Tuesday, November 22, 2016
Brown Trout vs. Brook Trout
A recently published U.S. Geological Survey study examined how native brook trout interact with non-native brown trout under rising stream temperatures.
During the study, which is one of the first experimental studies linking climate change and invasive species biology, researchers found that non-native brown trout limited the ability of native brook trout to utilize warmer stream temperatures.
In contrast, removal of brown trout resulted in the expansion of brook trout into warmer waters.
The brook trout is a freshwater fish species native to eastern North America and threatened by climate change because of its requirement for cold stream temperatures.
Brown trout are native to Europe and have been introduced throughout much of the territory of native Brook Trout.
The research indicates that native brook trout were less resilient to climate change compared to the invasive brown trout because the native fish has less tolerance to higher water temperatures.
The study was published in the Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences.
source: U.S. Geological Survey
Thursday, September 22, 2016
Freshwater Fishing Coffee Mugs
Fishing themed coffee mugs are always popular with outdoor enthusiasts. Designers offer an endless array of mug shapes, sizes and styles.
Artwork found on coffee mugs includes line art, color illustrations, icons, photos, and other designs.
Designs highlight fish species, geography, photography, vintage artwork, humor, and much more.
Fishing mugs are popular as gifts for fishermen, promotional giveaways, and other occasions.
Artwork found on coffee mugs includes line art, color illustrations, icons, photos, and other designs.
Designs highlight fish species, geography, photography, vintage artwork, humor, and much more.
Fishing mugs are popular as gifts for fishermen, promotional giveaways, and other occasions.
Sunday, August 14, 2016
Lake Trolling Techniques
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| Lake Trout |
Trolling is a popular technique for catching fish in lakes, reservoirs, and other large impoundments.
Lake trolling allows anglers to cover a large amount of territory while fishing at multiple depths.
Lake trolling techniques vary regionally. In some areas, anglers employ downriggers, planers, umbrella rigs, or other complex equipment.
In other situations, anglers use only simple tackle such as spoons, crankbaits, or jigs.
Lake trolling techniques have been proven to produce trophy-class fish. While trolling, anglers catch lake trout, musky, pike, salmon, striped bass, white perch, largemouth bass, panfish, and other fish.
The following are a few state record catches that were caught by trolling:
In September 2010, James Brooks was trolling in Bluestone Lake when he set a new West Virginia state record for striped bass. Brooks caught the 47.16-inch, 45.70-pound striper while trolling a crankbait.
In June 2014, Jeffery Todd Smith set a new North Carolina state record with a kokanee salmon that weighed 4 pounds, 1 ounce. Smith caught the fish while trolling in Nantahala Lake.
In 2016, James Stiars of Maryland broke his own non-tidal record for white perch in Loch Raven Reservoir near Baltimore.
Stiars landed his second Maryland state record non-tidal white perch with a 1.74-pound, 14.25 inch fish. His previous record was a 1.70-pound fish caught in 2014.
“We were trolling Shad Rap crank baits and catching them pretty well when this one came over the rail, and I thought it looked bigger than the one from a couple of years ago,” explained Stiars.
Related Information
Kayak Trolling
Toledo Bend Reservoir - Best Bass Lake 2016
Bassmaster Magazine recently named Toledo Bend Reservoir the "Best Bass Lake" in the nation for the second year in a row.
This is the first time a fishery has held Bassmaster's number one spot for more than one year.
Since 2012, the magazine has published the annual 100 best bass lakes in the country; Toledo Bend Reservoir has placed within the top 15 every year.
The Toledo Bend Lake Association provides replicas to sportsmen who land bass 10 pounds or larger and release the fish back into the lake alive. Replicas are awarded every June.
In 2015, the fishery produced 81 verified fish over 10 pounds. During the 2016 lunker year, running from June 2015 through May 2016, the number of replicas awarded nearly doubled to 139 double-digit bass.
Toledo Bend Lake straddles the Louisiana and Texas border, and lake management is the responsibility of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
These agencies, in addition to various local organizations, have released more than 28 million Florida-strain largemouth fingerlings into the reservoir.
source: Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
This is the first time a fishery has held Bassmaster's number one spot for more than one year.
Since 2012, the magazine has published the annual 100 best bass lakes in the country; Toledo Bend Reservoir has placed within the top 15 every year.
The Toledo Bend Lake Association provides replicas to sportsmen who land bass 10 pounds or larger and release the fish back into the lake alive. Replicas are awarded every June.
In 2015, the fishery produced 81 verified fish over 10 pounds. During the 2016 lunker year, running from June 2015 through May 2016, the number of replicas awarded nearly doubled to 139 double-digit bass.
Toledo Bend Lake straddles the Louisiana and Texas border, and lake management is the responsibility of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
These agencies, in addition to various local organizations, have released more than 28 million Florida-strain largemouth fingerlings into the reservoir.
source: Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
Thursday, July 21, 2016
New York Trout Stocking Data
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) recently announced that the agency has collaborated with the Office of Information Technology Services to provide trout stocking data on the Open NY (Data.NY.GOV) website.
Previously, the fish stocking information was only available in county listings on the DEC website.
Two different data sets are available from the Open NY website:
Current Season Spring Trout Stocking contains the current year DEC spring stocking information for "catchable sized" brown, brook and rainbow trout. This data set will be renewed annually in mid-March.
Fish Stocking Lists from 2011 to 2015 contains the actual fish stockings by DEC and Essex, Onondaga, and Warren counties for all fish species.
This data set is particularly useful for people who want to fish in "put-grow-and-take" waters where fish are stocked at a small size and allowed to grow to a size anglers can keep.
DEC also stocks more than 2.3 million catchable-size brook, brown, and rainbow trout in over 309 lakes and ponds and roughly 2,900 miles of streams throughout New York each spring.
source: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Previously, the fish stocking information was only available in county listings on the DEC website.
Two different data sets are available from the Open NY website:
Current Season Spring Trout Stocking contains the current year DEC spring stocking information for "catchable sized" brown, brook and rainbow trout. This data set will be renewed annually in mid-March.
Fish Stocking Lists from 2011 to 2015 contains the actual fish stockings by DEC and Essex, Onondaga, and Warren counties for all fish species.
This data set is particularly useful for people who want to fish in "put-grow-and-take" waters where fish are stocked at a small size and allowed to grow to a size anglers can keep.
DEC also stocks more than 2.3 million catchable-size brook, brown, and rainbow trout in over 309 lakes and ponds and roughly 2,900 miles of streams throughout New York each spring.
source: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Tuesday, April 5, 2016
Snake River Headwaters Restoration
Trout Unlimited (TU) and Jackson Hole Trout Unlimited (JHTU) recently announced the launch of an ambitious new initiative to restore and protect the headwaters of the upper Snake River and its fishery, together with a diverse group of community and agency partners.
TU’s Snake River Headwaters Home Rivers Initiative will leverage the capacity of the active JHTU chapter and engaged membership in and around Jackson Hole by working with partners to develop and implement high-priority restoration projects to benefit native trout and their habitats.
The Snake River Headwaters HRI will reconnect native trout spawning and rearing habitat by installing fish screens and removing fish passage barriers.
Projects will also restore water quality, habitat, and healthy stream conditions by improving water use and restoring streamflows. Outreach and youth education will actively engage the community and partners in these efforts.
The Snake River Headwaters HRI has been funded by a $100,000 commitment from JHTU as well as the generous support of other private donations.
source: Trout Unlimited
TU’s Snake River Headwaters Home Rivers Initiative will leverage the capacity of the active JHTU chapter and engaged membership in and around Jackson Hole by working with partners to develop and implement high-priority restoration projects to benefit native trout and their habitats.
The Snake River Headwaters HRI will reconnect native trout spawning and rearing habitat by installing fish screens and removing fish passage barriers.
Projects will also restore water quality, habitat, and healthy stream conditions by improving water use and restoring streamflows. Outreach and youth education will actively engage the community and partners in these efforts.
The Snake River Headwaters HRI has been funded by a $100,000 commitment from JHTU as well as the generous support of other private donations.
source: Trout Unlimited
Monday, March 28, 2016
Colorado River Gold Medal Designation
A 24-mile stretch of the Colorado River, from the confluence with Canyon
Creek, downstream to the confluence of
Rock Creek, was recently designated as one of Colorado's Gold Medal state waters.
The Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) Commission accepted recommendations to assign Gold Medal status to the area during their March meeting.
In Colorado, Gold Medal status is reserved for state waters that produce a minimum of 60-pounds of trout per acre and 12 trout measuring 14-inches or longer per acre.
According to Aquatic Biologist Jon Ewert, the upgraded section of the Colorado River exceeds the minimum requirements for Gold Medal status.
"We studied this section of the Colorado River extensively over the past eight years," he said. "We found that it is an excellent fishery."
source: Colorado Parks and Wildlife
The Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) Commission accepted recommendations to assign Gold Medal status to the area during their March meeting.
In Colorado, Gold Medal status is reserved for state waters that produce a minimum of 60-pounds of trout per acre and 12 trout measuring 14-inches or longer per acre.
According to Aquatic Biologist Jon Ewert, the upgraded section of the Colorado River exceeds the minimum requirements for Gold Medal status.
"We studied this section of the Colorado River extensively over the past eight years," he said. "We found that it is an excellent fishery."
source: Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Monday, March 7, 2016
FishBoatPA Smartphone App
More than 33,500 users have downloaded the FishBoatPA mobile smartphone app, according to the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC).
The FishBoatPA app is available for free on both Google’s Play Store and Apple’s App Store.
The app shows anglers which waters have been stocked with trout, provides driving directions, and other information.
When the FishBoatPA app opens, one of the first item anglers see is an “Upcoming Trout Stocking” link, which updates in real-time.
Users can sort stocking schedules by county. The app is tied directly into the PFBC’s online stocking schedule, so anglers can see past and upcoming stockings and the type of trout placed in a water.
GIS coordinates allow users to use mapping apps installed on their phones to get directions to their favorite stocking site.
The “Near Me” feature uses a phone’s GIS coordinates to locate and display trout waters within 5, 15, 25 and 50 miles of the user.
Using the ‘My Trophies’ feature, anglers can post pictures to share with others by email, text message, or through social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter.
Another prominent feature on the app home page is the link “Get a license today.” This enables users to find an issuing agent near them and to see pricing options for licenses.
The app also links to a “Fish ID” guide with color pictures; a “Learn” section with links to helpful information like tying knots and learning how to properly handle fish; and to PFBC rules and regulations.
source: Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
The FishBoatPA app is available for free on both Google’s Play Store and Apple’s App Store.
The app shows anglers which waters have been stocked with trout, provides driving directions, and other information.
When the FishBoatPA app opens, one of the first item anglers see is an “Upcoming Trout Stocking” link, which updates in real-time.
Users can sort stocking schedules by county. The app is tied directly into the PFBC’s online stocking schedule, so anglers can see past and upcoming stockings and the type of trout placed in a water.
GIS coordinates allow users to use mapping apps installed on their phones to get directions to their favorite stocking site.
The “Near Me” feature uses a phone’s GIS coordinates to locate and display trout waters within 5, 15, 25 and 50 miles of the user.
Using the ‘My Trophies’ feature, anglers can post pictures to share with others by email, text message, or through social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter.
Another prominent feature on the app home page is the link “Get a license today.” This enables users to find an issuing agent near them and to see pricing options for licenses.
The app also links to a “Fish ID” guide with color pictures; a “Learn” section with links to helpful information like tying knots and learning how to properly handle fish; and to PFBC rules and regulations.
source: Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
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