"All that the South has ever desired was that the Union, as established by our forefathers, should be preserved, and that the government, as originally organized, should be administered in purity and truth." – Robert E. Lee
That is interesting, I never knew that is being done.
dems are thinking of doing the same with wets and muzzys.
God bless Texas----------------------- Old 300 I will remain what i am until the day I die- A HUNTER......Sitting Bull Its not how you pick the booger.. but where you put it !! Roger V Hunter
Gotcha. Makes sense on the cost. I always thought the fire douser baskets would be a good way to stock those high alpine lakes. Cool video.
It wouldn't surprise me if those airplanes/pilots are offering their service pro bono . . . much like the private pilot organizations that donate their plane and expenses to transporting patients from one city to another.
"All that the South has ever desired was that the Union, as established by our forefathers, should be preserved, and that the government, as originally organized, should be administered in purity and truth." – Robert E. Lee
Former employee of mine just got hired on by Utah, and this is part of what he does.
Virtually no mortality. Fingerlings aren't that heavy, so they never gain that much speed. Those lakes are often pretty marginal for winter survival because they are iced over so long. 7, 8 months of ice cover and no food is no an ideal environment for fish. Second, though human pressure is usually rather low, there's lots of other predation in high lakes. One eagle or osprey will take the population down to near zero if they nest nearby.
Whirling disease is really a non issue for alpine lakes. Very few are infected, and if they are, whirling disease on the west slope is much less problematic on the west slopes than on the east slopes of the Rockies. We think it has something to do with the species of tubifex worms that act as intermediate host to the parasite not being as susceptible.
The eagle and osprey predation you describe is more than a bit dramatic. It would have to be a mighty small and shallow pond for there to be any real effect from a single predator. There is also the point where predators quickly clean up the easy stuff and then predation falls off sharply... and long before "near zero."
Now, now you are arguing about stuff that is in my baliwick..... and you are flat out wrong. I spent 16 years stocking private ponds and helping customers deal with predation. If an osprey nests within a mile or two of a stocked pond, that pond will be wiped out by at least 90%. No exceptions. I had one pond I stocked several times a year because the owner enjoyed watching the eagles and osprey catch their breakfast. Hey, it takes all kinds, and it payed the same...... I once dropped a bunch of fish and an osprey swooped in while the fish were still dis-oriented and grabbed a fish in each claw...... That customer was not amused.
Yes, in an environment with a varied natural terrain, like a like with shoals, vegetation, structure (fallen trees, rocks, etc), you would be right. There's a balance between predators and prey.
In many alpine lakes, there's no such environment. These are typically cirque lakes, typically do not have varied terrain, vegetation, or structure. Trout are vulnerable because they'll come to the surface to feed on insects. Add to that that these are naive fish, in an unfamiliar environment and not used to evading predators, and things don't end well.
As far as the economics, the people that are attracted to these lakes are usually out of staters, so they pay higher license fees and spend well in local eateries and lodging establishments. It makes very good sense to cater to these high end customers with a few fish. 99% of them catch and release anyway. The air drops are dramatic, but many are stocked by volunteers and back packs with fish in ice water. Those smaller fish only cost maybe a dime, and the delivery is just about free......
Huge difference between "near zero" and "90%" and neither number is in the normal range.
Mark Begich, Joaquin Jackson, and Heller resistance... Three huge reasons to worry about the NRA.
Rocky, I've read back and forth arguments on damage to the air bladder to a trout that is "tossed" back into the water. If true, then releasing from altitude would be murder!
If they have their stockings on it won't hurt them, skydiving or not.
I am..........disturbed.
Concerning the difference between man and the jackass: some observers hold that there isn't any. But this wrongs the jackass. -Twain
I planted cutthroat and golden trout in high mountain lakes around McCall, ID that way, back in my college days. The Seven Devils area is impressive, ley alone from the air.
It wouldn't surprise me if those airplanes/pilots are offering their service pro bono . . . much like the private pilot organizations that donate their plane and expenses to transporting patients from one city to another. [/quote]
Aircraft are too expensive to fly and maintain to do much pro bono. That 185 in the video looks to be a late model and had to be modified to do those drops. That is an expensive plane to start with. That would be cost prohibitive and somewhat limiting the mission of the aircraft. I suspect that all-in-all it is fairly expensive to do that. No income tax dollars involved- all license revenue, grants and Pittman-Robertson money.
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Those who live by the sword get shot by those who don't.
You can skin trout by cutting across the front abdomen and up to the bottom of the spine just behind the head. Head in one hand and body in the other, bend the head up and back over the back, breaking the spine. Hold the head in that position and push the body forward through the skin that peels back over the body as you do it.
An old salt taught me that trick.
Heres a variation:
Last edited by jaguartx; 05/26/19.
Ecc 10:2 The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but that of a fool to the left.
A Nation which leaves God behind is soon left behind.
"The Lord never asked anyone to be a tax collector, lowyer, or Redskins fan".
Skin a trout??? Surely that is a store bought fish!
Fish have skin, ,they can be skinned.
We even filet catfish and then flip the skin off with a knife like other fish, takes a bit of practice.
No reason one can't skin a trout,.
rost,
I'm thinking he was wondering why anyone would ever skin a trout. I've eaten bunches, wild and stockers, and never even considered it. But others might I guess.
Catfish, yep, I skin them.
Geno
PS, enjoy your AK time, I would
The desert is a true treasure for him who seeks refuge from men and the evil of men. In it is contentment In it is death and all you seek (Quoted from "The Bleeding of the Stone" Ibrahim Al-Koni)