Earlier Opening Day in Some PA Areas

FAOL Community Fly Anglers Online
1

While I figure this will eventially lead to a statewide earlier opener, for the time being; from the PFBC:

The season will start earlier for the state?s most popular gamefish in 18 counties beginning in 2007. The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) today adopted new regulations that will open trout season about two weeks earlier in the southeastern and southcentral parts of the state, effective next year.

Under the new regulation, all waters in Adams, Berks, Bucks, Chester, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Franklin, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton, Perry, Philadelphia, Schuylkill and York counties will begin the first Saturday after March 28.

Currently, the statewide opening day for the Pennsylvania trout season is established as the first Saturday after April 11. So in 2007, the trout season will begin March 31 in the 18-county region while the rest of the state will see trout season open April 14.

?Starting the trout season earlier in parts of Pennsylvania expands fishing opportunities and improves our stocking and management efforts,? said PFBC Executive Director Doug Austen. ?Opening Day has long been a time of great anticipation for anglers. This change, along with stocking trout statewide that are 30% larger on average, promises to add more excitement in 2007 to an already popular pursuit.?

Differences exist in climate across Pennsylvania and the time frame for providing optimum conditions for trout angling during the spring is earlier in portions of southern Pennsylvania. Warmer temperatures there provide conditions better suited for trout angling at an earlier time in the spring. However, these same warming conditions also can limit trout angling opportunities by mid-spring. The combination of a mid-April opening day and the potential for these waters to become too warm for trout angling by mid-May constricts the amount of time that trout angling can be provided.

Another issue that an earlier opening day in southeastern Pennsylvania addresses is the potential for movement of stocked trout prior to opening day, as well as the fact that some fish die between the time of stocking and opening day. The staggered opening days will provide the opportunity to stock trout in southeastern Pennsylvania earlier for the earlier opening day and shift the stocking to the other regions for the later opening day. This will effectively help to shorten the times between stocking and opening day throughout the state.

In a related move, the Commission made adjustments to regulations for possessing a trout/salmon permit, notably amending the rules so that any person fishing in streams and rivers that are approved trout waters from March 1 through May 31 must possess and display a valid permit. This change was necessitated by the earlier opening day and also reflects the period when the Commission is most actively stocking trout.

[This message has been edited by Bamboozle (edited 18 July 2006).]

2

As a resident of Pennsylvania, this is indeed good news! It means that the hoard of fisherman who hang up their vest and put away their rod after the first week or two (after bringing home a few fish to show the misses that they are real men) will be out of the way that much sooner, and if we’re really lucky, a good rain will follow to wash away all their litter and crap that they have left behind on the stream bank. To bad the rain can’t wash away their bad manners too.

3

“Another issue that an earlier opening day in southeastern Pennsylvania addresses is the potential for movement of stocked trout prior to opening day, as well as the fact that some fish die between the time of stocking and opening day.”

This is my only concern with the proposed changes. Personally, I want as much time between stocking and the opener as reasonably possible for one reason: I WANT the trout to spread out. I don’t see anything fun about competing with 30 other guys trying to fish the same hole. I think that stocking 3 weeks prior to the opener as is done now is appropriate and still allows plenty of fish to make it until opening day.

Kev

[This message has been edited by Penn. Kev (edited 18 July 2006).]

4

For what it’s worth, I recently read an article (can’t remember the source) where they tracked the disbursement of stocked trout, and depending upon species, it was something like 5 to 13 days before they began to move from their original stocking point, with the vast majority moving downstream.

5

Dear Bamboozle,

It’s just another attempt to appease the truck chasers.

If the PA F&BC were smart they would do away with “Opening Day” entirely. They could have year-round trout fishing.

Stop all announced stockings and have “No Harvest” in place from March 1st to April 15th Statewide, and again from September 30th to January 1st. Harvest would then be allowed from January 1st to February 28, or 29.

Sure, they would stop selling licenses and they would lose revenue, but maybe, just maybe the light would go on and they would release that the main reason they need that revenue is so that they can refurbish the hatcheries so they can keep making rubber trout for the truck chasers.

They, the Fish Commission, live and work in a circle. They make management decisions based on cash flow and it’s going to be the ruination of fishing for all species. It’s time they start managing the fisheries for the fish.

Best Wishes,
Avalon

[This message has been edited by Avalon (edited 18 July 2006).]

6

Avalon,

I agree.

Also, the state needs to relize that in the long run, more money will be made by appeasing traveling anglers via creating quality fisheries rather than filling the freezers of the opening day crowd. The prices of non resident licenses are rather high, but if the fishing is good, people will pay the price.

The PAFBC needs to take a serious look at the popularity of special regs and wild trout. DH, FFO, C&R, Trophy Trout, etc. are almost universaly popular across the state. Why? Because they provide good long term fishing opprotunities as opposed to opening day mayhem.
Additionally, rather than stocking over wild fish they need to promote C&R or restrictive regs for wild trout whenever possible. There have been several creeks in recent years with good wilds pops that have returned to the stocking list.

End of rant.

Kev

[This message has been edited by Penn. Kev (edited 18 July 2006).]

7

My personal preference would be to restore streams to where they could support native wild trout and not have to stock at all!

Of course this is a pipe dream.

8

PF&B is stuiped they should stock a bunch of trout in ponds and lakes so they are contained. that way the truck chasers can go and catch them their, staying off the streams(with wild trout).
then Pf&B should Let wild trout populations grow and let streams fish all year with a no harvest law or a real low harvest.

9

Avalon: It’s just another attempt to appease the truck chasers

Spot on!

It’s funny but by my count, the counties included, (which by the way is almost double the number originally proposed); include 33 Special Regulation areas that allow year round fishing! Obviously earlier fishing opportunities, stocking schedules, or migration doesn?t have anything to do with it; it’s all about harvest!

The climate rational really cracks me up. I fish in every one of those counties and others further north and the difference in the weather soon after the end of April is marginal. This change in the opening day schedule was originally proposed for the southernmost counties like Delaware, Montgomery, Franklin, etc. Interestingly enough, Schuylkill County, (which is considered to be in the Southeastern Region?huh?), is the county with the most differing weather. Rest assured that the clamor from the omitted counties will be loud enough to cause the PFBC to add them to the list later.

I mean?heck, I ain?t gonna drive all the way from Lansford to Tamaqua to go fishin? early!

And they completely left out the Southwestern region of the state for what, climatic reasons?

I really don?t care since I almost hardly ever fish any streams where stocking and harvest are combined. The only impact for me will be in regards to Class A sections of Approved Trout Waters which I will now be allowed to start fishing earlier. I don?t get the ?got my limit?, hanging from a stringer crowd but I realize that they have as much right to use the resource as I do. And while I deplore some of their less than noble behavior, idiots come dressed in all sorts of fishing attire.

I just hope the Commission leaves the delay, as in Delayed Harvest alone and doesn?t pull back the date of that up as well, that would severely impact the quality of fishing in some of the Delayed Harvest Artificials Only waters I frequent in the spring.

10

I live in one of the involved counties and can see darn little of benefit to this change. Main thing it will do is give the meat fishermen the oppertunity to have two opening days and the chance to take a few limits on each. If we have a real winter for a change we will see a logistical nightmare in trying to get fish in waters. Cold unpleasant conditions will make it a much less pleasant experience for many. For some reson ( they call it improvement or progress) anything traditional that has worked and been enjoyed for some time must be done away with. As someone else mentioned there are plenty of sp. regs in this area if someone wants to wet a line prior to traditional. One positive if weather is decent and a family likes to camp for early season fishing this can give them two opening day oppertunities to do so. Anything for kids and families is great.

11

I figured this was coming. When the TU chapter heard about this, we sent in our opposition, but it didn’t matter Dry fly is right about the meat fishers. OK, how about the day you show up following the white truck, you get one bucket of fish to take home. Save the time and trouble of littering up the bank and p##sing me off on the water, and I’ll agree to that. Only one bucket for every licence now.
Avalon- you’re right about doing away with “the first day”. Stock fish all year, and have a certain day when you can harvest, thats it.
Mt first day this year consisted of having a man show up 10 min before with two little kids and his father in law. The man had on small rubber boots to his knees and shorts on. In his hand was`a six pack of brew. Yelling at his kids to tell others to move over for him and his kids, so that “they can fish too” Most sentences started and ended with the letter “F”.I really want to go back to that.
Randy

12

darn those bait dunkers. they are a real scourge on this earth. they should be stopped at all costs. oly we flyrodder need to be appeased and coddled.

it’s fishing, it’s more oppertunity to fish, what’s the problem? why the us against them attitude? we don’t need that mentality.

13

Dear rizeye,

I’m not opposed to bait fishing or even harvest of trout. I do both on occasion.

My opposition is to the policies of the Fish Commission that stress trout stocking and subsequent harvest as their primary mission.

They have developed an infrastucture that caters to the meat fisherman and they make most of their decisions based on those same fishermen. It’s their menthod of “job security” so to speak.

They have convinced the majority of the angling public that trout come from white trucks, and they have done far too little to improve and protect the streams that have self sustaining trout populations.

They need to move away from the stocking mentality and into the fishery management mentality, and I don’t see them doing it.

Best Wishes,
Avalon

14

avalon

that i can agree with. they should be able to do both. i guess if they had the finds they could but if they had to pick one or the other they see the put and take as the most return for the money invested. that notion does have some merit, because as was stated earlier, there are alot, if not most, of 1 day wonders. they provide a big resource of funds for the PFBC in both license revenue and federal funds. si if they lose more fishermen they get less from both sources. and the difference will not be made up by out of staters. as for habitat improvement for wild trout, only a small area of the state would be able to sustain viable population of them. the SW, NW and much of the SE sections of the state would have no trout if there were no stocking. as for the other areas that do hve wild fish, they would be severely overfished. this would not be a positive step if this were to happen.

15

I like avalon’s idea of no closed season. Our trout opener is April 1 and the streams are usually stocked just prior to the opener. That means all the fish are sitting at the bridges and easy access points and after the April first zoo, most of the fish are gone. I do like the delayed harvests that you guys have. If your gonna have a season, that’s a good thing to incorporate.

16

Due to mine run-off, agriculture and land development, many streams that once supported wild trout can no longer do so and a significant reversal could never be accomplished now (Can’t ask people to give up their farms and houses for trout) but every year we loose more streams and some reversal or at least a halt to loosing more streams could be accomplished if even just by cleaning up the streams from mine run-off.

Wild trout streams being over-fished? Hmmm, let’s see, I’ve fished a local wild trout stream this year 6 times. So far the number of other fishermen I’ve seen = 0 and I live in the south central part of the state where they are almost non-existent.

17

I never could understand “Opening Day” Why not leave the streams open all year. It would knock off the heavey crowding that goes on “Opening Day” You wouldn’t have the problem and it sure dosen’t hurt the streams a bit.

Here in Montana all that they close are the side streams for spawning and that is it. We don’t have problems with crowding and "Opening “Day” A lot nicer with less hassle. Close what needs closed for spawning and leave the rest open. Ron

[This message has been edited by RonMT (edited 20 July 2006).]

18

Definatly was not trying to put down all bait fishermen. Most of us started out as one and many of us ( me included) at times still enjoy fishing bait. I am referrong to fish hogs or whatever you want to call them. Most of you know what type I am referring to. Many bait fishermen pratice catch and release for a large part of their time astream. Some have perfected their baitfishing to a very high degree and are fun to watch. As someone above mentioned we unfortunatly need stocked trout ( fingerlings or adults) to provide a fishery in most of our streams.

19

I must of missed something because I don’t remember hearing the word
bait fisherman and jerk in the same sentence.

Has someone who assumed we where talking about bait fisherman unveiled his own prejudices???

20

I personally don?t care when Opening Day is, who goes out and fishes or how. As long as there are choices to be made, people are going to make them despite whether or not they agree with mine. I am fortunate enough to have two Class A streams literally in my back yard and I fish over wild trout almost exclusively. Even the stocked sections of both of these streams give up maybe one or two stockers a season to me. I don?t go near regular Approved Trout waters because I don?t have to nor do I want to.

IMHO stocking is a necessary evil as long as all types of anglers foot the PFBC bill. Not everyone is willing or able to travel long distances or cover difficult terrain to catch some trout. They feel buying that license and trout stamp entitle them to some action and that perception is hard to argue when you?re paying close to $30 for the privilege. Some people just like to catch dumb stockers close to home and they aren?t all bait fisherman, just visit the Little Lehigh former Heritage stretch if you don?t believe me. I also think in many cases it is a perception and size thing. In many of the wild trout waters, the average size fish is smaller than what comes out of the hatchery truck, especially if they are brookies. On those streams where there are no harvest restrictions, I have to think that people who keep fish get tired of going home empty handed because all they catch are dinks. Remember, the Commission has over the years increased the minimum size and reduced the creel limit.

I recently fished a stream in Potter County just taken off the Class A list and stocked. I caught wild fish over stockers 10 to 1 and the average wild fish was bigger than many of the Class A waters I fished over that weekend. So why did the PFBC start stocking it? I have no idea except maybe the locals THINK that there is nothing but dinks and they are harder to catch? In any case I told the PFBC about my results and they are going to reevaluate the stream next month.

I think the Commission does a good job managing wild trout streams. It all began with Operation Future many years ago. They maintain two lists, Class A and Wild Trout Present. The combined total of streams contained in those two lists is huge. If you don?t think there are any wild trout in your home waters, take a look at these lists on line. Even streams on the Wild Trout Present list can seem like a Class A fishery when the populations are decent. Does NY or NJ maintain lists like these? I happen to have a list of wild streams in NJ that was published 20 years ago but I haven?t seen one since. I mapped all of the Class A streams in PA and manage a database with the pertinent information. I keep up with all the changes and believe me, there are many additions to the list each year and updates are made constantly so they are working at it. They listen to angler input and will consider additions if they meet the criteria.

If Opening Day changes keep those that choose to frequent purely put and take fisheries happy, I feel it will relieve pressure on the wild populations and that is good for me and the fish. Besides, it will make certain wild trout waters open to fishing that much earlier which should keep the wild trout anglers happy too.