11-03-2020, 02:25 PM
It's stupid.
They want a higher rate of mortality, but they keep the existing restricting artifical only + barbless rules?
This problem started in the 80's. People were catching 10lb+ rainbow trout, so anglers started requesting restrictions to protect those fish that grew large under "general" regulations. What happened? Because of the protections, the population size grew - obviously. What population sizes increase, then average fish size decreases. Today we have a million 16" trout in that river.
If they truly want brown trout reduced, then get rid of the artificial only + barbless hooks restrictions, and allow more harvest of all trout. They can keep the bounty of they want.
They want a higher rate of mortality, but they keep the existing restricting artifical only + barbless rules?
This problem started in the 80's. People were catching 10lb+ rainbow trout, so anglers started requesting restrictions to protect those fish that grew large under "general" regulations. What happened? Because of the protections, the population size grew - obviously. What population sizes increase, then average fish size decreases. Today we have a million 16" trout in that river.
If they truly want brown trout reduced, then get rid of the artificial only + barbless hooks restrictions, and allow more harvest of all trout. They can keep the bounty of they want.