Lake Champlain United - Forums

No April’s Fool Joke

VT Fish & Wildlife personnel from the Ed Weed Hatchery did what they do best this morning by releasing about 15,000 Steelhead (Chambers Creek strain) into the Lewis Creek. On hand from VTFG were Michelle Ayer, Jim Bellinghire and Ben Rooks. The fish averaged 8.3” each with LV fins clipped.
They should be fun to catch 12-18 months from now! Thank you to Vermont Fish & Wildlife Dept










https://youtu.be/iLiMGG8BF6o

that is just awsome way to go.

Thanks for the great news Bill... Thanks for the fish VTFW.

They have also been busy stocking salmon in a number of places. Getting them in before the cormorants arrive

There were about 50 Canada Geese hanging around until the trucks arrived, then no birds in site. A stealth stocking of some beautiful fish. That’s how we like it!

I know there has been a longstanding attempt to create a steehead fishery in Lewis Creek - I watched a friend catch one on a nymph on opening day in 1980.

The smolts shown were put into the river at the access near Long Point, so they could be in Hawkins Bay in a matter of minutes - it's just about 200 yards downstream. Would they be imprinted with the place - Lewis Creek - where they were stocked and then maybe return and try to spawn upriver? Or do they head upstream after they are dumped in and remain there?

Myself and a small group are trying to get them to stock upstream again. Same goes for the Laplatte. As soon as they switched to stocking river mouth the fishing went to hell. This program showed some good progress back when they were stocking above. Research says smolts imprint better when stocked upstream. Just makes sense. Getting a change in policy is like pulling teeth. Doesn't mean we are going to give up. Your question is a very valid one.

Bagman is probably right. Smolts take 10-14 days to successfully imprint. With the close proximity to the lake and high spring flows most will probably drop out quickly and heavily stray come spawning time. They will be available in the lake fishery. Lake Erie stocking studies show best stream fishing results from stockings 4-5 miles above river mouths. The river mouth stocking was partly a reaction to a couple of horrific smolt poaching incidents on Lewis. Popster and I were also present for stockings on the Winooski River where 1/2 the allotment was stocked upstream below the fish lift as has been the practice. Steelhead returns in the Winooski have been extremely poor despite this. This suggests other factors are going on right now. Stay tuned we will try to update in the near future.