like to see.

Hope this helps.

stace

Website · Post by **The Quadfather** » Wed Apr 13, 2011 4:01 am

Stacie Kelsey wrote:A dude? LOL! Nope, I'm a girl!

stace

OK, glad we got that cleared up. 100% Gurl!

Post by **Stacie Kelsey** » Wed Apr 13, 2011 4:03 am

'OL GREY DOG · Post by **'OL GREY DOG** » Wed Apr 13, 2011 1:01 pm

she dont sound(read) like a girly gurl tho

Anglinarcher · Post by **Anglinarcher** » Wed Apr 13, 2011 1:17 pm

'OL GREY DOG wrote:she dont sound(read) like a girly gurl tho

I'm not quite sure what you mean by that. :bom:

My wife doesn't either, and I like it that way. Much cooler to have a wife that can and does talk about things I like.

Now if I can only figure out how to get interested in Facebook, we can share each others interest.

Anglinarcher · Post by **Anglinarcher** » Wed Apr 13, 2011 1:27 pm

I was thinking about this topic myself. In the eastern part of the State, I think the small planters are pretty normal. In fact, I have joked for years that they plant the 4/pound so that they big trout and bass have something to eat in the spring.

Trips are fine, but a lot of people still think they are some result of radiation, chemicals, or something. I know some who fear them. I know we use to have that discussion even here on WL. Still, even the trips are being planted in smaller sizes.

IF I could wave a wand, which I can't, I'd plant the fish in the fall. They would grow through the winter, often when the Pelicans and Cormorants are migrated down south, then come spring we would have some "keepers". The meat would be firm and red, tasty, etc. In fact, in years past some states have slowly altered the spawning cycle of bows so that they could do just that.

I think the fall spawning rainbow is no longer the in-thing in management. I suspect it is expensive and perhaps adverse in streams that have natural spawning. I do find it interesting that the browns and bows are all the same size when they are planted in eastern Washington, and the Brown's natural spawning is in the fall.

I suspect it all comes down to money, which the State is short of, numbers, which most would prefer over size, and hatchery space, which will never be large enough. I see that a lot of lakes are not even getting catchable trout plants, so warm water species are a good thing after all.

Post by **Stacie Kelsey** » Wed Apr 13, 2011 3:44 pm

I could try to write a bit more like a girl - not sure how that would be!

Down here we used to do some fingerling plants into 'nursery lakes' or lakes that we had closures on and the lakes would raise the fish prior to the opener. However, this does happen a lot over on the east the side.

Our cormorants and I would suspect the ones up the Columbia through the east side of the state do not migrate. We deal with them regardless of spring/fall.

'OL GREY DOG · Post by **'OL GREY DOG** » Thu Apr 14, 2011 6:25 pm

i'll try not to steal this thread...so Stace ?...about the dang cormorants...couldnt some "trained volunteers" spend a few days,a week,10 days ??? on a lake after a plant...just to keep them from set'n up on and attacking a "unnatural" food source...would it be better to release them from a boat so's they could be taken to and spread out over a area with cover ???... instead of just dumped out in mass at boat launch???...on a whole diff line of thought....isnt raise'n 'em in floating pens in the lakes theyre going in better/cheaper...something i would volunteer/donate funds for....i'd volunteer to go out and help fix all the broken boat ramps too....almost went and fix'd 1 on my own a few days ago(tires rip'd up by jagged metal are aggravate'n)that i've complained about more that once...ooppss

swipe'n the thread again...lolol..DOG

Post by **Stacie Kelsey** » Thu Apr 14, 2011 6:38 pm

We did that down here. But it takes a lot of effort and doesn't work very well. They don't get spooked easily and you are limited to the harassment methods. Not all of our lakes have the kind of cover taht would make a difference with what you described as a scatter plant. I have a lot of lakes that have no cover at all.

Net pens will only work on lakes where they can be monitored against vandalism. We have net pens at the Mineral Lake Resort on Mineral Lake because they are easily monitored. Most lakes this wouldn't work. Net pens would be great if vandalism was not a factor.

The only real way to combat them is to raise larger fish.

'OL GREY DOG · Post by **'OL GREY DOG** » Thu Apr 14, 2011 7:37 pm

k good points..."larger fish"???...yea again something i'd donate EXTRA $s for...or to save a hatchery ect ect...with what's happening in Oly... F&G is going to change...your going to be part of Parks ??? ...OMG...only place where your going to get anymore help or $s...is from fisherpersons (even the girly 1s)...it's going to be time to give back or pay it forward or how ever you look at it..

NOW as far as the dang birds thing goes....IMO theyre just like the seals...they should be harrased as much as the law allows...and if i had to go to a 2 hour class or some dang thing to get a big 'ol sticker on my boats that says i'm a Wa St game protecter or some nonsence i'd do it...what these critters are do'n is only "natural behavior" to a point ...2 stories...
Offut Lake..i've fished that lake 1000s of times over 30ish years and nevvver saw any birds..cept the kewl eagles and osprey 'n some ducks... on a trip a few years ago there were 30 of 'em i bet..fish'n was slow so every time i saw them come bk to a spot and start do'n their bird stuff, i'd just sorta troll over there..they finally they gave up went and sat in their fav fallen tree 'n squack nasty things to me when i troll'd bye......Satsop river couple years ago...float'n down we encountered a few seals..rule is they harrass us while fish'n..we harras 'em bk...result we"chased" 4 seals out of that lower strech of river and on down the Chehalis to the next ramp..illegle ?? <shrugs>...but maybe a fish made it up through there...maybe it was a wild one and she found some clean gravel..those seals/birds arnt stupid..they figured out that because we were there fish'n they couldnt..<disclaimer>and no critters(cept fish) were harmed in the enjoyment of our resource..DOG

'OL GREY DOG · Post by **'OL GREY DOG** » Thu Apr 14, 2011 7:41 pm

mayyyybe we could have/start a "Master fisherperson" program like the hunters have

i know
i know
...crazy 'ol man

'OL GREY DOG · Post by **'OL GREY DOG** » Thu Apr 14, 2011 7:58 pm

Stace ????

you know ?? ...if bs'n with me is interfere'n with your other duties...

you can just say "SHUT UP OLD MAN"...lolol...my 'ol woman has been known to ...believe that or not..

guess what it is...is this..i've been a hunter/fisher in this state for 50ish years..and i have allll the GREAT memmories of how good is was...
and now a days...it's, well it's not...gets harder 'n harder to keep the kids even interested....i'm in a position where i could give a lil bk....do anything to help even pick up trash or clean up a outhouse (done both) at a boat ramp when i visit ect ect (i'd bet there are others too)

only 2 ways its going to go....it's going to get better or... it isnt...DOG

rockjiggr · Post by **rockjiggr** » Thu Apr 14, 2011 8:16 pm

Dog, you make a good point. If we use the resource and enjoy the resource, we should take care of the resource and not just with our taxes and license fees. I am going to make a point of picking up trash at the parking lot/boat ramp/restroom facilities each time I am out this year. If we all did this, we may be able to save the state some money that they can use to keep the ramps in good condition and keep the resources in good health.

Thanks for the inspiration.

Post by **Stacie Kelsey** » Thu Apr 14, 2011 8:22 pm

You bring up a good point about the garbage. Anglers are just destroying our Silver Lake and Kress Lake access areas with garbage. Haul it in pack it out is not quite computing with some people.

So, in addition to my fish duties, I'm trying to help out our access guy by picking up the garbage when I'm at the lakes. It's not cool for people to leave their garbage behind.

Dog - the birds are really smart - that's why harassment programs rarely work. The idea of a master fisherman course is an interesting one. I'll pass it up the chain.

stace

PS sorry I disappeared, trying to get some signs made for Silver Lake - PICK UP YOUR GARBAGE.

'OL GREY DOG · Post by **'OL GREY DOG** » Thu Apr 14, 2011 8:22 pm

i used to have contact info for the cleaner up'r guy...met him at diff ramps...he was allllways swamped and responsible for a huge # of accesses

'OL GREY DOG · Post by **'OL GREY DOG** » Thu Apr 14, 2011 8:32 pm

sign posted that says "ramp maintained by" sucha 'n such fish'n club ...or "Master" (lolol) fishermen...so when a guy with a sticker on his truck/boat or patch on his hat/coat or something like that....that might spend a lot of time at launchs anyways....says something to a "slob"(what the "MASTER HUNTER" program seemed to want to call every 1) it might make a diff

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