I actually don’t think I’m in the minority when I say I didn’t see drunks or fist fights or piles of garbage. I’m sorry to hear the opponents of Opening Day had such a tough time on the water that day. The places I went to were really nothing special at all. I actually would have liked to see more fish stocked than what clearly was though. That’s what tells me doing away with Opening Day is not such a great idea. All due respect, but your kinda splitting hairs. Okay so kids under 14 are cool for an Opening Day event, but where? Are you going to make sure that the fish are spread evenly and fairly across the entire state? How do you manage that? What sort of planning are you proposing the DEP undertake to stock just enough so that only the kids on that day have a quality experience? I can take my kid there that day, but I can’t fish…okay, but can we both fish there together sometime? The next day, the next week?? I’m sorry, but you still have to give me more than this.
Perhaps the areas you visited "being noting special at all" was a big factor in your positive experience. Any stream or body of water that gets stocked with a good number of trout is usually hammered opening day at any easy to reach pool. As always if you do a little hiking you can find some seclusion on the right streams. As far as not catching fish goes, that why it is called fishing and not catching. Some people did well others struggled.
The splitting hairs comment is a little bit of the pot calling the kettle black. I make a proposal and you pick it apart with what ifs.
OK, I'll try and clarify a bit if you insist although it was just an informal proposal and I'm not trying to pass it as a regulation with the DEP.
Even distribution - Currently the fish aren't evenly distrbuted. My proposal was stocking, with the kids there to watch and/or help, trout parks that would be child only areas that weekend to create a positive experience and get their interest in fishing peaked. We already have a good number oftrout parks and they are generously stocked, read the Anglers Guide. Stratton Brook already conducts what I proposed, so in all actuality it is very doable with a minimal amount of effort. It is nothing new nor something I am looking to take credit for. If there were no closed season on trout, as this thread discusses, anyone else would be free to fish wherever they please in any body of water and those areas would be stocked as normal. As far as you fishing together, it really isn't fishing if you are doing it for the child. Have you ever heard of a childrens fishing derby? Similiar rules would work. For example a parent can cast a line, bait a hook and so on, but the child needs to attaend to the rod as well as hook and land the fish. The last part of your post begs me to ask if you even read my post or if you did, did you just skipped most of it. The suggestion was for a kids OPENING DAY or OPENING WEEKEND. Meaning it is just as I typed it. The areas would be open to anyone after that date. Not that hard to understand I think, I could be wrong. Is the suggestion perfect? No, what ever is without being debated and reviewed. Would it be reasonable and provide a positive exposure to children? I thnk so and I'm sure others would as well.
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