who still has an opening day

[lastchance]

We have an opening day (or 2) in PA, but it's not really when you think about it. Most waters now you can fish nearly year-around, except for March and part of April during the stocking cycles. So instead of an "Opener" we really just have a "Spring pause"

Yep. I fish from January 1 to December 31 so I have no opening day.

[Prairieschooner]

Yeah, we have one in Kansas. November 1, for stocked trout as you might imagine. The last time I went on opening day I couldn't have elbowed my way though the crowd close enough to get a cast in. Fortunately, bird season opens two weeks later.

[waskeyc]

Virginia waters are open year round, except for occasional thin ice that doesn't support ice fishing. Warmwater fisheries are open continuously. There used to be a trout opener around the end of March or end of April, but now they have a Heritage Day.

On certain stocked trout waters (maybe 1/3 of the total), Heritage Day is recognized. These waters are closed for 1 week prior to Heritage Day so they don't all have to be stocked on the same day. Then on the Day, fishing can begin at 9am. The participating waters are supposed to be stocked with above normal numbers and sizes compared to the rest of the year. Non-participating stocked trout waters and all wild trout waters are open continuously.

There is a "trout season" from October to June when a trout stamp (extra money) is required to fish stocked trout water. This is not required in the summer because the stocked water is typically marginal, and there are few if any trout that survive during the warm months. A trout stamp is not required for wild trout fisheries or for warmwater fisheries.

[1hook]

I, too, could be mistaken, but I always considered it East and West since the Carlisle, Lancaster, Harrisburg area began their season first.

I'm pretty sure it's labeled by the fish commission as a north and south division

[NJTroutbum]

The way its divided up is more Southeastern Pa opens early, and the rest of the state is a bit later.

[birddog]

Opening day was not what it once was with quite a few places open year around but it still is an event in Michigan.
We do celebrate our openings whether its trout, deer, or grouse. Pheasant used to be a huge deal here when the birds had numbers. We even make a huge deal out of opening of Baseball season in Detroit.
-Jeff