In my opinion, abolish Opening Day, and it will play out like this:
1)License sales, and therefore revenues, will drop like a rock (and they will, they dropped dramatically in MA when they did it)
2)The DEP budget will be cut, because they are bringing in less revenue to the general fund.
3)Because of the budget cuts, less trout will be stocked
4)Because less trout are stocked, even fewer licenses will be sold
5)Repeat steps 1-4 until rock bottom is reached.
It's kind of like the Trout Stamp idea. If we have a trout stamp that brings in an additional $1 miilion in revenue, somhow, somewhere, the DEP will find its' budget cut by $1 million, and we will have paid the extra for nothing.
In an ideal world, neither of the scenarios above would occur. However, we don't live in an ideal world. Especially when it comes to properly funding the DEP in CT.
#667882 - 03/18/0603:54 PM
Re: Abolish Opening day of Trout season
MikeG
Member
Registered: 01/20/02
Posts: 13088
Loc: NW CT
Great points catch22.
My 2 cents..........
1)License sales, and therefore revenues, will drop like a rock (and they will, they dropped dramatically in MA when they did it)
They might drop the first year or two but will level out in the long run.The lack of opening day will also draw anglers from other states who will need to purchase liscenses to fish in CT. Drive by the Farmington on any given day and you will see the out of staters out number the CT plates.
2)The DEP budget will be cut, because they are bringing in less revenue to the general fund.
We as fisherman need to lobby for MORE $$$ for the DEP the state will listen if the number of voices is loud enough.
The DEP will save money from not having to pay staff overtime to get the stocking done by opening day.
3)Because of the budget cuts, less trout will be stocked.
But we will have more trout overall because we will not be losing 60% of the annual trout stocking in a 2 week period.
4)Because less trout are stocked, even fewer licenses will be sold
It may be true but fishing will be better for longer periods than just the two weeks after opening day.
5)Repeat steps 1-4 until rock bottom is reached.
I daubt it will ruin trout fishing in CT. Overall CT DEP has created a world class trout fishery on some of the waters that can hold trout year long and some big trout at that. CT draws anlgers from all over already which brings in added revenue.
Getting rid of opening day may cause some minor inconveinaces but overall it will only benifit the fishery and us as anglers in general.
#667883 - 03/18/0604:34 PM
Re: Abolish Opening day of Trout season
BigLee
Member
Registered: 11/13/05
Posts: 1132
Loc: New Milford CT
I would like to see it moved up to the first weekend in April. If Dep can stock Candlewood when there is still ice on the lake they can do it two weeks earlier. I watched the hatchry truck drill a hole and dump trout in two weekends ago. My reason is this. Spring break for CT schools is normally the week before fishing season starts. I would much rather lose a couple of fish to the kids that first week and generate new fisherman and women. If we only got a hundred new kids each year that would not normally not ever fish the long term results would be incredibly benificial for the sport.
Have a safe time on the water and may that tight line be pulling back.
A member of Schaghticoke Bassmasters http://members.tripod.com/~bassmasters_ct/index.html A member of the TBF. The Bass Federation Tournament Bass Fishing for everyone. http://www.ct-tbf.com/
Catch 22 - I think you are forgetting the license money goes to the General fund and not directly to the DEP. IMHO the DEP is already not getting their fair share. ENCON has it's plate full as it is and they do not get the manning and budget they need to provide the coverage they need. They have a very broad job description with many other areas than just enforcement of fish and game laws and make do with very little. Mike brings up a good point about the extra man hors needed as well. Not just for stocking, but also for enforcement.
I'm not sure I follow your logic on out of state anglers. Why would a lack of opening day attract more? Has MA sold considerably more non-res licenses since they did away with opening day?
As far as lobbying for more $$$ for DEP, that's iffy at best. License buying fishermen probably make up no more than 5% of the population. Politicians are probably not going to be to willing to listen to such a small group. As it stands, they haven't listened to us too much in the past.
Quote:
The DEP will save money from not having to pay staff overtime to get the stocking done by opening day.
I never thought of that. Good point. I'd be interested to know the amount of OT created by stocking relative to the DEPs budget.
Quote:
But we will have more trout overall because we will not be losing 60% of the annual trout stocking in a 2 week period.
Let's not forget that those fish are put in to be caught, and (mostly) kept. 90%+ of the trout fisherman fish for the first two weeks, then are gone. Since they take only 40-60% of the fish in those two weeks, I figure we're ahead of the game.
Quote:
fishing will be better for longer periods than just the two weeks after opening day.
With less trout to go around, I'm not sure that would be the case.
Quote:
I daubt it will ruin trout fishing in CT.
Trout fishing in CT is mostly artificial anyway. It may not ruin it, but could cause less opportunities for trout fishing.
Quote:
Overall CT DEP has created a world class trout fishery on some of the waters that can hold trout year long and some big trout at that.
The Farmington and Housatonic are it. Other than the TMA designation and stocking the snot out of them to make up for deficient natural reproduction, it's the rivers themselves, not the DEP, that has made them "world class". The Farmington with its' cold water releases, and the Housatonic with its' limestone substrate.
Quote:
CT draws anlgers from all over already which brings in added revenue.
Really they're here due to the Farmington and the Housatonic. Not much will change there.
having opening day is not all about taking stock trout.for some its about getting together with old freinds that some of us dont see alot because of work ,family ,sickness and ect.that goes the same for RI.some of us can buy fish cheaper than we spend on tackel.the older i get the more i realize this.
quote: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Catch 22 - I think you are forgetting the license money goes to the General fund and not directly to the DEP. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nope, I'm not forgetting. From my post above:
2)The DEP budget will be cut, because they are bringing in less revenue to the general fund.
My point is they already take/steal money from the DEP. Call it cutting funds without using the actual term. FWIW as a footnote, I'd like to see a breakdown of General Fund spending sometime. I'm sure we'd all be suprised at how much comes back to the sportsmen who are probably the biggest contributors.
After looking at the pro's and cons, I would prefer to abolish opening day. I think , overall, if would be a good thing for fisherman. A big change, but a good one.
Just think, all the lakes, ponds and streams stocked with trout are closed now, with the exception of TMA's. If there were not an opening day you could be fishing those areas now, that's right, now.
I have a dream, a dream that one day all fisherman can enjoying fishing, regardless of the time of year.
#667890 - 03/20/0604:10 PM
Re: Abolish Opening day of Trout season
Michael-SW CT
Member
Registered: 09/17/01
Posts: 16283
Loc: Bridgeport
Quote:
Posted by Jeremiah G Just think, all the lakes, ponds and streams stocked with trout are closed now, with the exception of TMA's. If there were not an opening day you could be fishing those areas now, that's right, now.
Just like I said. I wish there was no opening day and the season was open year round so then I can be fishing for trout at Great Hollow Lake. That's the best and easiest place for me to go to and fish for trout, especially with me having to rely on a person to get me there.
If bluefish were to grow as big as giant bluefins, then there would be nothing left out there except for blues!
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