FISHING ARTICLE

From: mk95528@ltec.net
Newsgroups: misc.survivalism
Subject: Fishing Article
Date: Fri, 28 Jun 1996 10:12:59 GMT

You Can't Catch Em Where They Ain't"

Almost every living angler can remember the first steps to check
depletion of fish in our lakes and streams. Conservation was regarded
with much hope by sportsmen. Millions of fish were to be planted, and
the day seemed near when the fishermen would have to hide to bait his
hook.

But the plan did not work as expected. Planted fish often did not
thrive, were not spirited, or did not get very large. Veteran anglers
were soon sneering at planted streams, and shouldering their packs for
distant and virgin country. 

However, behind the scenes were small groups of scientific men to whom
the failures of fish culture simply did not make sense. They set out
to learn what was wrong, and slowly but surely came information that
was to make the stocking of streams successful; and of even more
immediate interest, they learned facts that can be applied for
increased catches.

Why, these investigators asked, did planted fish often not grow? Why
sometimes did they lose their gaminess? Why in some waters, did they
turn up their bellies and die? Why did they frequently fail to
reproduce? When they knew the answers, fish culture was on the road to
success- and when you know them , you will be a better fisherman.

First, planted fish sometimes failed to grow  for the same reason that
a certain species in one lake or stream will be smaller than the same
species in another lake or stream. Fishermen are often heard to say,

"There were sure a lot of fish in that lake last year, but they were
awfully little. Maybe this year they will be bigger."

Maybe- probably not. The fish were not necessarily small because they
were young. Probably their were too many of them for the food supply.