#667801 - 01/31/0505:37 PM
Re: Abolish Opening day of Trout season
Jighead
I love re-re-opening day
Registered: 04/05/02
Posts: 11226
People worry about the lost license revenue but think about something - If there are really so-called fishermen out there, that only buy a license in order to fish for a weekend or two each year - Who would really miss them? They are probably the same exact people responsible for all those opening day horror stories we all see and hear about. I won't miss them.
Only we fishermen can help ourselves by persistently making out voices heard over and over again - no one else is going to do anything for us, simply out of the goodness of their hearts.
#667802 - 01/31/0507:16 PM
Re: Abolish Opening day of Trout season
MikeG
Member
Registered: 01/20/02
Posts: 13088
Loc: NW CT
Quote:
If there are really so-called fishermen out there, that only buy a license in order to fish for a weekend or two each year - Who would really miss them? They are probably the same exact people responsible for all those opening day horror stories we all see and hear about. I won't miss them.
I've fished opening day just about every year since I was a teenager. I like keeping the tradition, despite the downsides we all know about.
But, you've sold me on the concept of keeping the season open all year (with exceptions) and getting rid of the "opening day." I'd be curious to hear the DEP's views, and more from shop owners.
#667804 - 01/31/0507:25 PM
Re: Abolish Opening day of Trout season
Anonymous
Unregistered
im with you mike i think its supid all my friends in school say its the best time to go the first two weeks, but i actually dont until all the idiots are off the water them me and my dad will start fishing
#667805 - 01/31/0507:43 PM
Re: Abolish Opening day of Trout season
MikeG
Member
Registered: 01/20/02
Posts: 13088
Loc: NW CT
I like traditions as much as the next person. I am not trying to do away with the tradition of getting tgether with friends and family in April for a day or weekend of fishing, by all means this should continue. BUT we do not need a date set by the state to enjoy this tradition. We can make our own plans to celabrate "trout season" or "Spring" with friends.
#667807 - 01/31/0507:55 PM
Re: Abolish Opening day of Trout season
Capt. Alewife
Member
Registered: 07/31/02
Posts: 4477
Loc: "fiddle ridge"
it' seems to me that opening day exploits the resource. Everyone cashes in except the fisheries themselves. We just need more stict harvest regulations.
i say we follow suit to MASS.
No closed season, with year round stockings .
I have many many many memories of opening day and have fished it everyday since i was child. I'll continue to do so.
What would all those people who just go out that weekend do?? Prolly let the fish spread out and grow to decent size. Cant be a bad thing..
I"m sure many tackle shop owners are not fond of the idea.i can understand there point of view.
We have Trout parks and Harvest areas why not exploit those waters that time of year. Rather than having the masses hit every bit of fishable water in the state, many of whom don't embrace C&R.It would eliminate the carnival atmosphere on many lakes and streams.
Being told when i can start fishing annoys me too.
it alllllllllllllllllll boils down to $$$$$ and who cashes in.This maybe the catch 22 here, the revenues gernarted for licenses that day are where alot of our funds for stockings come from.
i guess you can't bite the hand that feeds you!
fishing is like life.. you learn as you go.and I can't stop learning
There's a fine line between fishing and standing on the shore looking like an idiot.- Steven Wright
" they've hit that before, they'll hit it again!! leave it out there TILL they hit it!~"
#667808 - 01/31/0508:14 PM
Re: Abolish Opening day of Trout season
MikeG
Member
Registered: 01/20/02
Posts: 13088
Loc: NW CT
It is sort of a double edged sword and I fully understand the money issue.
But I still beleive the benifits of getting rid of opening day out weigh the benifits of keepping it.
Maybe it is just a case of the grass is greener on the other side but I know that the trout I catch in Mass are much bigger on average than those I see in CT. I also see allot less litter when fishing in Mass. I have also never encountered elbow to elbow fishing in Mass.Never seen a fist fight while fishing in Mass,never encountered an angry landowner while fishing in Mass.........
Yup, I just convinced myself even more the grass is greener................
I'm in favor of getting rid of opening day. No question, it's better for the fishery.
The point that nobody's made so far is that every lake stocked with trout (even if it's only a couple hundred fish) is closed for a month and a half every year. That really stinks!
In years that we have good ice, you have to stop ice fishing the last day in Febuary. Even if you're not targeting trout through the ice. Most places, you could probably get on the ice till mid March. The kicker is that those same places don't actually get stocked with trout until a week or two before opening day.
In years where the ice melts very early, you bass fisherman out there can't fish any of these places. Come to think of it, if your a bass fisherman, you really can't fish a trout lake until May. It's closed in March and half of April. Then the second half of April you're competing with all the trout guys, so it's probably more trouble than it's worth?
#667810 - 01/31/0508:50 PM
Re: Abolish Opening day of Trout season
Jighead
I love re-re-opening day
Registered: 04/05/02
Posts: 11226
I love the idea of year round stocking. I bet the guys doing the stocking would rather not have to kill themselves every year to stock all those spots in such a short time either.
There's one big problem though. People will have to actually learn how to catch trout. They won't just be "easy pickings" - all piled up at the bridges. They'll be spread all throughout the rivers. They will be a lot less likely to fall for all those cheap imitaion baits like cheese balls and marsh mellows and who knows what else. No longer will anglers be able to stand directly over these uneducated fish in stagnant pools and pick them off one by one.
It's going to be harder - and people will say there are a lot less fish or that they've already all been caught. Some of us will start going even more often, knowing that all the rivers will have fish at any given time, for those that are willing to work for them. But many will stop going, not being able to make the conversion from truck trout to natural trout.
The only group of opening dayers that I feel for are the kids. It's their best shot at a few easy fish. I have a suggestion though. Since the week before the opener is when most schools have their spring vacations anyway - and some of kids sneak out and hammer the trout anyway - Why not make it a kids only week?
Make it so only kids can legally carry a fishing rod for that week and "adults" are only allowed on the water if accompanied by a youth. Maybe without all the adults elbowing them out of the good trout holes, they will learn more about catching trout and actually learn to appreciate the sport.
well said.
Prolly let the fish spread out and grow to decent size. Cant be a bad thing.. 
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