Kinzua Area Musky Stocking Friday

[Red Childress]

Toothyfishman (Frank) and I just found out yesterday that the 6-8 inch muskies are on the way for us to stock tomorrow. Frank and his gang will be stocking 6000 in Kinzua and my daughters and I will float stock 2600 between Tidioute and Kinzua Dam. The PFBC will also drop a 1000 or so in the Tionesta Sand and Gravel Pit prior to meeting me in Tidioute.

Kudos to Frank and Joe Houck (3Rivers MI) for putting this event together!!

[Red Childress]

BTW, when talking with Joe last nite, he had mentioned to me that the 'clipped fin' technique for tracking growth rates is inefficient due to the fact that the fins were growing back/healing over time. I was unaware of this.

I sure would like to tag these fish or mark them somehow just to do a little tracking study of my own. I have been told by a WCO that tagging of fish by the common angler is illegal cuz it breaks the rule of "releasing the fish unharmed" as stated in our fishing regulations.

A guy can get his own tagging system from Cabela's for under 50.00 and really add to the enjoyment of fishing if allowed to legally tag their fish. I understand the ramifications of allowing the common angler to catch, tag and release fish.

[Red Childress]

Stocking went very well. We got around 1500 fish to float stock with with an additional 500 or so being placed at Tidioute and Starbrick launches by the driver of the truck. The driver also stocked 1000 in the Tionesta Gravel Pit.

All fish appeared very healthy when we placed them in areas that would not "blow out" during the high water periods this winter. We will be catching them in about 3-4 years and should be at least 40 inches in 5-6 years. After doing a little internet research, there have been instances of muskies reaching 50 inches in 5-6 years with an abundance of food like the gizzard shad reservoirs in Ohio. I know these river fish have plenty of food (shiners/chubs/stocked trout) so we should expect these muskies to grow quickly as well.

[lowbidder]

We got our fish for the Yough this past Tuesday. It was my first time helping and I had a blast. I'm glad they let us do that.

[Red Childress]

Mike,

I finally got to watch that YouTube video of your boat. Was there much damage after you went through that incredible stretch of boulders?? I could hear the aluminum pinging as you picked your way through there.

[lowbidder]

Not one single dent. On the way back down (I wasn't filming) I hit one of those big ones the size of a coffee table. It was sticking up out of the water just a few inches and I didn't see it until right before the impact. I tried an evasive maneuver, but I wasn't fast enough. I immediately turned on the bilge pump out of fear of a rip, but the strakes did a really good job dispersing the impact.
Here is the link to that video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYd3Hu1d-18

Here is another video we took on the way downstream after stocking musky last week. Thanks goes to Joel for holding the camera instead of the "Oh Sh*t handles"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vo6sSGlagM4

[Ralph]

Fished Tionesta Saturday and saw the fingerlings around the ramp. They looked happy!

No luck for me on Saturday but there was a pile of bait/fish on the steep West shoreline just up stream from the launch. Trolled 20 - 30 feet with various baits and no takers. They had to be around that much food though!

63 degree water temp.

[joel]

yeah i held on to the camera and was ready to s**t myself going down thru there at 47mph!!!lol that boat handles like a sports car. thanks again for all the guys who helped stock the yough,everything went great.

[ppalko]

Holy cow, that's an amazing video. Looks like a new amusement park ride!
I thought going 60 mph dodging logs and jet skis on the Mon in a bass-boat was crazy. Yikes.

Phil

[lowbidder]

I know what you mean... that's one of my big turn-offs about the Mon. Gotta get there early or when the weather is foul.

I had to go through that same pass today and took one hell of an impact. I have to go back through this stretch again tomorrow and rest assured, I will avoid this one. I never saw the damn thing.

Crank it up to 1080P and let it load for a minute before watching for best results.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaxjWZiO61I