The assertion is that it fishes like a dense class A in many places. That in itself is nothing you can take to the bank of course without data to back it up. However, a few things for those unfamiliar with Clarks to consider would be the following.
1. While I havent seen statistics, if they are even kept, anecdotally fishing pressure has decreased, partially a result of the greatly bemoaned deadfalls from the wooly adelgids.
2. Habitat complexity, leaf pack, and shelter has improved from the deadfalls. They have also scoured out better gravels where water goes under them in many places.
So if you combine the pretest probability that less pressure and more sheltering habitat can improve a fishery you can add on your longitudinal angling experience. If your longitudinal angling experience seems to suggest it has improved one arrives at the conclusion that there is a good chance(not definitive) that it has. It at least deserves an updated survey if it hasn't been done in the past few years. I mean christ we are surveying Freeman Run every 5 minutes it seems just because Brock wants to stock it as his pet project.
Now as for your mention of surveys, yes you can request them. However, more times than not you get ghosted or ignored by PFBC and have to file an RTK which I am not opposed to doing. That all considered, often times PFBC hasn't surveyed certain sections in years or decades. They could lean on the old surveys as evidence its not class A. The lack of recent surveys may seem happenstance but what I am suggesting is that not surveying would have a good chance of being on purpose based on PFBC's reccent behavior surrounding controversy of stocking class A's. If you don't have an updated survey, you don't have to update the classification.
I once was told a member of PFBC staff was scolded for planning a survey of a certain stretch of the Yellow Breeches because of the blow back it would cause if it got stocking protection as a class A.
Forgive me if I dont trust PFBC to do the right thing.
This brings me to the point of the OP: The reason I am inquiring here is exactly as you say the surveys are not very recent and I am wondering if anyone else is seeing the same thing up there. Also with everything going on with Freeman Run and making the class A exemption happen in a smoke filled executive directors room instead of leaving the responsibility with the board there is a lack of trust right now created with the angling public and I am just looking for answers.
I have and will continue to reach out to PFBC abd AMF to try to get answers, but the track record and lack of transparency is not promising in this regard.
I do appreciate the discussion so thank you for that.
