I Need to Bring a Net

[fishinwrench]

3 hours ago, FishnDave said:

I hate to jump in here and risk getting soaked by the ammonia-scented overspray... 😜

It would be interesting to know what size Striped Bass are being stocked.  Whether 150K fry, fingerlings, or 6"-12" fish, could have a huge difference in results in terms of survivabilty.  If its fry, and if fry had projected survivability of 10%, vs. projected 90% survivability of larger fish...you can see how huge of a difference that could be.  (Don't quote those percentages...I made them up.)

Since these stockings allegedly only happen once every 5 years then they are 4-5 year old stripers.  But then you gotta assume that they didn't mind feeding and caring for them for 5 years before getting rid of them....which, when you consider that it's all for naught, doesn't make good business sense does it?   

Or....they only spawn stripers for brood stock every 4-5 years, and dump the number of fingerlings that are over abundant.   Which makes better sense, but shouldn't have a number like 150k attached to the claim.  150k fingerlings would fit in a single truckload.   150k Stripers that are half grown would definitely not.

[FishnDave]

I've got a lot to learn about how Missouri hatcheries raise their fish, compared to what Iowa and Illinois do.

Commercial feed for fish can be expensive, and more expensive the bigger the fish get (each fish eats more volume and larger pellet sizes).  That's why stocker trout are typically only raised at the hatchery for a year or so (except for the brood fish).  I'd be very surprised if the hatchery can afford to put 5 years of feed into their Striped Bass.  Stocking fry is much cheaper, but survival is also much lower.  I would guess the stocked Striped Bass are 0-1 year old fish, especially at the numbers they listed.   It'd be interesting to learn otherwise.

As an example, in Iowa, there are plenty of White Bass, but no Striped Bass adults available to use as the important part of the Hybrid Striped Bass genome, so Iowa buys/trades with other states to get their HSB fry.  Some fry they simply stock directly into the lakes, some they raise in outdoor rearing ponds until they are 2-3" long before releasing.  Some they raise to 6-8" in the hatcheries to use in various research studies they are doing. 

[MOPanfisher]

5 hours ago, fishinwrench said:

 

Here's another truth bite for ya.....The MDC doesn't stock Walleye because "the construction of Truman blocked a spawning migration".  They actively stock them because back in the '70's the ACE did a back pump during March and slaughtered literal tons of walleye.....and had to pay for it.  The MDC stocks walleye because they've been paid to do it via court order.  There was no Walleye stocking BEFORE that court order. 

Hold on there.  Did you read this somewhere, did someone tell you or were you a part of the lawsuit.  By your rules you would have to be part of the lawsuit to know about it.

[fishinwrench]

49 minutes ago, MOPanfisher said:

Hold on there.  Did you read this somewhere, did someone tell you or were you a part of the lawsuit.  By your rules you would have to be part of the lawsuit to know about it.

Go ahead and fact check it.  My info came from Guido Hibdon, Virgil Conner, and a guy named Knute Paulsen (who was one of several dump truck drivers paid to haul away loads of dead fish before they started stinking up the whole town).    

Ask your favorite MDC employee if they know of ANY walleye stocking prior to that court order. The correct answer is No.  

I would almost bet that the ACE is who we need to thank for the very existence of Lost Valley hatchery.   When was Lost Valley hatchery constructed ?  

[snagged in outlet 3]

Dump truck driver.   Well played😂

[fishinwrench]

39 minutes ago, snagged in outlet 3 said:

Dump truck driver.   Well played😂

Well hey...he asked where my info came from.  Nothing more solid than a dump truck driver named "Knute" IMO.   🤣

[snagged in outlet 3]

11 minutes ago, fishinwrench said:

Well hey...he asked where my info came from.  Nothing more solid than a dump truck driver named "Knute" IMO.   🤣

I get that but I still think he’s up on you a little.  

[fishinwrench]

11 minutes ago, snagged in outlet 3 said:

I get that but I still think he’s up on you a little.  

BS!   Nobody else here ever knew a guy named Knute.  That makes me the clear winner in this debate. 💪😊

And if you think I'm capable of inventing a story like that....then I still win for being outlandishly creative.

Now, get your gear loaded up and bring your rear-end to Hidden Valley this weekend and help me drink all this beer and Whiskey !  Your campsite has already been paid for.

[Johnsfolly]

Saw that Lost Valley Hatchery was constructed starting in 1977. But I read that somewhere. May be fake news😀.

[fishinwrench]

2 minutes ago, Johnsfolly said:

Saw that Lost Valley Hatchery was constructed starting in 1977. But I read that somewhere. May be fake news😀.

That would be about right.  Now we know....the rest....of.....the story.   😅