Should We Try to Get Our Program Back?

[BaitWrangler]

I found the reports after some frantic searching on the DEM website.  It looks like the effort of the anglers to keep the big fish in the lake and spawn new beautys has paid off.  Our Pike program use to flourish, until it was derailed in 1992.  Before then, the aquaculture program was going so well that we actually sold surplus to other states whos own cultures were not going so well.  I don't know how long they have been doing it for, but I found an article from 2002 saying they planned to "continue stocking 2,000 yearling pike into 5 locations".  But they stock 135,000 trout into 82 locations.  RI Sells an estimate 25,000 licenses each year, along with about 16,000 trout stamps.  Now I don't keep trout, and hardly fish for them.  But I do contribute the 5$ for the stamp to support the programs, I'm sure many others do that as well.  I think we need to start voicing our opinion.  I'm sure sacrificing 10,000 trout for 5-8,000 more pike wouldn't be too big of a deal.  Heck, most of the trout ponds are wiped out by summertime anyways.  I know buying the yearlings is expensive, but heck Massachusetts is even importing from places as far as Pennsylvania to keep their Pike program running.  Even if we cultured a minimal amount, at least some of the expense could be offset by selling to Mass. (who have a tiger muskie program also mind you). RI makes over a half million on fishing licenses and stamps alone.  And who knows how much on hunting licenses, deer tags, etc.  Not to mention the money given by grants.

Anyone else think its time to get on the DEM to get some kind of acceptable pike program running again?  Its been more than 15 years since they stopped the program they once had, and I'm sure we could use a couple more breeding females in our fisheries... and at least a few more ponds, 5 ponds is only about 3 or 4% of the total lakes/ponds in the state!  Alot of emails could go a long way. 

[Imissedem]

It would be nice to see more pike being stocked/ but i do think they are doing a pretty good job just from seeing the amount and size of some being caught this year.Most that i have seen and heard of have been released.Should be a size law under 20lbs go back in.The state stocks every 2yrs. from what i am told.They come from Minnesota.Biggest one i have seen this year was 12.12 by kingmartin and next one was caught by maddie 11.8 not to bad /she has me and her dad beat.

[suckerbait]

Your pike program in Rhode island is far superior to Massachusetts program. DEM does a terrific job with all aspects of fisheries management. In my opinion you have some of the best pike fishing in New England. I fish mostly Massachusetts, but also fish Maine and Vermont. My winter ice fishing vacation week is now spent in Rhode Island instead of Vermont. That is how good I think your fishing is. I know your state is running a huge budget deficit right now. Hopefully the DEM programs are not hit with any cuts. As for Tiger Musky I am not crazy about our their stocking. I rather spend the money on Pike. We have only one lake that really produces them and they are sterile. I would rather Massachusetts concentrate on Pike that seem to survive better and reproduce. 

[Imissedem]

Your pike program in Rhode island is far superior to Massachusetts program. DEM does a terrific job with all aspects of fisheries management. In my opinion you have some of the best pike fishing in New England. I fish mostly Massachusetts, but also fish Maine and Vermont. My winter ice fishing vacation week is now spent in Rhode Island instead of Vermont. That is how good I think your fishing is. I know your state is running a huge budget deficit right now. Hopefully the DEM programs are not hit with any cuts. As for Tiger Musky I am not crazy about our their stocking. I rather spend the money on Pike. We have only one lake that really produces them and they are sterile. I would rather Massachusetts concentrate on Pike that seem to survive better and reproduce. 

Ihope your week vacation isnot this week /gonna need a few more days of cold to hold the ice.where do you fish when you come to RI?

[RIfish]

they stocked watermans an stump a couple of yrs ago,brain from Big O's had apart in doing it.

[suckerbait]

Ihope your week vacation isnot this week /gonna need a few more days of cold to hold the ice.where do you fish when you come to RI?

I have friends in Charlestown. I generally fish Chapmans, Wordens, and Hundred Acre. I have had some great days on Chapmans for both numbers and sizes. Worden's is good for numbers, but my best out of there is just over 10 pounds. It looks like it will be a while until I will be able to get on the ice.

[Imissedem]

I have friends in Charlestown. I generally fish Chapmans, Wordens, and Hundred Acre. I have had some great days on Chapmans for both numbers and sizes. Worden's is good for numbers, but my best out of there is just over 10 pounds. It looks like it will be a while until I will be able to get on the ice.

3 hot spots /100 acre state record.and i think it holds Newengland Record.

[pike master]

where do u get on at 100 acer pond i thought that was all privet land

[Imissedem]

where do u get on at 100 acer pond i thought that was all privet land

Not to sure but i had heard that there is a boat launch with little parking not sure how true but i would really like to find out.Not sure if they still stock it either.

[pike master]

ill find out to thanks

[BaitWrangler]

Hey Guys,

Glad to see your opinions in here!

Now like I said before, I know they are doing some stocking of the 2,000 yearlings... But I still don't think this is enough.  We use to have a very reputable aquaculture program in the 80's, and now we aren't growning any at all.

I can understand the MAss frustrations.  Your pike program, and lakes that are stocked has been reduced a great amount in the last 5-10 years, in favor of the muskie program... a page I found shows where Mass stocks which fish.. and you can see there is MUCH more muskie stocking. I cannot find the history of stocking in RI, but in Mass they have stocked 400,000 pike in the last 50 years.... 8,000 average per year.   As for tiger muskie,  430,000 in the last 27 years.... which is slightly short of 16,000 per year.

Now I know they put in a great effort in the past, so the average Pike per year for Rhode Island may not be too far under that of Mass.  (Because they only stock a few ponds in Mass now, our averages for Pike maybe the same, but the time and money taken out of Pike is going into the Muskie, so technically the numbers for those fish should be considered one in the same.)

Right now, 11 ponds have been stocked with TM since 2000, about half have been stocked regularly.   6  Have been stocked with Pike in that time.

So all together Ma stocked over 800,000 toothy critters in the last 50 years.  So I don't feel bad asking for a couple more... and add 1-2 locations.  I don't doubt that the fishing is getting better, but I would like to see more angling oppurtunities.

Here are some of the articles I found this stuff in, if anyone was curious.
http://www.dem.ri.gov/pubs/plan2002/pdf/fishwild.pdf > page 10
http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/dfwpike.htm
http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/dfwpdf/dfw_tigerpikehistory.pdf