Rolling, rolling, rolling...

[bdowning]

the stocking trucks, that is. Saw one at a Central Mass pond today (which shall remain nameless) stocking trout through the ice. If they are doing it up here, you can be sure the Cape's getting a dose as well.

-bd

[dudley]

I've been riding the stocking trucks here in Ct. since the 1st of the month.
Yesterday at one pond we had to cut through 18" of ice :eek:
The water is so cold the trout jump back out on to the ice.

[Slappy]

Real fish don't need no stockin'!

--127-3- --127-3-
Carpo Carpo

(with appologies to bluescruiser!)

[bdowning]

Actually I was kind of surprised they were stocking through the ice, although I've seen them do it before. Dissolved oxygen levels can't be all that high under the ice, and sometimes it results in fish kills. I guess they figure these bathtub trout will be picked off by fishermen in short order, so it doesn't matter. Plus supposedly they test for acceptable pH and oxygen levels before they put the stockers in.

-bd

[BobG]

I still have yet to see a trout truck here on the Cape. I even drove into the Sandwich hatchery Monday morning, and all was pretty quiet there.
I've been out of trout fishing for some time now, so I don't know if there's anyone out on the local ponds yet or not?

[dudley]

Here in Ct. we stock during the closed season ( March 1- third Sat. in April ), ice or not.
Only bad weather will keep the trucks in. They don't do well in the snow.

If the trout can live through the stocking process, the time spent in the nets, crushed together, 50# on top of the ones on the bottom, I think a couple of weeks in the lowered oxygen in the pond would be a walk in the park. After all many fish over winter in the same water.

I'm just a seasonal and don't know a lot about this stuff, but a state biologist is with us most days.

[scruffy_fish]

I have seen and have been involved a with trout stockings over the years and have yet to see anyone test for ph, oxygen or temperature levels before the fish are released in to the water.
Hopefully the fish in the stocking truck have been acuminated to the local water temp while traveling, but I would bet they aren’t.
Unfortunately I think most states view fish as a product and once the stocking is done they concentrate on the next crop and are not concerned with survival rates.

[bdowning]

At least here in Mass I've seen them check acidity levels and actually drive away without stocking if the level is too high. This was as recent as last year. I think you're right though, this is a put and take fishery so they aren't going to fret too much about how long the hatchery trout will survive. There are actually quite a few holdovers in the deeper spring-fed ponds that have good forage.

-bd

[psu#34]

The "on the water" web site indicated that Cliff Pond Brewster Ma as well as Herring Pond Eastham Ma, have been stocked this week! This is according to the fellas at Goose Hummocks in Orleans Ma.

[haguebrook]

What is the deal with the Cape? Are the ponds ice-free?

I am headed down tomorrow and may try to get out if there is open water. That will have to do until the weather warms up and our friend Mr. Linesides starts showing up! --127-3-

[psu#34]

I was wondering the same thing about the ice on the cape, but if they stocked those two ponds, I think that they might be ice free. I'm going down anyways, just to wet a line. You could also call Goose Hummocks in Orleans, I'm sure that they would give you a report.

[Redliner]

My Dad just told me they stocked Comet pond in central mass. Mass wildlife website confirms this!! I'll give it a shot tommorrow!

[albacized]

I've been riding the stocking trucks here in Ct. since the 1st of the month.
Yesterday at one pond we had to cut through 18" of ice :eek:
The water is so cold the trout jump back out on to the ice.

This brings up a question I had thought of a while ago. With aquarium fish, how come you have to acclimate them to the water temp of the tank by leaving them in the plastic bag provided by the pet/aquarium shop for a while but you can simply dump trout in the water without risk of them going into shock?

[bdowning]

Latest stocking info at http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/dfwtrout.htm
The only ones they've stocked on the Cape so far are five ponds on the outer Cape. Upper Cape probably not until next week.

-bd

[BobG]

I think the trout survive ice stocking fairly well. As a kid, I remember participating in quite a few ice fishing derbies hed by my local sportsman's club. They stocked hundreds of trout for each of those events, and we often caught trout for weeks.
As a matter of fact, I once caught a tagged trout at the Singletary club during a derby held in May, in which that trout was stocked through the ice in January.

[haguebrook]

FYI--most ponds on the Upper and Mid-Cape still look iced over. If we could just nudge the mercury over 50 degrees for a few days, we would be in business.

[Slappy]

I ran by horn pond in Woburn this am, still locked with ice and there were plenty of ice fishermen.