Before reading this thread I thought I was one of a few that thought opening day was over-rated, glad to see so many agree with me. Maybe I am mistaken but most of the fish I catch in the Mill River(Hamden) are very dull in color, which to the best of my knowledge meant they were stocked fish, on the flip side of that I have caught some beautiful 14" browns that looked like they belonged in a magazine photos. Wouldn't this suggest that these more colorful fish had survived for some time in that river? That said, maybe without the mass number of fish be taken on opening day the quality of fish we do have the priveledge to catch would be much more rewarding.