Hermosa Creek

We had a wedding to attend on saturday near Purgatory so we camped on Hermosa Creek below Sig Creek at that sweet spot with the waterfall. If you've been there you know where I mean. There were Cuts and Brookies. They're all so small in there, it's very odd. I've fished many (remaining nameless) cutthroat streams and never seen such stunted fish. Usually I see fewer fish of larger size. Are the catch and release only regulations forcing larger populations of fish here, creating more competition for the food and keeping the size down? I am all for native fish, and I feel that they should protect the remaining untouched native streams ferociously, but I think this Hermosa Creek project is a Frankenstein-like perversion of nature. Something in my gut tells me that applying Rotenone to an entire creek system is sick and twisted and still won't get rid of 100% of the Brookies. I've seen Brookies scale a 6 foot waterfall with no problems whatsoever. I think the barrier on Hermosa creek is laughable and the Brookies are going to find their way back. On the bright side, at least Brookies can't ruin the genepool like the Rainbows that are stocked in every damn river in the state. Call me crazy but I just don't get it.

Comments

Popular Posts