I have one question for those in favor of an opening day.
Do you wait until opening day (end of Feb. to 3rd Saturday in April) to trout fish or do you trout fish year round or close to it using TMA's, no kill areas and the like?
Just pointing out that there actually is no real closed season already, just a restriction on how many and if you can keep what you catch. The you also have the closed bodies of water. Some of which are good for other species besides tout but are in accessable thanks to opening day.
I'll fish the TMAs during the closed season...so opening day doesn't really effect my fishing that much. It's not really about me though. What may not seem like a big deal to you or I is actually a huge deal to lots of other people. Take away opening day and I think you'd have tens of thousands of dissatisified people on your hands.
I never liked how certain lakes closed feb 28, and I couldn't ice fish there. It is one of the drawbacks...they could at least give us till mid march before closing it. From a larger perspective, I doubt the state really cares about a few disgruntled ice fishermen. It's just about pleasing the largest number of people.
Keith, I think you're way off base here. These are unfortunate incidents, I agree, but to draw any connection at all between these incidents and opening day is just absolute nonsense. The area on the Yantic is a TMA (open all year round). I fished it well before opening day, and so did lots of other fisherman. So did opening day make some idiot drive their truck through that person's property? I don't think so. Anytime word gets out that fish have been stocked somewhere, you'll have a bunch of fishermen showing up. It doesn't matter what time of the year it is (april or may). As for the other incident, I don't think you'll ever convince anyone that opening day is to blame. Those people were there because the area was stocked with fish. People are not going to suddenly decide to behave just because there's no opening day.
Dave, Read when they happened. Opening Day weekend. That's 2 areas closed. The spot on the Yantic may be a TMA, and now it is a TMA with one less access point.
I know. I was aware of the incident on the Yantic right when it happened. It really is a shame...it was an area that I fished on occasion. I'm pretty dissappointed that someone would do that. I can understand where you're coming from, but some of these things that people will do are just so blatant. Makes you wonder if these people are such total scumbags that they wouldn't change their ways whether there's an opening day or not.
#667967 - 06/30/0602:29 PM
Re: Abolish Opening day of Trout season
macattack678
USN (Ret)
Registered: 01/25/05
Posts: 3876
Loc: North Stonington
For the longest time I quit fishing opening day due to the "zoo effect". Five years ago I began going on a fishing/camping trip on opening day weekend at Hopevill Pond State Park with some friends. It has become a tradition that I look forward to all year. I have yet to see the piles of garbage fights and the crowds. It has been very enjoyable weekends. RI on the other hand; opening day on the Wood River is a zoo. People are lined up along the river like they were on a party boat. My American Legion Post serves over 400 "fishermans breakfasts" in additon to other places that do the same. You can find individuals that just don't care pretty much where ever you go. All we as fisherman can do is to take care of the water and surrounding area as best we can. I for one relly look forward to opening Day.
"Good decisions come from experience. Experience comes from bad decisions."
"Great fishermen are not born that way.....They become so through a lifetime of neglecting other things in their lives."
"Don't try to explain it. Just nod your head. Breathe in. Breathe out. Move on.
#667968 - 09/13/0604:00 PM
Re: Abolish Opening day of Trout season
SouthBound
Member
Registered: 08/01/06
Posts: 7014
Loc: Lunenburg VT
I didnt think that the state stocked trout any more.Your telling me that these things i caught in cedar lake where not silver sides. But that they where trout. WOW
#667970 - 09/13/0610:00 PM
Re: Abolish Opening day of Trout season
Greenglo Bob
R.I.P.
Registered: 01/07/02
Posts: 3632
Loc: New Preston
My Observation. Stocked fish sizes and numbers have diminished immensely. Guess our fees and tackle spending don't mean much to the state of CT. Stocking streams like the Naugy can't add up to common sense with the heat waves and kills of the last 2 summers. Great intent but our climates are changing. Just my 2 cents.
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