Jacob Rash, a fisheries biologist for the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission in Marion, explained the rationale for delayed harvest.
“(It) is to provide additional angling opportunities for stocked trout,” he said. “By having both a catch-and-release and harvest period, these waters provide a diverse experience for anglers.
“Additionally, many delayed-harvest waters are not capable of supporting trout year-round, (so) stockings are focused on periods of favorable water temperatures, while the harvest period occurs as those temperatures begin to degrade. This approach allows for high catch rates during the catch-and-release period and anglers to remove fish before water temperatures become too warm.”
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