The Millers is ready to fish. Water levels are great, the days have been perfect and the browns were scheduled to hit the Bears Den this week with the lower C&R getting its share next week. As you know by now I'm no fan of rainbows in the Millers and although I support the brown stocking I would rather like the browns to be stocked along with the bows throughout the stocking season instead of the "all at once" scenario.
Better then that, I'd like to see browns stocked ALL OVER THE RIVER, like other rivers, instead of just in the C&R sections. We know the old story about how browns, because they survive so well in the Millers, will accumulate toxins. Therefore they must be stocked in the C&R sections. WHY NOT MAKE BROWNS A CATCH AND RELEASE SPECIES and stock them everywhere on the Millers? One excuse I heard against this is that people will not know the difference between a brown and a bow (yes, I've heard that).
The Millers is a brown trout river, period! The VAST majority of it's anglers are flyfishers, period! Our anglers survey two seasons ago proved that. The browns draw the flyfishers, period, but miles of river have very few browns. The DFW should stock what we want, period!!!!
Have fun this week!
Ken
15 comments:
Had a great day yesterday on the Miller's. Beaded Olive Woolly Bugger was a hit.
What size is best for the Miller's this time of year?
Dave
Anybody hit the EB of the Westfield. I briefly stopped by last week in the Chesterfield Gorge section and nailed a huge trout in a deep pool but my poor knot tying resulted in a lost fish and a lost fly. Not sure if it was a hold over or perhaps its been stocked, the rest of the EB outside of the gorge has been for a while.
Dave,
Size 8 WB always seems to work. We had a lot of hits today on that size.
The EB: I'm guessing that you're fishing the Gorge section. Probably not a holdover but who knows.
I have some opinions on the EB.Stay tuned.
Ken
Ken, Advice on the Millers for tomorrow (Sunday)? Bearsden or Wendell Depot/Erving?
Gerry
Gerry,
Good to here from you.
The Bridge St. has been producing.The Bears Den was stocked with browns this past week so it should do well.
I would hit the bears den if you want quick action, I guess. The browns went in this past week. I like the lower river but it has been slow lately. Next week the browns go into that section and that will change things.
Ken
Ken,
The last stocking report from the MDFW was for the week of april 29. If the millers was stocked with browns this past week why isn't it listed?
Cliff
Cliff,
My guess is that the DFW was stocking last week but didn't update their website.
Ken
Tom there stocking wed, or Thursday . Trout unlimited weak end coming up this weak. Bbd
DFW apparently did not update the website this week. Shawsheen was definitely stocked but last report for NE sector was April 29. I fully support the non-reporting of stocking data! Give the fish a chance to spread out an acclimate before they get pounded by the hook and cook crowd.
Ill 2nd that notion Mike. Never quite understood what the upside was of bringing trout stocking into the "instant info" online world that we now live in. Didnt flyfish before these times but I imagine it was much better when stocking info was only discovered by exploration or word of mouth.
Ken,
I read your post with interest. Let me suggest that the best way to help institute a stocking change is to gather enough voices to help faciliate your recommendations. Here is what I would like to purpose.
1. Gather electronic signatures of all card carrying Mass. Fishing license members. I would request license numbers to help DFW determine $$ to their bottom line.
2. Work with local tackle shops to put out the word.
3. Work with Trout Unlimited to enlist there services.
If you have the time and energy I certainly can speak with you further on how this might be accomplished.
Regards,
Gerry S.
Gerry S,
I wish that you had emailed me directly with your proposals.
Here's my take:
1.Gathering licence numbers, electronically or otherwise, is useless because the DWF already knows how many licences it sells down to the penny. It's their revenue stream. Also, some license holders never fish for trout. So where are you going with this?
2. Tackle shops? The majority of entities that hold a bait sellers licence vastly outnumbers "fly shops" which you probably had in mind. The guy who sells crawlers and mono and shiners and spinner baits doesn't sell to trout fisherman let alone fly fishers who are the majority of the fishers on trout rivers. They would HATE the idea even if it doesn't effect them.
3.TU! As a Past President of TWO Massachusetts Chapters of Trout Unlimited I can tell you from my heart that TU is NOT an organization that you can depend on to get anything done in a timely fashion. That's why I left that group. I and a few individuals got things done quickly and the Millers benefited because of it!
I now how you feel and your aim is true but but there are better ways.
Ken
I would like to see the stocking reports vanish. Its a joke and only supports and endorses our stupid, spoiled, compulsive knee jerk society of wanting something and wanting it now!
Personally, I wish they would go back to a closed season on all rivers and streams that would open the 3rd week of April through the 3rd week of October. Keep ponds and lakes open if they wish. Then they could begin stocking rivers weeks before the seasoned opens to give the fish a chance to acclimate and move about. At least try to make it sporting once again.
I am all for appeals, tell me where to sign up!
-BT
Ken, would the best option for a river like the Millers simply be more private entities stocking browns? I dont really know anything about the MRFA other than what folks have told me about stocking some giant fish... But it strikes me that groups like that stocking browns in "off" periods may be a good trick. For example, stock a ton of browns through the river the last week of Oct first week of Nov. I know Ill be deer hunting, tying flies and fishing little streams (if I'm not with the family) then, other guys will be chasing pheasants or what not... but most are done fishing. That would give those trout 5-6 monhts pending the year to just settle into the river. I know one group couldnt do it, but given F and W is going to do browns and rainbows and some what put and take... Could that be a viable option?
Enjoy getting out!
Will
Simple Man,
The best thing Ma. did was get rid of "Opening Day" 35 or so years ago. It concentrated all angler's first trip into a very short window. It also caused the stocking of most of the trout before opening day even if the conditions were not good. Things are spaced out over two months now.
Will,
Stocking browns in the fall is not the answer. Browns stocked in the spring have a greater chance of surviving six months than browns stocked in the fall because the greatest cause of trout mortality in a freestone environment is winter kill and not summer heat.
The private groups that are out there stocking are not interested in creating a self sustaining fishery. I am.
Simple Man, are you Jack??
Ken
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