NFC ED Bob Mallard Talks Wild Native Brook Trout with NH Manchester Union Leader...
“Timmins has also stated that the Wild Trout Management program has failed to improve the fishing on some waters. At a time when New Hampshire is experiencing epic flooding and the often irreversible habitat degradation that comes with it, extended droughts and chronic low water, and long hot summers that warm the water, maintaining fish populations at historic levels should be viewed as a success, not a failure...”
Hot on the heels of a similar piece that ran in the Concord Monitor, NFC Executive Director Bob Mallard writes in a bit more detail in regard to wild native brook trout management in New Hampshire in teh Manchester Union Leader.
While the loss of fly fishing only rules on what were mostly stocked brook trout ponds seems to have gotten most of the attention, the demise of New Hampshire’s Wild Trout Management program should have been front and center in regard to the recent sweeping fishing regulations proposal.
“While Fish and Game provides countless unrestricted tackle, harvest, put-and-take, and nonnative fishing opportunities for those who desire them, they have done very little for anglers who prefer wild native fish in natural abundance and age/size distribution. Allowing harvest on all waters as was proposed is akin to restricting all waters to catch and release or fly fishing only. We would never do the latter, nor should we ever do the former...”
