Willi wrote:

George Adams wrote:

I'm guessing they were stockers,
and most likely, placed there specifically for the show, er
competition. Am
I way off base, or are big fish like that common in that river?



I didn't see this episode, but I caught a Northeastern qualifying
round from
Spruce Creek in PA a few weeks back. A number of the fish caught were
18"+ with
the largest at 26". Most of them had no fins, and were rather pale in
color.
Turned me off completely, and I haven't watched an episode since.



Similar thing on the show that took place in Colorado and I had the same
reaction as you.

Willi



I had the same reaction as all of you. I thought the whole thing was
rigged with big hatchery fish......that was until they came to my home
state of California. A couple quarter finalists were skunked, and the
big fish was 14-16". FWIW, the East Walker River they fished produces
some large wild fish, but not on that day, or to those "expert" fly
fishermen. This is not to say something fishy wasn't going on at the
other locations.

brians