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Author Topic: Thompson Lake: Fish and Wildlife Taking a bunch of Salmon and Togue  (Read 1281 times)

Offline BomoBrown

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I get to Thompson Lake every summer for about one week.  I live and fish in VT the the rest of the year.   A couple of days ago my son and I took the canoe over to the Outpost and on the way noticed several red balls floating in the lake.  On the way back we saw Fish and Wildlife pulling them up.  Connecting the balls were long nets loaded with salmon and the random togue, a lot of salmon

We got back to the camp and watched them continue to harvest the fish.  When they caught any other fish they threw it back but they didn't seem to make it after having been in a net that long.

Some kayakers paddled over and asked what was going on, and they replied they were taking the fish for research.   

To my eyes that was way too many fish for research, and I am guessing they want less fish so those in the lake can get bigger.  It doesn't feel right to me.  Especially when I know you can not harvest salmon through the ice on Thompson Lake.  The little bit I have been able to fish it in the winter the bite is hot.

It seems if they want less salmon in the lake let ice fisherman harvest salmon.  If they want a lot gone really relax the limits.   I am okay with limits but if they are going to pull a bunch with out angling, let us do that work for them.   It also seems like a waste of tax dollars to send F&W out to do the work that we would love to do for free.

In the end it doesn't feel good.  Please reply and help me understand what I am missing and why this is a good thing.

I also wonder if this is a difference between those of us who harvest the fish and those who mount.   I love a lunker but I prefer a meal.

Offline woodchip

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Some of northern they have taken off Salmon limit on a good morn in some of those lakes one boat can land 20+ salmon. after three years the salmon are getting bigger.  Thompson lake has an over population of lake trout also . some of the limit in lakes with good spawning areas have too many laws . some fishermen that like to eat their catch  a couple of fish limit makes it not worth it . they Take up GOLF instead. And the state can't figure why license sales are down...

Offline rockhound57

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It's my understanding that periodically IFW samples lakes to estimate the health, population, and variety of lakes. They do it with gill nets, to have measurable results. The sad result is that most fish caught don't survive. It is too bad they can't have a charity on hand to harvest the catch. I don't think it's done often, unless there are issues needing to be addressed such as over- or under-population, disease, or invasive species. I believe most states have some similar form of monitoring.
      live free or die in NH, fish western ME

Offline bouncin_toads

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You guys all present valid facts however if a fellow angler tells me what rockhound mentions, it may not hurt to catch a glimpse of names on uniforms or vehicle type, make model year and plates. I've ran into a few wardens that i thought had very peculiar appearance to their uniform it wasn't green. And I mentioned I had fished on Lake X before and caught L.lock salmon and brook trout. They couldn't even tell me... their uniforms weren't green, they acted way too happy like they were high as frak. Could have been imitating wardens to get free gear and food sweet. Anyway keep your wits about ya.
 As always, stay frosty and tight lines.

 



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