The Pudd: Beginning of a new era?

[Jeremy Wade Jr]

http://sublogic.net/images/thepudd.jpg

Went to Puddingstone a couple of days ago to see how it's looking, unfortunately the drought did a number on this lake and it doesn't look like it's going to get better any time soon.

I made my way around the park and I started noticing new signs being posted (see above) I noticed the park signs said "Do not eat fish from these lakes!" Some of these signs were even posted where the drought has eaten up the lake, you would think if there was hope for the Pudd returning to her old self, they would post them where water levels are used to being.

It also made me question, how do you not eat fish from a lake that gets reguarly stocked.. or does it? Will it ever again? I called the folks at Frank G Bonelli Park and asked them what these signs meant for regular stocking and the lady on the phone said that she does not know, she only knows that this lake hasn't been stocked since April.

She also said that everything is now "Catch and Release" Whether that meant catch and release officially is not known, but I guess we'll soon find out? She just got word of this last week.

What will come of the Pudd? This is my favorite lake for LMB, so I welcome catch and release only, but not sure what that means for trout, catfish, and redears/bluegill? Not sure if these are just warnings or if DFG will clamp down officially.

[Bass Boy 14]

I started noticing those signs as well when I was there. Not sure what it means for trout and cats....they began stocking only about 100-200lbs of trout in Jan and Feb earlier this year, so wasn't sure what would happen to the stocks. If you find out, let me know.

[allIdoIsfish]

I fish pudd regularly and speak with the lifeguards and employees almost on a daily basis. They havent stocked catfish all summer and they ARENT going to stock trout this year, i spoke with a dfg warden at the lake and they said they arent going to beable to afford it. As for the fish consumption, They found e coli and other things in the meat of the fish there.

[old pudd fisher]

Not looking good.

[dday07]

Even though bigger issues....say a slow good bye to those d.d. bass in the lake

[old pudd fisher]

4522345224Was there today with my wife and dogs to do some walking and have lunch. The place sure needs some work on the piers and picnic area covers, they are rotting. Seen more do not do this signs then people, two boats and about three fisher people. Got in for only $ 5 bucks because we are old slingers that was good.

[jerryG]

There should be no excuses about there being no budget to support a stocking program.. True that there may be no budget but there is no excuse for it.. The revenue generated from the sale of fishing licenses is suppose to fund the State hatchery programs. The problem is the revenue generated from licenses is redistributed to other Departments and other programs. We paid for the state to stock our lakes but we are not getting what we paid for... Not to mention when our lakes are stocked they receive a couple scoops of fish and then it's on to the next lake to drop a couple scoops. They used to dump the whole truck load of fish into the lake every other week..

I'm not a lawyer and I have no idea what implications apply if any but this raises some concerning questions.. There are groups especially in California which have been growing in number and power that would like nothing more than to ban fishing outright. If the state no longer stocks a lake our rights to fish that body of water may no longer be protected by the state constitution. It may open the door for such groups (like the Audubon Society just sayin) to propose limitations or bans on fishing a body of water that no longer receives stocks from the state. There are groups that are well funded, well prepared with strong political ties that may be difficult to defeat should our rights to fish become challenged. The planning of the Marine Life Protection Act should serve as a perfect example of what can happen..

Article 1 Section 25 of the current State of California Constitution Says:Section 25. The people shall have the right to fish upon and from the public lands of the State and in the waters thereof, excepting upon lands set aside for fish hatcheries, and no land owned by the State shall ever be sold or transferred without reserving in the people the absolute right to fish thereupon; and no law shall ever be passed making it a crime for the people to enter upon the public lands within the State for the purpose of fishing in any water containing fish that have been planted therein by the State; provided, that the legislature may by statute, provide for the season when and the conditions under which the different species of fish may be taken.