Can I fish here?

[OhioOutdoorsman]

I usually avoid streams with any signage, but am somewhat confused by this signage found on approved trout water:



What do you make of it? I assumed the newer PFBC signs were adendums or exceptions to the no tresspassing signs since it is approved trout water. What do you all think?

 

[shipnfish2006]

My sportsmans club has those walk in only signs by the dozens and we're required by the PFBC to put them up in any posted area that we are allowed to stock by the landowner. If the landowner doesn't want those signs up then we dont stock.

Normally when you see those contradicting signs it means the area is posted only to hunting.

 

[OhioOutdoorsman]

Thanks. Thats what I figured. Mostly a ban on hunting/ATV use, I guess. So if the landowner does not allow walk in use, they don't get stocked.

Don't have tons of posting problems around here.....

 

[shipnfish2006]

OhioOutdoorsman wrote:
So if the landowner does not allow walk in use, they don't get stocked.

Not always the case, but normally it is. Sometimes the stocker and landowner are in together and stock it because theyre buddies. Also sometimes its hard to say whats on the stockers mind with sportsmans clubs conducting it, Ive seen people selfishly stock in streams that werent supposed to be stocked. No one is watching them so they just go where they wanna fish... aka their backyard stream thats about 3 feet wide and becomes a trickle in the summer...

 

[JackM]

shipnfish2006 wrote:
My sportsmans club has those walk in only signs by the dozens....

Could you send me a handful please? I have a certain piece of property owned by the Mellon Family that I would like to use them on. Thanks much! :-o

 

[Chaz]

It really gets dicey when there is a Fishing Permitted Walk in Only Sign, an Approved Trout Waters Sign and a No Fishing Sign. But the no Fishing Sign applies when the season is closed if you read the fine print.

 

[OhioOutdoorsman]

Have you guys found a call to the local PFBC to be useful in these cases?

These signs are all up and down almost the entire length of the stocked, approved trout water section of this stream. This is the first time I've encountered signifigant posting on any of the 10 or so streams I frequent.....don't know what the history is on this one, only found it this year.

Ironically, there is a sportmans club on this stream.....maybe I'll stop in/call there and ask around.

 

[troutbert]

It means you are allowed to go on the property to fish. But not for any other purpose.

Fishing yes. Berrypickers, birdwatchers, and tree huggers stay out!

 

[salvelinusfontinalis]

you got it troutbert!
those signs are often bought as a generic cure all. it just includes all activities. fishing permitted signs trumps posted. as maurice sais to me! :-D
besides the landowner may have bought the property with the signs already up and opened it to fishing. or changed thier mind. either way...you can fish it. have fun! :-D

 

[Maurice]

Troutbert is right...the Fishing permitted trumps the NO TRESSPASSING sign for fishing only.

Once I took a buddy to a common approved trout water in our watershed. THe fishing permitted signs were missing and he said, we can't fish here it's posted. I said would you feel better if it said fishing permitted? He said yes. So I got a sign out of my car and put it up with a screw gun. When his mouth came up from the ground, we fished. On the way back, the landowner was driving down the field and I stopped him to talk, introduced myself and told him I put up the sign...he said he wondered when they were going to replace them.

Truth is it is largely left up to clubs and civilians to distribute the signage. But we get them from the WCO's and it is left to our discretion on where to put them. But they SHOULD be visible on any approved trout water. Or any water where PF&BC Co-op fish are stocked. But it is NOT a requirement for the clubs. However, Co-ops MUST stock fish where the public is welcome to fish.

Maurice