Middle Patuxent river trout stocking

[Monello]

Today I assisted the Potomac-Patuxent chapter of Trout Unlimited float stock rainbow trout in the middle Patuxent river in Columbia. We stocked 250 trout in our stretch and all total about 1,000 trout were stocked today. The trout are float stocked since when the fish were just all dumped in 1 location they became easy prey for poachers. By spreading the fish out the poachers will have to work harder. This is a delayed harvest section so the fish have to be returned to the water until later in the year.

The river is pretty treacherous with ice. I've done this in the past but never when there is lots of ice on the river. Plus it was colder than snot so that made for lots of cold fingers. So if anyone needs to get out and wet a line, the fish are there.

Trout truck

 

[Dakota]

I'm confused.... what does "float stocked" mean? And do you go out on a boat and dump them or just off the shore line?

 

[jrt_ms1995]

Today I assisted ...

Thank you!

 

[Monello]

I'm confused.... what does "float stocked" mean? And do you go out on a boat and dump them or just off the shore line?

The trout are put in floating boxes. The boxes are pulled by ropes while the boxes float in the river. We wade in the water pulling the boxes. If you dump 1,000 fish in 1 spot, it's easy for poachers to just go down and catch a bunch of fish. By spreading them out the fish are now all along a few mile stretch of river. They are still susceptible to illegal fishing but it's a lot harder and they'd have to work at it.

There isn't enough water in the river for a boat. We just wade along, dumping fish out here and there.

 

[Dakota]

The trout are put in floating boxes. The boxes are pulled by ropes while the boxes float in the river. We wade in the water pulling the boxes. If you dump 1,000 fish in 1 spot. it's easy for poachers to just go down and catch a bunch of fish. By spreading them out the fish are now all along a few mile stretch of river. They are still susceptible to illegal fishing but it's a lot harder and they'd have to work at it.

There isn't enough water in the river for a boat. We just wade along, dumping fish out here and there.

Okay, thanks for explaining that... now I understand.

 

[RPMDAD]

Great job, thanks for all your hard work

 

[desertrat]

Never saw them stocked other than dumped by truck. Not in MD.
Bigger steams though, spread out fast.
Plus not heavily fished. WV

 

[PrchJrkr]

Great job, thanks for all your hard work

I sure would like to wet a line about now.

 

[DoWhat]

I sure would like to wet a line about now.

Baja once told me that you don't know how to catch a fishie.

 

[Monello]

Float stocking video

 

[Dakota]

That looks like a very cold job... and I'm imagine you get some water in your pants. Even the fish seem to take some time getting used to the cold water when introduced.

We just chipped away most of the ice on our outdoor pond and just today, our fish started moving a bit more. I swear I know the guy in the glasses.