Each year I buy a freshwater license to support the tradition and to cover me if I have to follow fish from the salt to the fresh. I fish for trout one day a year..Opening day...because its a tradition. I get up early, drag my son to the fisherman's breakfast while he's still asleep, get out the flashlight and find our way to that "secret hole". We wait anxiously for the start, catch our fish, and an hour later are ready to go home. Momma can't understand the ritual. the next day the banks are barren and trodden by careless fishermen. Lines and lures hang from the trees, and the fish are suddenly either gone or much wiser.
Mike, you have some nice fishable waters in your area that we don't have. And, you have the chance to catch trout for extended periods. We envy you.
My suggestions:
Keep opening day, its a tradition.
Stock the lakes and streams with fish that will survive. Younsters like to catch fish, me too, but stocking trout in warm water streams makes no sense. There are other fish to stock and catch besides trout, and they could provide holdover fishing. Smallmouth, largemouth, catfish, etc., will put as big a smile on a kids face as any trout and can survive longer. The same is true of hunting. Do we always need to stock pheasants for the foxes, or would a grouse or two be a better answer depending on the habitat.
The other day there was an article in the Courant about PETA asking them to delete their fishing column. It was a good article and done with tongue in cheek. The only thing out of whack is the Courant doesn't run a fishing column. Unfortunately thats where we are now. Coverage of opening day fishing or hunting is a rarity as we often don't want to upset people who can't understand the beauty there is in these traditions. I would like to be able to go out all year, and would hope the state supports my interests, but I don't think thats going to happen unless there is a serious cultural and economic change. In the meantime, I'll make sure to buy my son whatever he needs to take his son/daughters fishing on opening day, and if he can't make it I will take them myself.

Ditto to T-Man and Andrew. It is not about the fishing. It is about tradition. My dad did it with his dad, I did it with my dad, my son with me and now his sons with him. This is a day for sleep overs or camp outs. Breakfast and stories about previous opening days.And the anticipation. Man, there is nothing quite like opening day.Let the two week fisherman have their fun. I'm out almost every week till ice comes so there are still plenty of fish to catch.

no matter wut we pay for the licence we pay for the fish thats how i look at it but i dont always fish for trout cept for fly fishing and C&R is my motto unless it bleeds like a effin fool.

Opening day is a tradition for me..I enjoy going through all the gear with my 9 yr old son the week before.We look forward to gettting up early( 4am) for the fisherman's breakfast( riverton)and watching all the crazy people trying to fish.When the zoo thins out(9am) we fish till dark .These are memories in the making.
I do hate that every where we fish their is some kind of litter that we have to pick up,and the thought that people who keep the fish may never eat them.We release 95% of our fish.

everyone weighed in on this topic
i rarely if ever ,add my two cents but after
this opener,i cannot hold back.
I think the pictures in the Waterbury papers
on Sunday said it better than I ever could
Opening Day is a holiday for many many people
In a world where things seem to change all of the time,isnt it nice that we still have something to look forward to every year, that brings a smile to almost everyones face.even non anglers get a tremendous kick out of it.with all of the horrible crap in the news each day,it was a pleasure to see footage of kids and grownups having a wonderful time.
I know that my wife and I would miss the tradition
of the opener,even if we dont go for trout.
the fishermans breakfast,the comradery,seeing
dads and moms out with their kids w/o a cell phone,or some sort of electronic device glued to their ears.not even near a mall-imagion that.not to mention that for many
the opener is when they caught their first fish
or first trout and how proud they are of that
fish hanging on a stringer.
my worthless opinion-we have screwed up enough things in this state-leave it alone and just enjoy it or dont go.And it doesnt hurt to pick up after others
i agree that there is too much trash and crap left by our streams and ponds.bring a plastic bag and pick it up.that is the best thing we can do.keep the opener-our kids need it.