3/24 youth fishing day rules

[Fredrick]

moon1284 wrote:
Why would you need a program for a kid to fish with an adult? They can do that anytime, anywhere. The program is to get more kids involved in fishing and to give the kids an advantage because they can fish before the season opens.

Any adult fishing during MYD is not a real fisherman and should be embarrassed. An adult that gets so excited at the prospects of catching stocked trout, and lacks self control to the point he cannot contain himself and needs to fish instead of sitting back and watching a kid fish is not a good sportsman, conservationist, or mentor.

Or a good parent, every time I take my son fishing its about him he's 9 . Our sessions only last about a hour but when we go there is only one rod and its always in his hands unless I'm demonstrating something for him to learn.

 

[wbranch]

Moon1284 wrote;

Why would you need a program for a kid to fish with an adult? They can do that anytime, anywhere. The program is to get more kids involved in fishing and to give the kids an advantage because they can fish before the season opens.

Any adult fishing during MYD is not a real fisherman and should be embarrassed. An adult that gets so excited at the prospects of catching stocked trout, and lacks self control to the point he cannot contain himself and needs to fish instead of sitting back and watching a kid fish is not a good sportsman, conservationist, or mentor.

Two great comments. Kids can fish anywhere and anytime as long as it is a legal season and they are not trespassing. The YMD may be important to demonstrate the sport of fishing to a youth but once they start enjoying it they don't really need an adult present except maybe to drive them to where they would like to fish.

The second comment is spot on and any adult who brings a youth to a MYD really needs to exercise self control and remember the real reason they are taking a youth fishing.

 

[717BrownTown]

The first year they had a MY day my son was 15. On stocking day I ask the WCO about the rules and he said it was for adults and kids. So I thought why not fish with him. On opening day my Son and I camped out at our cabin along the creek. This was the first year owning the property and it was the start of a tradition for us. We woke up at 5am and cooked breakfast creek side. My dad joined us for breakfast and we talked about fishing stories when I was a kid until start time. At 8am there were only 2 guy with 4 kids on the stream.
That year my son decided he wanted to fish with the fly rod more. So it was a great chance to work with him and show him different techniques. We fished until dark and covered miles of stream. If there was someone in a hole fishing we moved to the next. We had a great day fishing together, we caught a lot of fish including 4 fish over 20". My son caught his personal best 24" golden. All fish were released to catch again next week on opening day.

Since that day my son has fished 90% of the time with a Fly rod.

 

[717BrownTown]

I have had some bad experiences with adults fishing during MY day. The first year they had a MY day was the first trout season I owned the property along a popular trout stream. My son had just caught and released a 24" golden. I was cleaning up trash left behind on the bank when two guys pulled in. They came down to the stream and seen the Golden in the hole and yelled for a kid to come down. He yelled back I am cold and tired I am not getting out of the car. After a few cuss words and threats of beating the kid came down caring just a net. We was about 14-15. He sat on the bank as the two adult fished for the golden. I continued to clean up and I her a splashing and see the golden role over. As I got to the creek I saw the hook pop out of it's back. I said to I hope you aren't trying to snag. He cussed me out and told b=me to get out of here and mind my own business. That kind of set me off because it was my land that he was fishing on I told him I was going to sit right here and watch him fish and if he didn't like it he could fish elsewhere. he stormed off cussing. him and the kid went o the car. the other guy came down and apologized for his friend I told him he should go join his friend since it was quitting time and there were no kids with him. He said he was going to make one more cast he thinks that fish will bite. Now my son just landed it 30 minutes ago and the other guy had a hook in its back. I said good luck come back next week and try for him. I got 20 yards away from the creek and I hear a splashing. He had the golden in his net with a spinner stuck in the side of it's head. I said I hope you are going to throw that back since it was snagged. he said it was a clean catch "right in the mouth" as he ran to his car.

The next year We get to the creek at 5:30 am on MY day and there are 6 chairs on the bank where we have our fire ring and breakfast tent. usually people will fish the road side of the creek. Because either you wade threw a deep hole to get to my side or it is a long walk. We went on with our breakfast and a guy and his wife come wading through the hole in the dark carrying two sleeping kids. From the middle of the creek he is yelling that is his spot. I said not problem since he had to young kids I had no issue. I invited them up to sit by the fire and offered breakfast. So since they were fishing their we moved up to the next hole. At 5 minutes to 8 he here guys yelling and look down here that guy cast in early and hooked a big golden before anyone else could cast He quickly handed the rod to his wife who held it in front a 5-6 year old daughter and reeled for her as he ran out with a musky net and netted the fish. the fish wasn't hooked more than a minute. because when I walked down to see him putting the fish on a stringer it was 7:57. I said you know its not even start time and you cant keep a fish that you hooked. I didn't push the issue because the girl was excited about the fish.
I later found out he was related to one of the guys that snagged the fish out the year before and he gave me a fake name when we were talking in the morning.

it is stuff like this that gives the day a bad name.
thank goodness for remote Mountain streams full of wild trout.
I still go opening day because it is a tradition. Last year we were still cooking breakfast at starting time.
I have noticed that the stream was fished out more by opening day due to less fish stocked and the popularity of the MY day.

 

[salmonoid]

moon1284 wrote:
Why would you need a program for a kid to fish with an adult? They can do that anytime, anywhere. The program is to get more kids involved in fishing and to give the kids an advantage because they can fish before the season opens.

You ask a question in your first sentence, seemingly implying the program isn't needed. Then you answer it in your third sentence, as to precisely why it exists and why it is needed. Or maybe I'm misunderstanding what you are trying to say.

Any adult fishing during MYD is not a real fisherman and should be embarrassed. An adult that gets so excited at the prospects of catching stocked trout, and lacks self control to the point he cannot contain himself and needs to fish instead of sitting back and watching a kid fish is not a good sportsman, conservationist, or mentor.

You paint all adults with too wide a brush. I was not and am not embarrassed to fish with my kids on MYD. Having an adult fish with kids on MYD is not mutually exclusive with that adult being a good sportsman, conservationist, or mentor. There's plenty of room to fish, demonstrate proper technique, assist with casting, etc. It's called teaching. A good teacher is involved. Kids don't always learn by an adult telling them what to do. Showing them is part of the teaching process. Elbowing the kids or other adults out of the way, however, is not something you will see me do on MYD. Last year, MYD was a much nicer day weather-wise to be out than the SE regional opener as well. Sometimes, you have to take the opportunities to get out when you can.

MYD is one of two days out of the year that I fish over (or am in a section that has) stocked trout, intentionally. The other is Opening Day and I take my kids to a childrens' section of a stream. The oldest is now too old to fish there, but to see her face when she landed a 24" rainbow on her own a few years ago is a priceless memory. And I was not ashamed or embarrassed to net the fish for her. Or to carry my nephew across the stream last year, so he could fish there as well, since he didn't have waders.

 

[moon1284]

I probably came across too harsh. I have no problem with the program, i just dont think adults should fish.

My point was the day is for introducing kids to fishing. I have no problem with an adult helping net a fish or helping cast or even hooking fish and handing the rod to a kid to fight the fish.

I do feel strongly that the adult should show some restraint and not fish. By fish I mean have their own rod and catch fish themselves. To me that ruins the whole point about Mentored Youth Day. It's not called family fishing day, that can be any day of the year. The spirit of MYD is to let kids get first crack at stocked fish.

 

[poopdeck]

Why wouldn't an adult fish with his kid. At 9 years old I didn't need fishing "sessions" with my dad and we were quite capable of fishing all on our own. I'm glad dad didn't hold "sessions" out there for me. Fishing was fun, sessions would have been unbearable. Personally I believe very few fathers have "sessions" with their kids but it sure sounds loving.

All of you elitists that don't fish stocked creeks should really have nothing to say about fishing in stocked creeks.

For the record I'm 98% C&R. I do keep saltwater fish like flounder, sea bass and stripers as well as crappie and perch through the ice but that's about it. No I don't keep any trout stocked or otherwise. I don't fish opening day but I enjoy going out and watching the crowd. Elistists tend not to see the forest through the trees on opening day or MYFD.

The law is clear. You can fish on MYFD's but you can't harvest. Sorry some of you guys have a problem with that but it's your problem so leave every other law abiding father alone and stop labeling them as a lesser angler and sportsmen then yourself. Can you really not see the elitist attitude there. Absolutely mind numbing.

I have no illusions that a very small percentage of people abuse it but it's not the norm or the majority. I can't even fathom the mindset of a fly fishermen who thinks the majority of adults fishing on MYFD's has a proxy kid for the sole purpose to fish.

No I don't have any children of mentoring age and they didn't have the program when I did or I would have been out there fishing with them. Better that then to go on opening day where all the elitists who claim not to fish for stocked trout are out there yelling at all the kids for invading their personal 200 yards of creek.

 

[kbobb]

When I was a kid opening day was a big social event as well as fishing day - people selling hot dogs, drinks and flies off the back of their truck. My cousins and I were turned loose to wreak havoc on the trout and fisherman. It was a great time - we fished and ran around the stream. No one ever got pissed - we were kids and everyone was having fun. I'm still fishin and having fun doing it.
I wonder if kids today should just be turned loose on the stream to fish a little and otherwise have fun. Then if/when they get serious about fishing then have a mentor giving advice.

 

[wbranch]

I wrote;

The second comment is spot on and any adult who brings a youth to a MYD really needs to exercise self control and remember the real reason they are taking a youth fishing.

After reading all the comments and learning that it is permissible for the adult to fish with the youth I figure that my response was uninformed and if the adult wants to fish with the youth why not enjoy the opportunity to really bond more with a child that you might wind up fishing with for the rest of your life?

 

[bearfisherman]

My kids would be upset if I didn't fish with them - it's their day, but they don't just want me to sit there.

 

[mattofcarlisle]

I haven't taken my girls to a MYD for a few years. Last time, we were on the Breeches - I had both girls with 2 spinning rods; I didn't take a rod myself. My oldest said she was tired and wanted me to make a few casts. I had made about two casts when an older "gentleman" walking briskly started yelling at me that I was not permitted to be fishing on the Youth Day. I politely tried to explain the rules to him, and he kept it up, getting in my face. I handed the rod back to my daughter and told them we were walking back to the car - all the while with this guy yelling and following us. My youngest, on the way home, asks "daddy, are all fishermen like that?" I explained that it's just the misinformed. We now wait for a few weeks in to the season to head out.

 

[SNJChef]

Unfortunately some people are just idiots and don't know how to act when kids are around. Good learning experience for the children how not to behave.

 

[bugger814]

I just think that it is amazing that when I was A kid and went fishing with my father or grandparents they had to yell at me to behave while at the stream so the adults could fish. Now 50 years later we have to yell at the adults to behave while at the stream so the kids can fish.

 

[FarmerDave]

mattofcarlisle wrote:
I haven't taken my girls to a MYD for a few years. Last time, we were on the Breeches - I had both girls with 2 spinning rods; I didn't take a rod myself. My oldest said she was tired and wanted me to make a few casts. I had made about two casts when an older "gentleman" walking briskly started yelling at me that I was not permitted to be fishing on the Youth Day. I politely tried to explain the rules to him, and he kept it up, getting in my face. I handed the rod back to my daughter and told them we were walking back to the car - all the while with this guy yelling and following us. My youngest, on the way home, asks "daddy, are all fishermen like that?" I explained that it's just the misinformed. We now wait for a few weeks in to the season to head out.

I applaud your restraint.

 

[PennypackFlyer]

Now if we can just get the parents to pickup after themselves and pass that on to their children our streams/parks would be much cleaner.