high water and trout stocking?
West Va has begun their weekly stocking program and there is a couple places I love to fish, one is a C&R the other is a put and take. The put and take area I like is not "cleaned out" like so many because it is a fast water section that requires some wading on some slimey rocks - I feel like I am ice skating in my felt boots :) And I have fallen in a couple times, but it is worth it. There is a huge spring above this area and some days the hatches are epic. I have caught native brookies and bows there also. Anyway, the last time I fished the area the USGS showed a cfs of 61. I have fished it as high as 140. I visited the area earlier this year and the cfs was 650 and it was blown out, muddy, logs flowing downstream.
Here's the point of my rambling - the last 3 times they stocked the area the cfs values have been over 1500! The last time it was 1800 and in the last 3 days the flow has hit 5000!! I have a feeling "my" spot has not been heavily fished, but what happens to those stockers when they hit that type of flow? They will typically stay in a school for a week or so then spread out, but I am wondering if this flow will disperse them. I am also curious about the mortality rate when they are exposed to this type of flow. I hope they do disperse, I can see a lot of fun fishing a long stretch of lightly pressured water.
