Shocking survey on Green River

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Interesting read and video in the Tight Lines section of today's Tribune, by Brett Prettyman. [url "http://www.sltrib.com/ci_4406791"]LINK TO ARTICLE[/url][/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Seems that Brett recently participated in some electroshocking surveys. One of the fish that came up was a 27" brown...9 pounds. I'm sure a lot of us would like to try to find that fish with a fly.[/#0000ff]
[url "http://www.sltrib.com/ci_4406791#"][/url]
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[wormandbobber]

Interesting article...but I think it brings up a very scary fact: the brown trout population is quickly replacing what used to be predominantly rainbows. This shift is scary because brown trout numbes are very difficult to control from a management standpoint--they are very successfull reproducing and recruitment is high. Rainbows and cutthroat, on the other hand, are not nearly as successfull in their reproduction on the Green and, therefore, are easily controlled through stocking.
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[tightline]

All they would have to do is allow harvest on the browns and with the pressure that is there it shouldn't take long to put them back into check. Look how aggressive Idaho is on the Southfork with the rainbows. I have already seen a big difference in a couple years.
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[scienceangler]

Increase in brown trout number is not necessarily bad. With the spreading of whirling disease, an increase in brown trout population is probably a plus because brown trout are more resistant to it.

[PBH]

yep -- until that population is nothing more than a cajillion 10" brown trout. Overpopulation is a scary issue.

Loosening the regs might help, but fishermen actually have to harvest. The regulations on the M. Provo were opened to harvest, yet fish are not harvested. Would the guides on the Green actually recommend to their clients to keep some fish? I doubt it...
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[lunkerhunter2]

All of the guides i have personally met have not had the mentality to encourage clients to harvest fish. Personally, i do not keep 14" trout to eat, they are not worth my time. I will keep a few in the uinta's, but not much else. I don't think lifting the regs or allowing more under 14" would do any good. If you could keep a few betwen 12" and 20", i think it would be better.
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