Why have a trout season?

[S.Fontinalis]

Why do we we have a trout season on lakes?

I can see that the pressure on our rivers impacts the fish, but I have a hard enough time finding the trout in Bomoseen that if I get a trout tomorrow it is going to break my heart to put it back down the hole while I am left wondering if I will get another this season.

Not promoting poaching, just pondering if we need the law.  I am hoping some one can convince that it is worth while to put that trout back when they are so hard to come by and such fine fare when smoked.

Mike

[tracker one]

with logic like that, is it any wonder we have a law limiting the numbers of fish you are allowed to keep?If there are only 300 buffalo left on the plains,what hurt would I do to kill a couple?

[S.Fontinalis]

? No that is not where I am coming from on this. Most of our lakes are stocked and have a healthy population, or so it seems to me. It seems arbitrary to limit the season. I would rather see trout managed by reducing creel limits. I am okay with managing the fish, I just doubt using the third Sat in Jan impacts fish populations much but does impact some fortunate anglers.

I would never argue to allow May and early June bass harvesting when they are on their beds. I just don't see the third Sat. rule having a large impact.

Running with the Buffalo analogy, I think we should do what ever we can to protect any wild trout populations...especial ly native trout.  A stocked lake where the fish is elusive due it own attributes is different.  As I see it. 

I am open to some one showing me that the law does significantly impact the trout population.

Mike

[TheMadTrouter]

. we have seasons dates and bag limits due to the breeding cycle of the fish and or the time of the year where the fish is less likely to survive a catch and release. it would help our trout population also if ppl would stop keeping stockys after they dump them in. native or not its still fun to catch a 3 or 4 pound trout any day, but im seeing less and less of them due to whatever reason.

[tracker one]

as hard as it is sometimes,I guess you have to put your faith  in the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department ,and their biologists who determine these rules, to know what they are doing by scientific study of the lake ecosystems.

[S.Fontinalis]

Hi

So I will trust them and put the trout back. I just am wondering what is different between this week and the 25th.  Maybe it is about fish biting more aggressively through new ice?  Maybe it is the state trying to make us wait for safer ice?

Thanks for the conversation,

Mike

[TroutWhisperer]

Tradition probably has more to do with it than anything else.  Just like rifle season.

[TRT]

I think the state is doing us a favor keeping us off the trout lakes. 
Trout get a chance to spawn and have noticed late season brood
stock stocking by the state. 

[NoFishInThisLake]

I have always wondered about this as well. You can catch trout on Champlain anytime there is safe ice, but the lakes listed on Table 2, like Bomo and Glen, you have to wait. That doens't make any sense to me. What is the difference?

[Smelty88]

http://www.vtfishandwildlife.com/vtcritters/factsheets/Fish/Trout/Trout%20Species%20Found%20in%20Vermont.pdf

If people took a second to stop and do their own research rather than ask questions like this one they would understand why there are closed seasons on trout! The information you are looking for is found in the bold text Life Cycle. Champlain i believe has an open trout season there are MORE fish! Other lakes dont have a large fish/trout population and i think you have already said that yourself! If it is so rare to catch a trout then dont ya think it would be a good idea to let them go back during the most vital part of their year! What is more important taking home a trout or letting it go back to reproduce so that you have a greater chance of catching more next time? Yes some trout end spawn earlier than others but unfortunately we can not leave it up to most people to take the time to identify the difference between a lake trout and a brown trout, a brown trout between a rainbow trout and any other combination you want to put together. Not every outdoors man is ignorant on identification but unfortunately there are uneducated outdoorsman/women that do not know the difference let alone know the size req's.

[Smelty88]

I have always wondered about this as well. You can catch trout on Champlain anytime there is safe ice, but the lakes listed on Table 2, like Bomo and Glen, you have to wait. That doens't make any sense to me. What is the difference?

fish population size look at the difference in size between those two lakes you listed and Champlain!

[pikeaddict]

fish population size look at the difference in size between those two lakes you listed and Champlain!

I agree.  You are comparing a lake that covers nearly 500 square miles to ones that are less then 5.  Huge difference.

[wmhunts]

I'm not sure it would make much difference. Personally I don't hold much value in Vt trout most of them aren't really wild, but they are fun to catch. At least where I fish which is basically limited to lake fairlee through the ice and Miller pond during open water. You can tell they have been raised in concrete quarters packed in like sardines. I do have more appreciation for trout in big lakes who can actually learn to survive on there own and become wild. Im pretty sure they still have really low reproductive rates(because of their artificial beginning), that's why our stock trucks do it for them. Now our native brookies are a beautiful thing and Im all for limited whatever it takes to protect them

[mempfree]

All I can say, is that since all the restrictions, in Vermont Laws, for Trout, on the Willoughby, Black and Barton Rivers, in my area, during the Spring.  The State of Vermont, still lets, the Casella Co, get more Permits, to dump, Trash, etc, near the outlets, of two of these Rivers, that dumps, into Southbay on Lake Memphremagog   I don't keep, any yellow perch, trout to eat, in that bay, during Ice Fishing.  I wish the State of Vermont Fish Bio's, would give us, fishermen and women, more into on what they are finding, for Chemicals inside these fish, in Southbay.    

[MikeVT]

I do most of my ice fishing in NY, they don't have any closed seasons on their trout lakes and there are more than enough fish to go around.  I don't know what is happening to trout fishing in VT, but I would love to find out.  Most of the rivers and streams I fish in the summer do not seem to have the numbers they used to.  Good luck guys, I'll be jigging lakers in a week or two.  Happy New Year.

[BassInVt]

For one thing the only true native trout is the brook trout to vermont. Its the only one. Brown trout were introduced from france. Rainbows came from the western states. Lakers are not native either, but not sure were they came from or how they started here.  I would believe most likely made there way down from canada or the great lakes.

Northern vermont has large populations of native brook trout, Ive caught beautiful brookies up to two pounds in abundance.  Our native brook trout look more like char, which they actually are.  but over the years they have taken on there own characteristics due to our water quality's.  PH level is a huge factor. Years back all the tree's on top of camels hump were dieing off because of acid rain, well that wash's down into our rivers and raises the ph levels of our streams were trout live. Also many of times ive seen were people will follow the stalking trucks and litterally fill buckets of trout. thats when i would love to punch someone in the head. I dont believe that the fish and game department should be advertising that they are stalking the rivers every spring. Its on there website, its in there calenders, and its on the news. This is foolish. The trout dont have a chance.  Stock trout, dont taste as good, sure fun to catch, but mine always go back.  I go up north several times in the spring and hit beaver ponds, and island pond, small lakes, rivers for natives. Those are yummy.

The closest ive seen for what could be considered to a native brown trout, which still isnt, was one that i saw caught when i was a kid. 7+ pounds, out of browns river in jericho. It use to be mounted at the jericho general store right on route 15 in jericho.  But browns river has never been stocked with trophy browns that i no off. its possible, but i dont believe so. so it was a pretty old trout for that size. But was it stocked, it sure was, it was not hatched in the river. back in the day, they use to clip one of the bottom fins of trout to show it was stocked. usually on the right side if i remember correctly. It was a way for scientist to determine if they were stocked or natives.

Now i trout fish a lot. i keep a portable ph kit with me. ive seen rivers so high, i dont believe anything could have lived in it. but i caught them. I also believe the ph level in the rivers does hurt breading stock.  Not only that, in the last 5 years in the winooski river i have noticed a heavy ubundance of silver fish/giant river chubs.  They eat trout eggs for lunch.  On any given day you can catch 20 or 30 that are in the 12 inch plus range.  Ive caught them up to 2 pounds. Very aggressive.  The higher parts of the winooski river use to be great for browns, the dog river also. 

the lamoille upper parts are great for browns also. Now the lamoille were it starts is no wider than your car. more of a brook then a river. the upper parts of browns river above underhill still holds native brook trout. past that, there all stocked.

the lee river in jericho and jericho center, on the firing range holds native brookies also. the lower parts are stocked.

indian brook resevoir is stocked ever year. good for bass and blue gills all year. the only reason they stock that is because its fed by underground springs. Ive caught brookies out of there with the bellies full of eggs in the spring time. but its not a freestone river, so i dont believe they would lay eggs anyways. And there is another reason, not enough breading habitat, trout lay eggs in freestone rivers and streams, not in muck, we have way to much run off from fields.

Ok, im sorry i can keep going, but i wont

tim

[Weedmaster]

Which species of trout spawn in early January? I don't have the time to research it, can you help me out 88

[Smelty88]

Which species of trout spawn in early January? I don't have the time to research it, can you help me out 88

brook, brown, and lake all spawn around the same time frame from September through December and is retaliative to water temp. That said depending on environmental conditions the end of spawn can vary to early December  or past December. Of the 3 species, Brown trout typically spawn later in the year! with rainbow trout spawning in the spring. Also important to remember that even though a species of fish may be nearing the end of spawn or have ended spawn they need some time to recuperate.

[Weedmaster]

Thanks 88

[dickbaker]

Which species of trout spawn in early January? I don't have the time to research it, can you help me out 88

  ???No trout spawn in January!!
Dick

[shirefisher]

For one thing the only true native trout is the brook trout to vermont. Its the only one. Brown trout were introduced from france. Rainbows came from the western states. Lakers are not native either, but not sure were they came from or how they started here.  I would believe most likely made there way down from canada or the great lakes.

Northern vermont has large populations of native brook trout, Ive caught beautiful brookies up to two pounds in abundance.  Our native brook trout look more like char, which they actually are.  but over the years they have taken on there own characteristics due to our water quality's.  PH level is a huge factor. Years back all the tree's on top of camels hump were dieing off because of acid rain, well that wash's down into our rivers and raises the ph levels of our streams were trout live. Also many of times ive seen were people will follow the stalking trucks and litterally fill buckets of trout. thats when i would love to punch someone in the head. I dont believe that the fish and game department should be advertising that they are stalking the rivers every spring. Its on there website, its in there calenders, and its on the news. This is foolish. The trout dont have a chance.  Stock trout, dont taste as good, sure fun to catch, but mine always go back.  I go up north several times in the spring and hit beaver ponds, and island pond, small lakes, rivers for natives. Those are yummy.

The closest ive seen for what could be considered to a native brown trout, which still isnt, was one that i saw caught when i was a kid. 7+ pounds, out of browns river in jericho. It use to be mounted at the jericho general store right on route 15 in jericho.  But browns river has never been stocked with trophy browns that i no off. its possible, but i dont believe so. so it was a pretty old trout for that size. But was it stocked, it sure was, it was not hatched in the river. back in the day, they use to clip one of the bottom fins of trout to show it was stocked. usually on the right side if i remember correctly. It was a way for scientist to determine if they were stocked or natives.

Now i trout fish a lot. i keep a portable ph kit with me. ive seen rivers so high, i dont believe anything could have lived in it. but i caught them. I also believe the ph level in the rivers does hurt breading stock.  Not only that, in the last 5 years in the winooski river i have noticed a heavy ubundance of silver fish/giant river chubs.  They eat trout eggs for lunch.  On any given day you can catch 20 or 30 that are in the 12 inch plus range.  Ive caught them up to 2 pounds. Very aggressive.  The higher parts of the winooski river use to be great for browns, the dog river also. 

the lamoille upper parts are great for browns also. Now the lamoille were it starts is no wider than your car. more of a brook then a river. the upper parts of browns river above underhill still holds native brook trout. past that, there all stocked.

the lee river in jericho and jericho center, on the firing range holds native brookies also. the lower parts are stocked.

indian brook resevoir is stocked ever year. good for bass and blue gills all year. the only reason they stock that is because its fed by underground springs. Ive caught brookies out of there with the bellies full of eggs in the spring time. but its not a freestone river, so i dont believe they would lay eggs anyways. And there is another reason, not enough breading habitat, trout lay eggs in freestone rivers and streams, not in muck, we have way to much run off from fields.

Ok, im sorry i can keep going, but i wont

tim

I love the accurate description of the "stalkers" going after the trout "stockers" in the Spring!

beg to differ about one thing,
According to Vermont Fish and Game;

Lake Trout
Salvelinus namaycush
lake trout
Coldwater species

A native to many of Vermont's deep, cold lakes and like brook trout, are actually a char. They have a forked tail, white leading edges on their lower fins, and irregular light spots against a back-ground color that ranges from light olive green to gray.

[TRT]

Native to VT brookies, lakers and historically landlocked salmon on Champlain, magog also has native lakers & LLS.
Our native char brookies and lakers are beautifully colored fish. NEK is blessed with native lakers in its deep lakes.
 

[pokholes]

I do most of my ice fishing in NY, they don't have any closed seasons on their trout lakes and there are more than enough fish to go around.  I don't know what is happening to trout fishing in VT, but I would love to find out.  Most of the rivers and streams I fish in the summer do not seem to have the numbers they used to.  Good luck guys, I'll be jigging lakers in a week or two.  Happy New Year.

Agree X 2! What is happing to our Trout Fisheries, not only rivers and streams but also lakes and ponds?

[Troutmagnet]

Thanks for sharing. As the fish and wildlife article indicates I for one have used the stocking of fish on small ponds as a way to go fishing with my very young grandson and my daughter, be guaranteed of catching respectable sized fish and opportunities to practice catch and release fishing too as we are only interested in keeping a few for dinner that night. My grandson is already asking when is it going to be warm enough to bring the boat back out. He will be experiencing ice fishing a little later this winter, can't wait.

[nateicefisherman1984]

To return to the original question. I asked the head biologist for the eastern part of Vermont why trout season starts the third sat in January in our lakes and ponds. I understand why you cant fish rivers and streams. The biologist don't want people walking over fish redds. Even though we do anyway in October. As far as ice fishing goes he told me the season starts when it does because it has always been around that date. In years past it was actually a shorter ice fishing season for trout then it is now. There is no reason besides tradition. Brook and Brown trout do not spawn in our lakes they spawn in the tributaries to the lakes. Our brook and browns spawn mid October to mid November in Vermont. Rainbows spawn in the spring. Lakers spawn in the fall later then the other trout usually starting in mid November.  Not all fish in a population spawn at the same time. It usually occurs over a three week period. The idea that the lakes are closed to help fish recuperate from the spawn is simply not true. The season dates are based solely on tradition. All the surrounding states allow ice fishing for trout earlier then VT. Maine opens Jan 1st on most lakes. Some are open Dec 1st. New Hampshire opens Jan 1st as well. New York allows ice fishing for trout on select lakes year round. Massachusetts allows ice fishing for trout year round as well. Not only does the ice fishing season for trout start later in VT then any nearby by states it ends earlier to, March 15th.

Brook Trout and Lake Trout are the only "trout" native to Vermont. They are both actually Char. There used to be blueback trout (another char) in the Averills but the have been extirpated.

The state does not have a fall stocking program besides fall fingerlings. Those only get stocked in a very select few lakes which do not allow ice fishing. The state of Vermont does not stock any fish for ice fisherman.

I like to ice fish for trout. There is limited opportunity in Vermont.