Cold Water Sanctuary

[Chaz]

Where are you seeing this? A couple of years ago PFBC and TU did discuss this issue in relation to Pine Creek. The result was inconclusive.

 

[Stenonema]

I'm not sure how many wild trout are running on Big Pine. There should be a large run of wild browns there every year. I know that at one time there were. It was considered great sport to catch them at night with flies. Read George Harvey's book. I believe that the genetics for this are long gone and cannot be replaced. The early genetics had this characteristic to run. I believe that what is handed down one generation to another in the hatcheries is what remains a constant. All theories on my part. I don't disagree with you that education is key. I have to believe that there are other remaining populations of wild brown trout that have this characteristic. Every year there are large wild browns caught in the Juniata and Susquehanna rivers. Who knows what stream they call home or how far they are running. I believe from the pictures that I have seen these are wild fish. I have not caught any. Where I disagree is the wild fish are already up till the stockers stack. I don't beleive they are ever there as a spawning run.

 

[CRB]

Like always the words from PAF&BC "Difficulty to inforce......(b.*.)"

 

[Chaz]

It depends on where this is happening whether or not they are wild trout. If it's anywhere above Anosia then yes, some are probably wild. There's no doubt in my mind that many wild brookies use Pine Creek, but are usually up the tribs by June. As for browns, they are in the whle drainage, but PFBC just released the management plan for the drainage and Ibelieve they are correct in how they manage Pine Creek.
Just my opinion, they should manage Pine a a Brook Trout enhancement stream and protect the brookies, every trib to Pine has wild, probably heritage strain in some cases, brook trout.
As for browns, there are wild browns down as far as Waterville, the questin is are there enough to warrant protecting them. I suppose you could put C & R regs on the trout after say June 1, but you'd have to justify it somehow. In my mind I can't justify it in the case of Pine Creek.

 

[Tups]

Chaz: I must respectfully disagree with your notion that some tribs to Pine have heritage strain brook trout. In my view, the Pine Creek catchment is one of the least likely spots in PA in which to find heritage strain brookies. The record of devestation through timbering and tanneries within the watershed at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries is well documented. It is unlikely that any native strains survived the wreckage. There may be other catchments in the state where heritage strains survive, but Pine Creek is an unlikley candidate.