Pueblo with the Hatchery Guy (bass fishing); Fishful Thinker TV

[@rhillzbob]

can u take a tour of the hatchery?

[@TylerGoesFishing]

nice fishing my man

[@ColoradoFishing]

Chad, tell CPW to STOP removing the smallies from our fisheries (Ridgeway/Elkhead), let them breed naturally (don't need the expensive hatcheries), and stop spending $100,000 or more each year harvesting eggs for hard-to-manage fish like browns, taking the eggs back and artificially breeding them, then restocking.... :).

[@FishfulThinker]

The smallmouth removals are a result of federal mandate and a compact between UT, CO and WY to comply with the FWS or they will loose federal funding for other programs. It is a much bigger issue than CPW. Besides, in my personal experience at Elkhead, the smallies are just getting bigger on average as t1300-1500 litle ones are removed annually. Plus, CPW is stocking largemouth bass to replace smallmouth (Feds aren't concerned about largemouth because they don't reproduce in the Yampa/Green/Colorado rivers even if they escape reservoirs) and also crappie. As for trout, there would be minimal trout recruitment at all if they were left to spawn on their own in any of the regions lakes/reservoirs. They simply don't have the habitat to spawn effectively in places like North Park, South park and most of the reservoirs.

[@ColoradoFishing]

@@FishfulThinker I don't see any way that they remove all of the smallies/pike (or other predator fish) just to protect or re-introduce fish that no one really cares to catch. What is the purpose? They can say "non-native" and "invasive species" all they want, but the truth is I've never met an angler that pays for their license that doesn't want to catch a smallie. How bout they remove all the carp, that would be a better goal :). The Yampa river has been full of Pike since...before I can remember. I grew up in Craig, now live on the front range. We used to hammer 40+" pike all day long in the Yampa. Maybe they'll put a dent in the population but, they already added a million+ dollar net system a the Elkhead dam to prevent fish from getting into the Yampa, many years ago. It just seems like maybe they should give in to what is easy to manage and what thrives in the conditions, instead of fighting to make things work where they don't work well. I guess they have to spend the billions somehow :).

[@ericstowe8285]

You would not set foot on my boat. Talk way too damn much

[@FishfulThinker]

😂