05-20-2019, 06:16 PM
I will be the first to normally agree with what the DWR has done and the netting results certainly show some positives on Schofield. But, I have to agree, at least partly, with Northman on this debate. I think the results of having more trout in the nets than in years past is at least partly due to the fact that they have stocked the daylights out of it with larger fish. The presence of those trout is not, to me, an indication of success. And, I believe they should have pushed the reset button and poisoned it several years ago.
With that being said, I do believe the wiper is a huge success and, if not an anomaly, and indicator of good things to come. I remember when wipers were stocked into Minersville and Otter Creek...in both cases, it took several years before any showed up in gillnets. What you must remember about gillnets is that they aren't set to specifically target wipers and may not be the right size to catch them. So, when they do, it is usually a good indication of some decent numbers. IF that is the case and good numbers of wipers are surviving in Schofield, they will eliminate the chubs and rainbow/trout numbers and health will quickly improve.
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With that being said, I do believe the wiper is a huge success and, if not an anomaly, and indicator of good things to come. I remember when wipers were stocked into Minersville and Otter Creek...in both cases, it took several years before any showed up in gillnets. What you must remember about gillnets is that they aren't set to specifically target wipers and may not be the right size to catch them. So, when they do, it is usually a good indication of some decent numbers. IF that is the case and good numbers of wipers are surviving in Schofield, they will eliminate the chubs and rainbow/trout numbers and health will quickly improve.
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