2006 stocking schedule

[jlibs]

The MA state wildlife website www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/dfwrec.htm
mentions trout stocking will take place mid March (now) 2006. However, the website has not been updated to reflect which bodies of water have been, or are going to be stocked first.

I know there are several strong opinions around here on whether or not stocking is a good thing. Anyway...has anyone seen any stocking trucks around?

No Joe, I'm not interested in following the trucks around like you. "Joe, Stay back 200 feet. This truck makes sudden stops."

I would like to increase my odds of catching a trout or two (this is not an opportunity for Joe to pick on my fly fishing skills). I have seen a decline in numbers of trout in the Green River down here in GB, Egremont and Sheffield in the last few years.

[JoeOverlock]

I've got my Hills Brother's Coffee can packed full of worms and I'm ready to go!

(If you've never seen "A River Runs Through It" then you probally don't get that joke)

I called Andrew Madden last week and he told me stocking in Berkshire County should start this week or next. I'll keep bugging him so we can be the first to know.

I recieved some insider information and it turns out the State has a bunch of 12" and up Brookies that they plan on dumping some where around here. If my secret contact comes through with the information about when and where they're dumping them I'll post it here so we can beat the worm dunkers to them.

[ctroy36]

I suspect that the state will put those 12-inch brookies in some lake where the pike can eat them.

[JoeOverlock]

God I hope not. I think they might toss them in the Deerfield below the 2nd C&R.

[JoeOverlock]

Here's an update on stocking in the Berkshires.

A few Lakes and Ponds will be stocked at the end of this week.

Next week they will start stocking some of the rivers.

[jskowron]

All of you who are found of pure silver fish Tie up some "hatchery Pellet" patterns- the stocking trucks have arrived in western mass. I give it a few hours before every river and lakeside is cluttered with lawn chairs and and empty powerbait containers.

If you've never witnessed the stocking truck in action, it's quite an experience. I was at the Swfit River a few years ago, when I noticed a "flock(?)" of Osprey flying upstream above the river. The truck then appears on the bank, and some young guy (probably making a few extra bucks during spring break) throws a bucket full of 18 inch rainbows 10' into the air from the bank. The fish swim around, literally banging into your legs, each other, rocks, etc. Needless to say, the fishing wasn't that good for the rest of the day. Now that I think of it, it wasn't that good before then- the only thing working was size 20 "specks" of yellow and the occasional 18+ griffiths nat on 8x tippet. Not really my kind of fishing.