Dylcook91 Posted March 28, 2015 Posted March 28, 2015 So I drove about 40 mintues today to go to one of my favorite spots. Upon arrival I get out, and start setting up my gear beside my car. A car pulls up next to me and the gentalmen informs me I can't fish here, that the game warden has been kicking people out because they stocked it with trout due to an issue at a near by location where they normally do. This pond has some very good size bass in it, it's where I got my first 5+lber. As far as I know there is no season on lmb, and I have purchased my freshwater fishing license for what? Im still not allowed to fish. How is it fair that they just come in and claim waters that have normally for the most part been over looked. I don't want anything to do with trout. Now I also fear the dawn of bucket fisherman will ruin this place before I ever get to fish it again. Sorry but after driving for an hour and a half for no reason I had to rant hahaha
Super User QUAKEnSHAKE Posted March 28, 2015 Super User Posted March 28, 2015 Who knows who that guy was maybe he just didnt want you there. If its not posted no fishing no trespassing fish til/if warden comes and tells you directly. 8
Super User Shane J Posted March 28, 2015 Super User Posted March 28, 2015 I agree. Fish until an authority figure tells you otherwise. 5
Super User F14A-B Posted March 28, 2015 Super User Posted March 28, 2015 See above answers, I agree with them both!
Dylcook91 Posted March 28, 2015 Author Posted March 28, 2015 Yes, that was my initial thought as well. So I took a walk around the pond, and came across a half ripped up paper stapled to a post on the other side from which I had parked. It was from the NJ fish and wildlife, saying "Trout stocked waters" and "No Fishing" from early March to about mid April. .I forget the dates specifically.
Super User Senko lover Posted March 28, 2015 Super User Posted March 28, 2015 Well at least you can fish it later!
Thornback Posted March 28, 2015 Posted March 28, 2015 I keep the phone number of the FWC (Florida Wildlife and Fish Commission) in my cell phone contact list should I need to contact them for any reason. A phone call to the proper authorities would have answered your question. 1
Super User Crestliner2008 Posted March 28, 2015 Super User Posted March 28, 2015 I agree with Thronback. I keep the number for the Natural Resource Officer on my cell. And I call them if there ever is a problem. But I would have called them right away, while this guy was standing there telling me this! I'd almost betcha he'd have hi-tailed it out of there when he heard who you were calling.
RanndomUndead Posted March 28, 2015 Posted March 28, 2015 Yes, that was my initial thought as well. So I took a walk around the pond, and came across a half ripped up paper stapled to a post on the other side from which I had parked. It was from the NJ fish and wildlife, saying "Trout stocked waters" and "No Fishing" from early March to about mid April. .I forget the dates specifically. Is it one of the stupid seasonal ponds that are mistreated and deemed fish killers, yet even though the pond has problems they constantly stock it and close it for months every year? Seriously wish i could sue owners of those for animal abuse, even if it is the city.
Big C Posted March 28, 2015 Posted March 28, 2015 Think about it this way. You say there's BIG fish in that lake right? Now there's BIG fish and trout. You need to get a swimbait rod and a hudd. It's like a mini Cali Delta. 6
Dylcook91 Posted March 29, 2015 Author Posted March 29, 2015 It's really all just a big waste of time and money. They stock these select waters every year. When it opens to fishing literally hundreds of fisherman who don't fish the rest of the year, but decide they wanna play sportsmen for the day stand side by side and drain it of all the trout. Then when people who have a passion for fishing go there they are outta luck, it doesn't take much to ruin a small body of water. My fear is that they will also take the bass, and that's the end of that pond..it's only about 3-4 acres in size. one species of fish gets the entire body of water closed, how does that make sense. 1
Super User slonezp Posted March 29, 2015 Super User Posted March 29, 2015 They close the stocker lakes here for a couple weeks after the trout are stocked. They pull fish out of these lakes so quick, the trout are gone in a week or so. A number of years back, I was fishing a stocked lake after it had opened. A stocking truck pulled up along with the dnr. The dnr checked my license and said they had leftover trout they were getting rid of. I caught my limit within 10 minutes of the fish being dumped in the lake.
Super User Munkin Posted March 29, 2015 Super User Posted March 29, 2015 Maryland has certain places they close in order to stock trout so if they are listed you are SOL. I was fishing a local lake several years ago that they were o stocking with trout the same day I was fishing it. The DNR said something to me to which I replied I was a bass fisherman and could give a s**t less about the trout. The Warden gave me a song and dance about fishing during the stocking to which I replied I didn't know about the stocking until the truck showed up? He them tried saying I was fishing for them (using a 1/2oz jig and LC pointer 100sp like all trout fishermen) to which I replied no I was not and if he felt so to search my boat? Guy searched my boat and found some drop shot minnows which meant I was fishing for trout according to him so he threatened me again. Most of the MDDNR I deal with is professional but I guess this guy was use to illegals or something so I just said go ahead and prove that in court? Mood change that led and I got a "warning" but that lake was not closed officially for any stocking so he can go screw himself.  Allen
Bruce424 Posted March 29, 2015 Posted March 29, 2015 If there was no posting and he wasn't a game warden...tell him who are you to tell me.
justhere Posted March 29, 2015 Posted March 29, 2015 PA used to do this too, but changed it recently. Now if the lake/pond has other species, you can still fish it, but have to throw the trout back until trout opens. And yes I agree this was so annoying, and the first day of trout is the worst day of the year to fish somewhere they stock, but is great in places they don't stock.
Super User gulfcaptain Posted March 29, 2015 Super User Posted March 29, 2015 If they are fishing trout and catch a few bass it's not going to hurt the population. Â Once the fishing slows, they leave. Â If the bass eats one of those stupid Power Mouse baits, well then he needed to go in the bucket. Â Saw a guy today who had a 1lb buck bass on a stringer. Â It happens, he was in aww when I threw back a 3lber (wanted the 7lb female he was with) and continued on my way. Â The harvest of a few will improve the fishing by removing some and freeing up the food for the others to grow bigger. Â I would look into a swimbait though and when they all show up to fish for trout, well then I'd fish a 8" hudd and smile. 3
Dylcook91 Posted March 29, 2015 Author Posted March 29, 2015 Unfortunately what passes for a big fish here in NJ is 5+ lbs. I've heard people talk about a "hawg" that in reality barely weights 3lbs, followed by "if I catch that thing, it's going on my wall". The white bucket fisherman here take everything they can get. I am definitely gonna try a swimbait in there to see what it can do...that is if anything is left.
Kevin22 Posted March 29, 2015 Posted March 29, 2015 We have a lake similar to that around me. Its a little bit bigger though, and there is no closed season after they stock. Oddly from the day they stock and for about 3 weeks you can't catch a bass over 14". Yet nobody believes me that the bass will eat trout. This lake is also where the local fish hatchery dumps their "too old to breed" females. So it has a stocked population of 7-8# fish and 3000 trout a year (8-12" trout), in a 20 acre lake. If I ever decide to try my hand at swimbaits you can bet that lake will be where I go. I'm just not a big fish hunter, by that I mean I couldn't handle fishing a week without a hit waiting for that 7lber to find a swimbait. I'd go nuts! 2
Super User Montanaro Posted March 29, 2015 Super User Posted March 29, 2015 It's really all just a big waste of time and money. They stock these select waters every year. When it opens to fishing literally hundreds of fisherman who don't fish the rest of the year, but decide they wanna play sportsmen for the day stand side by side and drain it of all the trout. Then when people who have a passion for fishing go there they are outta luck, it doesn't take much to ruin a small body of water. My fear is that they will also take the bass, and that's the end of that pond..it's only about 3-4 acres in size. one species of fish gets the entire body of water closed, how does that make sense. Waste of money? Here in wv a license with a trout stamp is around 40 dollars. Say 100,000 in states buy a license and bam you have 4 million. I assure you that raising trout barely makes a dent in that revenue. Why do you think DNR is more active during the spring than summer/fall
Super User Angry John Posted March 29, 2015 Super User Posted March 29, 2015 CT and WA close all waters that are trout stocked for a "closed season". I could also care less about trout to keep but I do catch and release if the bass bite sucks. I dropshot them so the fish is hurt very little and I have never gut hooked one. Lame policy for put and take lakes.
Super User gulfcaptain Posted March 29, 2015 Super User Posted March 29, 2015 We have a lake similar to that around me. Its a little bit bigger though, and there is no closed season after they stock. Oddly from the day they stock and for about 3 weeks you can't catch a bass over 14". Yet nobody believes me that the bass will eat trout. This lake is also where the local fish hatchery dumps their "too old to breed" females. So it has a stocked population of 7-8# fish and 3000 trout a year (8-12" trout), in a 20 acre lake. If I ever decide to try my hand at swimbaits you can bet that lake will be where I go. I'm just not a big fish hunter, by that I mean I couldn't handle fishing a week without a hit waiting for that 7lber to find a swimbait. I'd go nuts! They don't need to be 7lb's to eat a swimbait.  Those 3lb fish have no problem sucking down an 8" swimbait although the smallest I've caught on them is just over 4lbs.  The 68's will catch all sizes.  Have seen 2lb fish try and eat a Deps 250.  The bait was almost as big as it was but I guess he didn't know that.  Think about how many times we have all caught little bass on cranks and thought to ourselves "what was that fish thinkng"......well I'm guessing it was "I'm going to eat you!!!" 2
Penguino Posted March 29, 2015 Posted March 29, 2015 Unfortunately what passes for a big fish here in NJ is 5+ lbs. I've heard people talk about a "hawg" that in reality barely weights 3lbs, followed by "if I catch that thing, it's going on my wall". The white bucket fisherman here take everything they can get. I am definitely gonna try a swimbait in there to see what it can do...that is if anything is left. LOL I have a lake here in Central NJ that is pretty much the same as you're talking about. It's called Lake Manaplan and the state stocks trout in it too. When you think about it, stocking trout in small lakes and ponds is a extremely boneheaded idea. The majority of the time, the trout get caught within the first week of stocking, and the state ends up wasting thousands of dollars. Also, this negatively effects the fishing as the people who keep the trout usually also inadvertednly end up keeping the bass.
Super User F14A-B Posted March 29, 2015 Super User Posted March 29, 2015 While I understand your point of view, especially on Largemouth being caught and kept, you have to remember that ANY legal license holder has the right to fish & keep the catch in accordance with the laws of the state they are fishing in. It's just a fact. One, that all of us have to understand and comply with.. 2
Super User Munkin Posted March 29, 2015 Super User Posted March 29, 2015 LOL I have a lake here in Central NJ that is pretty much the same as you're talking about. It's called Lake Manaplan and the state stocks trout in it too. When you think about it, stocking trout in small lakes and ponds is a extremely boneheaded idea. The majority of the time, the trout get caught within the first week of stocking, and the state ends up wasting thousands of dollars. Also, this negatively effects the fishing as the people who keep the trout usually also inadvertednly end up keeping the bass. Â They stock trout like that so people can catch and keep them. There is a 1 acre pond by my house that they stock like 500 trout for a kids fishing derby. The pond is 3' deep at most (City regulation) with no cover or baitfish so it cannot sustain anything. Â Allen
KyAngler_1120 Posted March 29, 2015 Posted March 29, 2015 I feel your pain Dylcook91... here in Kentucky there are only a very few areas that have closed waters due to trout stockings and that is only near one of our hatcheries. If your fishing a body of water when the stocking truck pulls up then it is just your lucky day here in KY. It is also frustrating with the type of fisherman you talk about, but the lake I fish on the most is a trophy lake that has a 1 bass 20inch limit, so bobber fisherman don't take large numbers of bass out
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