I love opening day.....The anticipation...the fervor...the traditions....It was my introduction to trout fishing and my excitment each year has never dimminished...in spite of the fact that I do fish for trout throughout the whole year. However, I wholeheartedly concur that opening day presents us with it's own set of problems and taxes the resources that are available. In the long run, it limits the potential for a greater trout fishing experience.....There's no easy solution...it's like a "tradition" or "addiction" that you love but realize is no good for you....As for some of the issues raised.....I agree that there's alot of money involved, and the state could lose some license revenue.....But I'm sure the state would come up with a plan to get their money if fishing license sales were to drop a bit...they always find a way to make us pay.... Still, not for nothing, but compared to some other states, the price of a license in CT is really not bad....Try to fish in a state like Virginia...you need a salt water license, a fresh water license, and a separate stamp for trout! What I'm saying is, I for one, am not opposed to a small increase in the cost of a license if it meant we could do away with opening day and have a better trout fishery..... I also contend, that a tackle shop that is worth it's salt, one that provides quality products and services, will have people interested in fishing, and coming back throughout the year.....As for children, and the benefits that opening day provides regarding the ease in which trout are caught...lets put those resources into trout parks and more "children's fishing only" areas that are more frequently stocked throughout the year, and let them enjoy a longer, more productive fishing season.....Besides, how many children actually benefit from the fiasco opening day has become, and the negative behavior that is modeled by the plethora of idiots that coverge on our streams and lakes.....I've seen too many arguments, scuffles, and territorial disputes....How many of you have wittnessed "homesteaders" camped out at their "honey hole" the night before....I'm surprized that I haven't yet seen a spot "roped off" like at a 4th of July parade route!.....I'm with you Mike.....Opening Day...Take it away...we'll all be glad later on......Just my opinion. :p
Edited by fishbag61 (03/13/0902:30 AM)
religious freedom is the right of each individual to attend the church of his choice, or go fishing
#667814 - 01/31/0511:14 PM
Re: Abolish Opening day of Trout season
MikeG
Member
Registered: 01/20/02
Posts: 13088
Loc: NW CT
Dave H. I am so glad you are a fisherman,you always have great input.
It would be great to be able to fish places like Colebrook or Gardner until ice out insted of having to be done Febuary 28 because trout season closes on theese waters. Why do they close on theese dates anyways ???
A year round fishery I feel would balance itself out finacially against the current closed season way of doing things. An open season year round means people will spend money year round fishing.
If any species needs a closed season it is Bass.(((a whole nother can of worms to be opened at a lter date )))))
Keep opening day, if only for the humor value. Its the one day each year where I can see a guy fishing for trout with a surf rod and 30 pound test using a spinning reel upside down with a bobber the size of a softball.
Seriously though, I agree opening day is kind of a silly concept. There is no need for a closed season on bass. What IS needed is a reduced creel limit on bass through the ice. No meathound really needs to bring home 6 bass, when 2 would be plenty.
#667816 - 02/01/0512:25 AM
Re: Abolish Opening day of Trout season
MikeG
Member
Registered: 01/20/02
Posts: 13088
Loc: NW CT
Think how nice it would be for Encon .They would NOT be responding to a thousand calls the third week of April.
also the smaller local ponds would produce for longer periods of time .Kids will only fish as long as they are catching fish. I know when I was growing up once fishing slowed down at Glenn Lochen and J.B Williams my local ponds Ilost interest and found "other" things to do .Not always good things either :rolleyes:
we need to make the best of our trout resource.
Husky : I am just thinking it might be nice to protect the spawning bass from being disturbed while on nests
I understand where you are coming from. The opponents of a closed season on bass will point to Candlewood and the incredible fishing pressure it receives in May and early June with no apparent ill effects on the bass population. Gardner gets a ton of fishing pressure every year during the spawn and its still the bestlake for smallies east of the river.
In my opinion, the harvest of many bass through the ice is alot more harmful to the bass population than catch and release fishing in May and June.
In Maine, the creel limit is reduced to 1 from early May through mid June, which basically eliminates all tournaments during that 5 or 6 week window. I could live with that. In Michigan, there is a closed season on bass. Guys go "pike fishing" and "accidentally" catch and release loads of bass.
From a selfish standpoint, I love bass fishing when the fish are all up shallow, but I would be in favor of a "no bed fishing" regulation, although it would be very difficult to enforce.
#667818 - 02/01/0501:03 AM
Re: Abolish Opening day of Trout season
Michael-SW CT
Member
Registered: 09/17/01
Posts: 16283
Loc: Bridgeport
I agree with you Mike. The state should follow along with Mass. I always start to feel tired after the season ends at Great Hollow Lake and end up barely doing any fishing. I always enjoy waiting for a trout to hit my bait and lure and have lately been very interested in getting out after those winter trout.
If bluefish were to grow as big as giant bluefins, then there would be nothing left out there except for blues!
#667819 - 02/01/0511:42 AM
Re: Abolish Opening day of Trout season
kayak fisher
Member
Registered: 02/24/04
Posts: 2052
Loc: milford
living close to the shoreline, I'm one of those who fish for trout for a couple of weeks, waiting for the striper action to heat up. I hate the opening day crowds, so I wait a day till Sunday morning, and would be amazed at how few people are fishing. One of the problems I see with spreading the stockings out for a year round fishery is that the majority of streams they stock have very few fishable areas after June. the state stocks just about every local stream, which takes fishing pressure away from the major trout streams, which is good, but come July, any trout left would probably die from lack of oxygen in the low water that is left in these streams. I remember looking foward to opening day every year as a great outing among friends. the die hard fisherman can fish year round, thru the ice, management areas, salmon streams,and lakes and streams come April. I think we should leave it the way it is.
In the good old days, I must admit to looking forward to opening day. Tradition. However, in the past fifteen years or so, I don't even bother to go out. I take a ride to see what's going on, but that's about it. When I had my choice of days off, I took Monday and Thursday. A lot less competition. I just don't think you'll see year around trout fishing. Too much money to be made with an opening day.
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