Survival of Stocked Trout in Tailwaters

 

I received an email the other day from one of my fly fishing buddies concerning stocked rainbow trout in the Sipsey Tailrace that we fish. The email contained a study conducted by an Auburn University student in partial fulfillment for a Degree of Masters in Science. 

Hypolimnetic discharge waters (the layer of water in a thermally stratified lake that lies below the thermocline, is noncirculating, and remains perpetually cold)  from reservoirs in the southern U.S. provides water temperatures cold enough to support Rainbow Trout fisheries in regions where they otherwise could not exist. The Sipsey Fork tailwater in Alabama provides such an opportunity and is stocked with Rainbow Trout monthly. In a recent survey, less than 25% of the Rainbow Trout stocked each month were harvested and few trout appeared to persist in the system for more than 3-4 weeks. The objective of this study was to describe post-stocking dispersal and the fate of the non-harvested Rainbow Trout. In March, June, and October 2017, and January 2018, numerous Rainbow Trout were radio-tagged and tracked to document movement patterns and to determine longevity in the tailrace. Tagged Rainbow Trout had dispersed an average of 4.1 km or 2 .54 miles with only 30% of tagged Rainbow Trout remaining alive five weeks after stocking. The extent of predation on Rainbow Trout was assessed using a bioenergetics approach. Electrofishing surveys and diet analysis of predators identified Striped Bass as the primary predators of Rainbow Trout in the Sipsey Fork. Bioenergetics simulations revealed that approximately 500 Striped Bass living continuously in the tailwater from March through October could consume all Rainbow Trout stocked each month. Knowledge regarding the dispersal and fate of stocked Rainbow Trout in this system can improve the management of the fishery.

This study proves what a lot of us who fish the tailrace have known for some time that the Striped Bass consumes a large number of the trout once they move beyond the pump station. I have never seen Striped Bass above the pump station which is where a lot of the fly fishermen wade. All the guide trips take place above the pump station. There is less than a quarter of a mile of prime trout fishing from where the trout are released to the pump station. The rest of the tailrace is much too deep to wade. I feel the deep water below the pump station is where most all the trout are consumed by Striped Bass. 1100 to 1200 pounds of trout are released in the tailrace each month which could equal to 1000 trout or below depending on the size of the trout. Consider how many trout would be left in the quarter-mile wading section if trout were released every couple of months.

I respect the findings of this study but see little chance of reversing the effects the Striped Bass have on trout that is stocked in the Sipsey. 

New England Vacation+ Trout Fishing

Winter is a slow time of the year for me especially if the weather conditions aren't suitable to wet a fly. On those days that I'm cooped inside; my time is spent doing quick workouts at the gym, reading blogs, Ancestry work, watching fly fishing videos, and just maybe a trout fishing outing. This past Thursday was one of those rare fishing trips. Thursday was the only day I could go because of other jobs and things my wife had planned for us as Christmas gets closer. 
The caretaker at the lake told me he was closing Thursday evening after me and a few other fishermen left. The lake opens again in the middle of January. So Thursday would end my fly fishing on Walker County Lake for another year. I assured him I would be back in January if the weather would cooperate. 

This one rainbow made the few hours fished a success. Released back into the lake for someone else to land in 2020!!

Family time was spent in October traveling through the New England area. We scheduled the trip so we could witness some of the spectacular foliage that occurs each year in the area. Vermont top the list of states we visited with some of the prettiest foliage. 

In full form in Manchester Vermont. 

The scenic Batten Kill river flowing through the small town of Manchester Vt. Wish I could have fished this awesome looking river.

Portland Lighthouse in Cape Elizabeth Maine

Rock formation along the shores in Cape Elizabeth; the boulders actually look like petrified wood.

 The largest house on the Kennedy Compound where Ethel Kennedy still lives. Two other houses are on six acres of waterfront property on Cape Cod along Nantucket Sound in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts. We couldn't believe we got this close to the big house before security waved us away, quite an experience! This is a trip we had been planning for years and was glad we were able to make it during great weather. 

Cathey and I at Flintville Hatchery

Cathey and I recently spent an afternoon in the little community of Flintville Tennessee.  It’s an area in Tennessee with beautiful rolling hills, deep ravines, and small clear streams. All of the above characteristics in this little community contribute to one of the oldest fish hatcheries in the state of Tennessee. Numerous clear springs are located at the bottom of the ravines, which provide the cold water to keep all the rainbow trout alive in the Flintville Trout Hatchery. The director told us that the water is harness from nine springs and pumped through the indoor tanks and outdoor concrete trays. The indoor tanks whole the smaller trout from ¾” to 3” fingerlings: while 300 yards of concrete trays 6 ft. wide 2 to 3 ft. deep outdoors house the largest trout. The outdoor trout range from 4” to 12” in size. Once the trout reach the 12” size then they are transferred to Tim’s Ford tailrace and warm water streams in a 100-mile radius of the hatchery. There are numerous warm water streams in middle Tennessee that receive rainbow trout during the months of December, January, February, and March. During those months the water temp is cold enough to sustain life for the hundreds of rainbow that are release in the streams. Very few trout survive after April once the water temps move into the upper 60’s. In fact, most are caught before the temperature takes a toll on them.

  This is my second trip to a fish hatchery and today’s visit was the better of the two. The director made the visit very informative and interesting during the hour tour. I am sure most of you have toured a hatchery before, but for those of you who haven’t, it is worth the time spent. 

Numerous indoor tanks containing the smaller rainbow

Sorry for the reflection--thousands of tiny rainbow, most still have the egg yoke attach to their stomach--these tiny trout will be twelve inches in a year

Quite a find, a smaller tank inside with albino trout

Yards of outdoor concrete trays containing larger trout--a lot of these trays had screens on them

  Feeding time, quite a frenzy!!!

This trip really got me pumped for the coming season; this post is part one. In the coming weeks, I will share with you'll part 2 fishing McCutcheon Creek in Spring Hill where some of the trout was stocked today. I live about four miles from the warm water stream.