No Wild Trout in PA

[SBecker]

At least that is what a hatchery worker from Bellefonte told me today. I took my oldest to help stock a stream today. He always enjoys tossing the fish in the water.

So....we toss in a bucket and there happens to be a large Japanese koi in the bucket. It immediately goes belly up. A gentleman that was standing in the water tried to revive him. He actually spent a good 5 minutes doing his darndest to get that fish to swim. The truck driver comes running down directing us how to revive him. I just kinda laughed because I am pretty sure we know how to do this.

Anyways it was pointless. Thing was a goner. So I made the comment to a local meater to toss him on his stringer because they can always make more at the factory. Well, the hatchery worker went ballistic. He exclaimed "That is not funny! Bellefont is closing and you guys are not going to have any fish down here" I looked at him and said "I know and I am sorry you are going to have to transfer to another facility, but I am happy it is closing down." He looked confused. I politely told him "I prefer to chase wild trout and just like to bring my son to help you guys." I thought he was going to have a heart attack. He then then proceeded to laugh and tell me "there are no wild trout in PA, and if the hatcheries close there will be no trout at all."

Left the conversation at that because I did not want to make a scene with my son. When we got back in the Jeep to leave I looked at M and he asked me if there were not going to be anymore trout. I told him "Do not listen to that guy as long as you take care of your streams there will be wild trout."

Long story short.......Are you freaking serious?

 

[bikerfish]

that guy is doomed, he'll never be able to get another job if he's that stupid!!

 

[The_Sasquatch]

LOL! I love fishing for stocked natives. This explains why every picture of a fish I post, Becker comments, "stocked".

 

[SBecker]

Obviously Squatch. ...thing was...another guy who was helping agreed with him. I seriously was blown away. How do you work at the Bellefonte hatchery and not know there are wild trout.

 

[The_Sasquatch]

Don't know. They may just be defensive because they're being shut down. Who knows.

 

[SBecker]

Possibly, but I think he truly believed that.

 

[streamerguy]

So all the people fishing that famous stream next to the hatchery, what are they fishing for? Carp? I mean, the PFBC doesn't stock it, so there must be no trout.

That truely does blow my mind. Beyond crazy

 

[wildtrout2]

It really is amazing how uneducated some people are. As much as I hate to say this, nothing I hear or see any more surprises me. It's sad. I guess I'll have to change my username! lmao

 

[SBecker]

He honestly had to be a ninja troll level over 9000, because I can not get it off my mind. I have no idea why I am heading out to State College Friday. Guess to chase stockies?

 

[salmonoid]

Reminds me of a true story someone told me once. Someone from a city was out in the country and wanted to know what the black and white animals in the pasture were. The farmer told the person "cows". The individual wanted to know what cows were for and the farmer said that cows is where milk came from. The individual told him he was incorrect; milk came from a cardboard box...

Only 5% of my catches were of the cardboard box variety last year.

And maybe the Ninja troll really just loves those eagles..

 

[addictedangler]

It is very hard to believe he honestly felt that way.(stupid and ignorant). Perhaps he was just trying to get you all worked up. At least I hope he was not that non intelligent. Glad you posed it.

 

[hammertime]

I also know a hatchery worker who thinks if they quit stocking there will be no fish. Sad...

 

[midnightangler]

Yikes.

 

[lv2nymph]

Not sure how you could have that kind of a job and think that. :-?

 

[GreenWeenie]

You're giving them WAY too much credit. Just because they work in a hatchery doesn't mean they fish or even give a crap about fishing. Some may be relatives of politicians who got them the cushy state job and raising fish is their job - it could gave just as easily been digging ditches. All they know is they grow the trout that get thrown in the water for people to catch.

And if there are no hatcheries what are they going to do? Open up a hedge fund?

 

[wildtrout2]

Good point GW, but wouldn't you think they would have at least caught wind (even accidently) of the existence of native/wild trout in Pa? Maybe not. lol

 

[GreenWeenie]

Possibly catch wind of it but these guys aren't biologists and i don't even know how much interaction they would even have with the biologists. Hatcheries are a mfg facility, a production line that produces fish and most of the workers are probably nothing more than laborers.

How many trout fishermen have no clue that wild trout actually exist?

 

[jeff]

Who cares? Less pressure on our streams. I wish some people on here didn't know about or fish for wild trout

 

[wildtrout2]

GreenWeenie wrote:

How many trout fishermen have no clue that wild trout actually exist?

That's a very good point. lol It's ironic, but reading InTheMend's thread "Just Plain Disapointing" he mentions talking with hatchery workers who thought their brown trout were natives! So, I guess anything's possible.

 

[mario66pens]

There are wild trout in pa?! There goes all my hatchery pellet fly patterns.