There are a lot of different reasons to stock different sized fish. Read the below (attached) study Utah did on predatory birds, and and the fish stocking changes, and fishing regulation changes implemented as a result of birds.
(12-18-2023, 08:27 PM)PBH Wrote: [ -> ]There are a lot of different reasons to stock different sized fish. Read the below (attached) study Utah did on predatory birds, and and the fish stocking changes, and fishing regulation changes implemented as a result of birds.
Interesting study. Thanks for posting.
Wow, that's a lot of data to try and wrap a head around.
Interesting to read that the cormorants were collected with shotguns! I'm sure a few fisherfolk were happy to read that lol.
The Idaho study is nothing new....from the study PBH posted: "...survival of stocked trout has been shown to be related to size at stocking, with larger fish generally showing better survival and return to anglers (Burdick and Cooper 1956, Pycha and King 1967, Hansen and Stauffer 1971). Consequently, fishery managers have responded to low survival in southwestern Utah reservoirs by increasing the size and/or number of stocked fish, as well as adjusting stocking times." Although the study doesn't come out and say it explicitly, it is clear that it is more cost efficient for Utah hatcheries to raise fish to larger sizes for stocking in some reservoirs in order to see a better return in catch rates by anglers...
(12-19-2023, 03:30 PM)joshomaru Wrote: [ -> ]Interesting to read that the cormorants were collected with shotguns! I'm sure a few fisherfolk were happy to read that lol.
yes. In fact, one day one of the old CO's (long since retired) was headed over to Piute Reservoir to collect some cormorants. There were some anglers at the boat ramp when he showed up. The anglers, frustrated watching the cormorants out-fish them, commented that "I sure wish you could do something about those #$&%*@! birds stealing all of our fish!". So the CO said "OK", got out his shotgun and proceed to shoot a couple cormorants!
The customers were satisfied that day!
![[Image: IMG-3121.jpg]](https://i.postimg.cc/xJnvNWGh/IMG-3121.jpg)
When I had my winter home in St. George there was a community fishing pond about two minutes from my house. The DWR would stock the pond about every 3 weeks. The cormorants would show up and just gorge themselves on the stocked trout to the point that they would get so heavy that it was comical to watch them try to fly. They would try over and over again to no avail. Some would circle the pond and eventually fly away. They can decimate a pond real fast especially when they show up day after day.
I am officially volunteering to help the DWR collect some Comorants.
Just tell me when and how many you want?
I will even bring my own ammo!
