S
smoky
Does anyone know which part of the lake the fish will be stocked at.
Stocking location
R
rainORsnow1
From what I've heard they are not stocking it. Why? I'm not sure and I could be wrong. But last I checked there was no plans to. Probably because they stocked it close to the lakes closure date.
It's better that way anyway. Pink flesh vs pale mush? I'll take a hold over any day
It's better that way anyway. Pink flesh vs pale mush? I'll take a hold over any day
M
miknurb
This is the ODFW stocking schedule for March. Stocking the week of March 3rd or the week after Saturday's opening.
B
bernduffy
Welcome to OFF, miknurb. Thanks for the info.
Since ODFW has posted a Feb (or early March) pre-opening stocking the last few years, I was curious as to why none appeared this year. So I called and was told that last year a bunch of anglers showed up believing the stock date was the opening date. So this year, not wanting to deal with chasing folks off the lake, they did not post the stocking, but have been stealth stocking all winter. The last large stocking was a couple of weeks ago and brooders went in last week. And 18,000 go in Mon March 3. I have seen videos of trucks delivering at both ramps. Go get'em!
Since ODFW has posted a Feb (or early March) pre-opening stocking the last few years, I was curious as to why none appeared this year. So I called and was told that last year a bunch of anglers showed up believing the stock date was the opening date. So this year, not wanting to deal with chasing folks off the lake, they did not post the stocking, but have been stealth stocking all winter. The last large stocking was a couple of weeks ago and brooders went in last week. And 18,000 go in Mon March 3. I have seen videos of trucks delivering at both ramps. Go get'em!
G
Gettin' Jiggy Wid It
smoky said:
Last summer i was fishing Hagg and had only one fish in da boat. Then they shoved in 5,000 or more stockers at Ramp C around 12:15, and by 12:30 they were spread all over the lake. I was trolling a mile away at Ramp A, and they were everywhere on FF and eating every lure in site. They were so hungry they were hammering crayfish cranks I was trolling for bass. The rainbows really move across the lake fast when they get dumped in. It was awesome to see it happen on the FF. Hours of trolling with no fish on FF, not many hits...then...on every piece of structure...fish were holding. I didn't figure it out until someone posted later what had happend.
By the way, I'm wishing all you folks...Bern, Troutdude, etc., an awesome opener! I have to work and can't make it, but hope you guys slay 'em and hook into some brooders.
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B
bernduffy
Thanks GettinJiggy. I can't make it for the opener, but do send out similar good wishes for great luck to all who give it a shot this weekend. Look up "Hagg stocking" on youtube and you'll see the wild, extremely fast darting behavior the stocker trout engage in right out of the truck. It doesn't surprise me that they spread out so fast. Can you imagine, after a life in the tank, the freedom they must feel? Of course, that includes the freedom to be caught and eaten as well!
S
SailCat
To elaborate a bit, hatchery trout will not venture deeper than eight or ten feet for the first 10 days or two weeks after being planted. This is due to being held in shallow concrete tanks, after which, water any deeper than that will cause discomfort in their swim bladders. Once acclimated they will seek deeper haunts. Further, these fresh plants will form "schools" (though not schooling fish; it's habitual) and cruise around the shoreline at their depth of comfort. This is why you will see bank fishers sitting idle for a while, then a number of rods will 'light up' with bites with the action passing along the area like a wave after which is calms down again. This is also why bank fishers will often do better than trollers for freshly-stocked trout.
Ain't fishing trivia fun?
Ain't fishing trivia fun?
B
bernduffy
Thanks for the not so trivial trivia, SailCat. What's nice about Hagg is that with over 80 grand a year being stocked, the holdovers (and newly acclimated trout) continue to provide decent trolling targets through the season. It's giving them what they want on any given day that's challenging. The other nice feature is switching to bass, perch, crappie or catfish when the rainbows aren't biting.
Based on what you've posted, bankers are not in for a great opening weekend because the last large (unannounced btw) stocking went in over two weeks ago and the "schools" will have likely dispersed and fish should be cruising further out? Bankers can look forward to the following weekend as 18 thousand are delivered the week after opening (go figure).
Based on what you've posted, bankers are not in for a great opening weekend because the last large (unannounced btw) stocking went in over two weeks ago and the "schools" will have likely dispersed and fish should be cruising further out? Bankers can look forward to the following weekend as 18 thousand are delivered the week after opening (go figure).
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