First, it's just in my nature to be a glass-half-full kinda guy, so I look at it this way. If you cut the overall poundage by 40% but you reduce the size of the fish by 50%, there may actually be more fish per person stocked this year than we've averaged over the past decade. Clearly it comes at a cost...the size of the fish. Also looking on the bright side for me, this is happening statewide....not just the Eastside, but the westside, socal, norcal etc. Everyone is going to have to get used to fish that size when fishing public water, at least in the short term. If you want to trout fish where the scenery is the best, we're still the best place in California to go.
However, you as someone who on many...sooo many occasions has stated that you've been fishing the Owens & Rock Creek for 50+ years, you of all people should remember a time when the fish stocked were 4 to a pound or even 5 to a pound. We've become spoiled with the half pounders of recent memory, and even 3/4lb fish average for a minute in the mid 2000's, which my Dad and many of my customers who are of his generation remarked to be vastly larger than what they were used to growing up fishing the area. So while this certainly isn't something I'm happy about personally, it certainly isn't an end to all things.
Also on the bright side of things, Mono county is looking to greatly increase spending to offset these changes which should mean plenty of bigger model fish to go around for those that know how to catch 'em. For those that would like to see how Mono County is handling the situation - please read this article.
http://thesheetnews.com/2015/02/06/s...ish-reduction/
The board of supervisors, fisheries commission, city of Mammoth Lakes are all very engaged and are doing their darnedest to make sure everyone has a satisfying angling experience this year...that will allow the long term strategy to take place.
If anyone would like to read some comments on the subject from the Inyo County perspective check this link. I will admit that at this early date a concrete plan hasn't been put in place but rest assured, we're working on it.
http://thesheetnews.com/2015/02/06/s...ish-reduction/
There are absolutely some questions that need answering...like how the DFW can justify these reductions? Why are they using the drought to hide unjustified budget slashing? Who is going to keep the DFW honest and audit their spending and then take legal action against them? Hopefully these things will come to light soon so we can have all the facts and work on a more sustainable action plan for the future.