On Apr 24, 8:41 pm, rw wrote:
Halfordian Golfer wrote:
On Apr 24, 7:23 pm, rw wrote:

Halfordian Golfer wrote:

On Apr 22, 5:51 pm, rw wrote:
[snip]

In Idaho (at least in my parts) the apipose fins of all stocked rainbow
trout are clipped -- not just steelhead. If the fish is a multi-year
holdover its fin is still clipped. They don't grow back. Wild rainbows
(i.e., those with intact apipose fins) must be released.

Hi rw,

I checked with Idaho F&G and I hate to tell you that you've been
releasing stockers.

Oh my God! How can I ever live with myself? :-)

I don't mind releasing stockers. I mind killing wild fish.

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

Good. I'm glad you fessed up.

For the record, you've conceded that you can not tell the difference
between a streamborn trout and one that was born in a hatchery and
stocked.

That's at least a step in the right direction. I appreciate your
honesty.

Now, we need to understand why you don't mind killing and causing
extinction of your indigenous cutthroat trout by releasing stocked
rainbow.

I follow the regulations.

The regulations stipulate that stream trout with intact adipose fins are
presumed to be wild and must be released, so that's what I do.

I spend most of my time fishing in waters where there is no stocking
whatsoever. ALL of the fish are wild, and must be released according to
the regulations (except for whitefish). These are mostly cutthroat that
migrate upstream during the summer, but there are a few rainbows mixed in.

Occasionally I'll fish in the Main Fork of the Salmon near town just to
catch a creel full. Virtually ALL of those fish I catch, aside from the
odd bull trout, are stockers with clipped fins. I don't believe that a
decent sized trout can even survive in that river over the winter.

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

I'll ask the boss if a decent sized fish can survive the winter in
that river. I'll let you know.

Your pal,

Halfordian Golfer