The fish hatchery had an issue with water quality over winter. It put a dent in the stocker rainbow population for more than just the Caney this year. It's happend in the past and it wasn't water quality but that was what they said this year. In the past it was a bad batch of food I believe.
bd, he may remember what it was.
Caney's regs are so that the browns are managed for a trophy fishery and the others left for quality or keeping. That won't likely change. It took too long to finally get it to that point. In reality the next step for them would probably be closed fishing areas during spawn but since they can't show signs of reproduction that probably won't happen or a Delayed Harvest.
I don't really believe in the "trophy gene" in these fish since they are all raised from concrete raceways unlike the Soho or other east TN waters. However, the big ones will be really wary once they get that size.
Most all my night trips result in browns due mainly to their habits of feeding but then some rainbows do show up and I don't think I have ever caught a brook at night though. It could just be when you are going that is giving you mainly browns or at the very least where your fishing. During day trips I have easily caught more than the 5 fish brooks/bows under 14in for the daily creel. Night not so much but I am not fishing for those then either.
Last edited by Travis C.; 09-07-2012 at 07:11 PM.
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