Post by JoeOverlock on May 16, 2006 18:37:49 GMT -5
PAUL KNAUTH <pknauth@verizon.net>
As some of you will recall, at our April membership meeting we voted to send a letter to Andrew Madden DFW relative to the presence of rainbow trout in the Catch and Release in Lee and Gt Barrington.
Andrew Madden would like our help. Please send to me and I’ll forward to Andrew, the number, the size of the Rainbow Trout and general location on the Lee section of Catch and Release.
Thank you for your help
Here the background.
My letter to Andrew
Andrew,
The Catch and Release section in Lee and Great Barrington, given its brief history has proven to be a great success. The Taconic Chapter of Trout Unlimited is grateful; you and your staff at the district office of the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife have taken the lead to help ensure its continued success. The stocking of Brown Trout by the Division to help establish the Catch and Release was well founded given the understanding and appreciation of the river habitat.
The electro-shocking stream survey, we participated with you, indicated the Brown trout population was healthy and surviving well. Many of our members can to attest to the success of the Catch and Release fishery; their accounts throughout the year confirm the Brown Trout have adapted well to this river habitat.
The river habitat and the water quality are improving as evident in the diversity of the macro-invertebrate population. There are periods during the summer months when due to low river flows and areas of sparse tree cover wherein the water temperature increases and the dissolved oxygen levels decrease; still the Brown Trout have survived. This would suggest thermal refuges do exist and have along with the Brown Trout tolerance for warm temperature contributed to the success of this fishery.
This year, our members have recorded Rainbow Trout in the Lee section of the Catch and Release. This is somewhat surprising given the stream survey and records of previous catches indicate few if any Rainbow Trout in this river reach. The Rainbow Trout are very sensitive to thermal stress; the low flow in summer period can be devastating to the population.
Are you aware of any major improvements to this river habitat that would contribute to the survival of the Rainbow Trout? Has habitat improved to a condition sufficient to sustain a healthy population of stocked Rainbow Trout or the migration to this river reach? We are concerned; the river habitat has not advanced to a state that would sustain a stocked Rainbow trout population and consequently negatively influence the realized success of this and perhaps future Catch and Release areas. We are interested to hear your thoughts on this matter.
The Taconic Chapter of Trout Unlimited is please to be part of and appreciates the continued efforts the Division and others are taking to help make this a successful and sustainable Catch and Release fisheries for all to respect and value. Please let us know your thoughts on this observation and how we can help you in the future. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Paul W Knauth
Taconic Chapter of Trout Unlimited
Andrew’s response
I went back through our stocking records and spoke to all the fish
> stockers and I can tell you with high level of certanity that only Browns
> have been stocked in the river. The way I typically stock that river is
> by splitting a load of browns between the river and a nearby lake (often
> laurel). This way I can spread the allotted number of fish over four
> stocking events throughout the sping which allows flexibility to adapt to
> extreme flow conditions and provide a steady stream of fish through April
> and May. I do have a few more browns scheduled for that river.
>
> What I would like to do is a get an idea from you and others who fish
> the
> river is exactly what sizes of rainbows people are catching. I am very
> curious about these fish because it leads me to believe that either we
> have a high level of escapement from a lake nearby, or we have some fish
> that have moved considerable distance. If I know the sizes I may be able
> to put the information together.
>
> I also suspect that the rainbows will not do particularly well there
> as
> the water temperature increases so that will be interesting to see as
> well.
>
> keep me posted
>
>
> andrew
As some of you will recall, at our April membership meeting we voted to send a letter to Andrew Madden DFW relative to the presence of rainbow trout in the Catch and Release in Lee and Gt Barrington.
Andrew Madden would like our help. Please send to me and I’ll forward to Andrew, the number, the size of the Rainbow Trout and general location on the Lee section of Catch and Release.
Thank you for your help
Here the background.
My letter to Andrew
Andrew,
The Catch and Release section in Lee and Great Barrington, given its brief history has proven to be a great success. The Taconic Chapter of Trout Unlimited is grateful; you and your staff at the district office of the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife have taken the lead to help ensure its continued success. The stocking of Brown Trout by the Division to help establish the Catch and Release was well founded given the understanding and appreciation of the river habitat.
The electro-shocking stream survey, we participated with you, indicated the Brown trout population was healthy and surviving well. Many of our members can to attest to the success of the Catch and Release fishery; their accounts throughout the year confirm the Brown Trout have adapted well to this river habitat.
The river habitat and the water quality are improving as evident in the diversity of the macro-invertebrate population. There are periods during the summer months when due to low river flows and areas of sparse tree cover wherein the water temperature increases and the dissolved oxygen levels decrease; still the Brown Trout have survived. This would suggest thermal refuges do exist and have along with the Brown Trout tolerance for warm temperature contributed to the success of this fishery.
This year, our members have recorded Rainbow Trout in the Lee section of the Catch and Release. This is somewhat surprising given the stream survey and records of previous catches indicate few if any Rainbow Trout in this river reach. The Rainbow Trout are very sensitive to thermal stress; the low flow in summer period can be devastating to the population.
Are you aware of any major improvements to this river habitat that would contribute to the survival of the Rainbow Trout? Has habitat improved to a condition sufficient to sustain a healthy population of stocked Rainbow Trout or the migration to this river reach? We are concerned; the river habitat has not advanced to a state that would sustain a stocked Rainbow trout population and consequently negatively influence the realized success of this and perhaps future Catch and Release areas. We are interested to hear your thoughts on this matter.
The Taconic Chapter of Trout Unlimited is please to be part of and appreciates the continued efforts the Division and others are taking to help make this a successful and sustainable Catch and Release fisheries for all to respect and value. Please let us know your thoughts on this observation and how we can help you in the future. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Paul W Knauth
Taconic Chapter of Trout Unlimited
Andrew’s response
I went back through our stocking records and spoke to all the fish
> stockers and I can tell you with high level of certanity that only Browns
> have been stocked in the river. The way I typically stock that river is
> by splitting a load of browns between the river and a nearby lake (often
> laurel). This way I can spread the allotted number of fish over four
> stocking events throughout the sping which allows flexibility to adapt to
> extreme flow conditions and provide a steady stream of fish through April
> and May. I do have a few more browns scheduled for that river.
>
> What I would like to do is a get an idea from you and others who fish
> the
> river is exactly what sizes of rainbows people are catching. I am very
> curious about these fish because it leads me to believe that either we
> have a high level of escapement from a lake nearby, or we have some fish
> that have moved considerable distance. If I know the sizes I may be able
> to put the information together.
>
> I also suspect that the rainbows will not do particularly well there
> as
> the water temperature increases so that will be interesting to see as
> well.
>
> keep me posted
>
>
> andrew
