I’m Not Lost on the Hudson, the Trout Are

First things first, I would like to thank Prof. Eismeier for providing me with fishing articles to blog about. If it wasn’t for you I don’t know what I would write my blogs about. Now, that is out of the way. The article that was posted by Prof. Eismeier about the effects of the high water on both the trout and the stocking that is occurring on NY streams. (http://www.thejournalnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070421/NEWS04/704210349/1019/SPECIAL02) I feel that this article is lacking some important information. Yes it is true that some fish will be lost to high water, either from being stranded when the water recedes or from being washed downstream, but this is part of natural selection. All fish will find a way to survive either by hiding behind large boulders in the river or staying out of the main current. "The trout who have been around for a while know how to hide and get out of the currents." (from article). In my personal opinion I feel that any stream that could or would sustain wild fish populations should not be stocked. Hatchery trout cause wild fish great amount of harm such as competing for food as well as taking prime holding locations. The fish that are stocked may get lost but it is equivalent to them being taken home by fisherman. They are replaceable…
Last summer I witnessed a 500-year flood on the Delaware River.

As you can see through the tree that where the river should be…

http://imageevent.com/delawareriverclub/delawareriverclub2007;jsessionid=q3e05ar1x1.buffalo_s

And the wild trout survived.