Reclaiming Ponds for Brook Trout

Back in the early 70's I discovered the Adirondacks and pond fishing. My favorite was Black Pond ( hundreds of black ponds). Seems I could catch dozen fish in an hour of fishing, the size limit was 12" and every fish was 11 7/8", I did eventually catch a 12" fish which I ate. That pond and dozens were systematically   Poisoned with rotenone, the trash fish, insect life, crustaceans were killed and labrador strain of brook trout were stocked. Eventually they all stunted to a 5 or 6" size after a dozen years algae bloomed and the process was repeated using windfall strain grown form a nearby untouched and un-fished pond on the nearby Rockefeller estate. They had been growing their own trout for their pleasure to stock their various ponds on the property. Today it is not uncommon for a careful fisherman to catch a four pounder.

By the way when I was ten, my interest in trout and fishing was peaked by an article in the Conservationist magazine titled " The Monster Rainbows of Whey Pond". They described catching 5,6,8,10 pounders. Later as an adult and a father I took my son fishing on Whey Pond and indeed I hooked into a very larger 24"+ rainbow which I lost at the side of the canoe. As we put the canoe back on top of the car I spotted a sign it said" no fishing till date? Lake treated and restocked with brook trout" well the date had well passed so I didn't think I was in trouble, but obviously the rotenone didn't kill the big rainbow that cruised beneath the thermocline. I did come across another story regarding reclaiming lakes particularly Whey Pond and it described the huge number of dead fresh water claims, crustacean and tadpoles right after the treatment. I fished Whey Pond on and off for nearly 40 years and have always caught a nice rainbow but never a brook trout!