Size/Quality vs Numbers vs Drive Time: A Musing

[michaeln]

One thing that I didn't mention as a variable was "character building" factor.

Ahh, the CBF. How do you measure it, Goodness per square hectare (G/H2)? That's the way I do it in my logs.

[Dave E.]

How far will I travel for a planter?
If any of the circumstances that I've described below count, then I've traveled to other countries for them.

When I think about it, in a way most every fish I catch from early October to early spring could be considered a stocker or the progeny of planters. For instance I fish the Louies for Stripers. Do sucked up and pumped out fish of any size, from somewhere else count as planters? Or do only, purposely and or recently stocked fish count?
I fly fish the larger central valley, Motherlode and lower level Sierra lakes several days a week during the colder months for Landlocked Salmon, Koke's, Rainbows the odd Brown and Black Bass. Some are recent plants, progeny of plants, others simply made it through the onslaught to maturity. In other words, I really don't make distinctions between planted fish and the natural production of non-native species. I'm there for the fun of it. Heck for that matter, none of the places I'm talking about are natural. They're all manmade impoundments, with manmade fisheries, in many cases they've got a manmade forage base too.

I was out on Camanche yesterday and noticed as I drove in, an entry on their stocking update board, that they'd dumped a whole slough of ( if memory serves ) 1 to 3 lb. Florida Strain in the lake not to long ago. Just wondering aloud here, but do you suppose that when the tourney guys head for the weigh in, they give much thought as to whether or not they've got a mixed bag of stocker's and natural production bass in the live-well? Does the prize money reflect the difference? Would their sense of satisfaction be diminished after a win? ........See what happens when you spend to much time counting down heads, the mind wanders.

Anyway, as with your post, this isn't meant as an indictment of anybodies angling, it's just an observation of what lives in the waters that I find myself fishing.

Babbling on, Dave

[gene goss]

Hey Shig Pymramid Lake is a 3hr drive in good weather....but its better to fish this lake in bad weather.....you can catch the numbers if your into counting, or that 15lbs cuttroat if your in the right place at the right time......here's something to think about if your into lunker trout fishing in public recreation waters......Upper Klamath Lake in Oregon (this is more than a 3hr drive) support an entire fishery of wild, native trout....hatchery trout have failed in the past due to a disease organism present within the lake....3-6 lbs is common....10-17 lbs are still present....there is nothing like hooking a very big wild fish.

[dbrosier]

I have a simple rule-of-thumb I call my "Parity Rule." I won't drive round trip for more hours than I get to fish.

If the stream is an hour away, then I've got to have a four hour window for fishing and driving.
If the drive to the stream uses up a day, then I need a four day window.

[SHigSpeed]

I love this discussion. No hating, just a nice BS session.

As for my initial intended meaning of "planters", I envisioned 9"-11" DFG FOB(T?) rainbows. I guess that can also be stretched to mean the 9#-11# Amador/Caples/Camanche mutoids as well.

Keep 'em coming!

_SHig

[epzamora]

there are trouties bigger than 12 inches in california? holy cow! i often drive 2.5 hours one way to hit my sierra streams/rivers and often, i catch only a handful of under 11 inch fish. i'm doing this all wrong!

eric
fresno, ca.

[mems]

Aloha, I know you are talking trout, but my motto is one good fish. I would much rather spend the entire day and catch one 10lb bonefish than 10 1lb bonefish. They are all fun, but it is the big ones, especially the ones that get away, that you remember and keep you coming back fro more. Mems.

[ycflyfisher]

I'd say you're off to a pretty successful start for someone that just started flyfishing. I think following the tanker fish around on stillwaters isn’t a bad strategy for a newbie since fishing stillwaters encourages development of a more proficient casting stroke more so than small stream fishing. I wouldn’t let anyone convince you that your being too analytical or too bodycount oriented if that’s what floats your boat. It’s always better to be lucky than good, but the anglers that tend to chase bodycounts are usually the ones that catch more fish, more consistently.

[Charlie S]

I don't count fish. I just like to fish.

[troutbm]

For me planted trout mean nothing. Every single trip I make is to chase wild trout. That is why I rarely fish stillwater. Come on now shig, Its all about wild trout in moving water on a dry fly. That is flyfishing ! Of course flyfishing is art and theres no right or wrong way for an artist to creative his or her own art. Everyone who flyfishes alot tends to develope there own style so just do what you like doing.