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I was sad to find out that Vt. biologist didn't want walleye stocked in 12 mile long Moore Reservoir and lower Comerford Reservoir I'm still trying to contact Vt. fishermen who would like to increase the fishery to also include pike and walleye as well as trout? It can be done and could compete with even Canadian fisheries?? Any body interested?Dick
There was a post all about this very topic in relation to Moore on here last year I believe. Personally, I am a proponent of not introducing new fish into waterways where they haven't been historically. Seen too many trout ponds and rivers destroyed by pike and bass.
The pike and bass are already in the waters , the trout population has already tanked . This is why walleye would be a nice addition to what is now a warm water fishery.
Yeah, I think we oughta just let it be. Shouldn't keep dumping new species into new waters because they can spread. I don't see the fact that the trout population has tanked as being a good rationale here.
I love trout and am a member of TU. But in this case the fishery is already tanked like already stated, so might as well intrudce a well loved fish. Also seeing there is walleye in the lower river I don't think they are gonna spread much....
Well, by "lower river" do you mean below the moore dam? Cause that's obviously impassible to fish moving upstream. If you throw them in Moore, they can get up any tribs below the next dam up, and get into any other lake or pond that may be thus far unspoiled. You're also more apt to get someone without enough sense to not pluck a few from moore and throw them into Maidstone or some of the other trout lakes and pond nearby. Slippery slope. We should stop treating every waterbody as our own personal fish-tank. Every tom dick and harry with a hankering for pike or bass in his local pond is how we got to where we are today. This mentality will eventually bring Asian Carp this way, and that will be a sad day indeed. This is part of the reason why you have to drive to far northern NH or Maine for a crack at a wild brookie over 18" long, without it being some corn-fed brooder with beat up fins and a dull look in its eyes.
Unless he lied about his location, there are pike there.
Madfly? Great to hear from a TU member with commons sense I love to fish for trout but I find walleye my second favorite. Moore Reservoir could have provided a Quebec like warm water fishery. Your Vt. biologist took three years to finally find a few spawning rainbow and brown trout below Comerford Dam. To protect these "natural" trout" (living in an almost inaccessible area) he convinced NH biologists to stop the walleye project Remember that both Moore and Comerford are shared by both Vt. and NH and walleye are the chosen State of Vt warm water fish. Walleye are a NATIVE Vt. fish while brown trout and rainbow trout are introduced>Being able to share the walleye cost would have been a super investment for both states. Instead, tens of thousands of walleye have been stocked in Island Pond, which will never be a self sustaining population. Walleye in the Conn. River have always been self sustaining!Dick
Matt, Seems that you are a serious trout and salmon fisherman? It would seem that you might have some sympathy for fishermen who would also like to catch Vt. native warm water fish rather than introduced rainbow and brown trout? I will always have my doubt about Vt. and NH biologists decision made because a few large brown trout were electrofished 8 miles below Moore Dam. There are small tributaries at the same location that are full of self sustaining brook trout, But they are gobbled up by the Rainbow and Brown trout as they enter the main river?? This is all abutted by land that I managed for 20 years, so I have first hand experience?Dick
Matt? Living in Swanton I would think that you would be a member of the Champlain walleye assoc.?Dick
OK! I see an obvious bias! You live near a super walleye are but don't like them?? But it would seem only fair that you don't argue that other fishermen would love to have them??Dick
Obviously there are several posters here that have NEVER fished Moore dam area and maybe don't know where it is . Talks about tribs and walleye escaping up those tribs is total nonsense. Walleyes exist in the Conn river down stream about ten miles(in the same area as your wild trout) ,they just need a helping hand over a few dams and they will be in the reservoir . I'm not advocating illegal bucket stocking but state sponsored stocking.
Browns and Rainbows are not native to the Ct watershed either so how is it OK to continue stocking those fish but not walleye? I believe that trout and walleye can and have coexisted. The Waterbury Rez had both big Browns, Brookies and Rainbows as well as a healthy walleye population prior to the 1986 drain down for dam repairs. Just saying.