Commonly seeing anglers on stocked trout waters now

[Mike]

In the past week I have biked along or otherwise passed stocked trout waters six times in Berks and Lehigh Counties. In that time I have seen anglers five of six times. Nice weather brings them out.

 

[bigjohn58]

I'm hearing all kinds of reports of people out fishing on stocked trout streams that are currently not open to fishing. Sad what people take advantage of. Just shows the type of people we have.

 

[Swattie87]

I wonder how much of this happens normally, vs. specifically in response to what's going on right now? I know there's some general ignorance to not being able to fish STW's at all in the month of March to OD normally, and I've seen it happening in "normal" years before. A couple of the YT channels I watch depict guys fishing STW's recently, presumably in March. Some actually confirm the date. Some directly indicate the stream they're on. Others aren't named, but I recognize the stream and/or context clues. Not smart...I'd have to assume they don't know or understand the regs, or they wouldn't be doing that. They're all C&R-ing, and not keeping fish.

From a practical standpoint, you can't even be sure the STW has been stocked, since the list is down right now (for good reason IMO). Fishing many of the SE STW's before they're stocked would be pointless, for trying to catch Trout anyway, since most don't support wild Trout and holdover little to none of last year's stockers.

All that being said, a safer way for the state to abate OD crowds, may be to open all Trout angling now, and simply not disclose the stocking dates at all this year. This would allow the fish to be caught and utilized once they're stocked, but not build the crowds that a traditional OD does. (All may be a mute point eventually anyway if fishing is deemed to not be allowed under the SIP/SAH requirements.)

 

[PennypackFlyer]

It's a normal occurrence that I see people fishing prior to opening day on Pennypack Creek.

One Gent I approached thought that since he was catch and releasing his fish it was ok.

I read somewhere that stocking was going to be delayed.

 

[afishinado]

I believe, unintended as it may be by the FBC, because of the change in stocking policy, now stocking the entire season's allocation of trout at once and in a fewer places, plus not allowing help from volunteers to disperse the fish, 8am on April 18th will be a mega event with anglers fishing shoulder to get their share of fish dumped in at the bridge hole.

Hopefully the virus will have run it's course by then and/or anglers will use good judgement.

One can only hope.

 

[Swattie87]

afishinado wrote:
I believe, unintended as it may be by the FBC, because of the change in stocking policy, now stocking the entire season's allocation of trout at once and in a fewer places, plus not allowing help from volunteers to disperse the fish, 8am on April 18th will be a mega event with anglers fishing shoulder to get their share of fish dumped in at the bridge hole.

Agree. All the more reason to open it now IMO, not disclose the dates, and spread the crowds out. My personal opinion is we will only be in worse shape, virus wise, in mid-April than we are now. Looking at the trends, charts, and projections from other countries, that will likely be our peak period.

 

[Dave_W]

Swattie87 wrote:

All that being said, a safer way for the state to abate OD crowds, may be to open all Trout angling now, and simply not disclose the stocking dates at all this year. This would allow the fish to be caught and utilized once they're stocked, but not build the crowds that a traditional OD does. (All may be a mute point eventually anyway if fishing is deemed to not be allowed under the SIP/SAH requirements.)

Agree - makes sense.^

Like everything else right now, we just don't have enough answers, data, or past experience to know what the right course of action should be for specific questions such as this one. It would not surprise me if something like this were to be adopted in the upcoming days.

 

[PennKev]

My thinkng is at a point where I wonder if, from a public health standpoint, it may be better to open the trout season now and get it done with than to keep it as it is and do it when the number of coronavirus cases as tripled or quadruples.

 

[Bamboozle]

PennypackFlyer wrote:
It's a normal occurrence that I see people fishing prior to opening day on Pennypack Creek.

One Gent I approached thought that since he was catch and releasing his fish it was ok.

I have encountered the same excuse once on the Perkiomen Creek which begs the question of whether the FISHING PROHIBITED signs are of any value and if so, they need to put up more.

I also think there is an increase in the amount of general disregard for the rules because agencies are taxed with the pandemic. I've seen tractor-trailers FLYING (90 mph +) in the Turnpike construction zones because the State Police are busy with other things and ATV's flying down local roads like they are cars.

As for me, I don't say anything to anyone, I just turn them in if I see them!! That way, they'll REMEMBER!!

 

[Solitariolupo]

There’s no one stopping them from fishing just have to be 100yards away from the closed approved trout sections.

 

[Swattie87]

Solitariolupo wrote:
There’s no one stopping them from fishing just have to be 100yards away from the closed approved trout sections.

This is factually incorrect. STW's (unless the specific section is specified in the regs book) are closed in their entirety for the county in which they are listed.

From the reg book:

"These waters are closed to all fishing (including taking of minnows) from March 1 to 8 a.m. on the opening day of the trout season. A person shall be deemed to be fishing if he or she has in possession any fishing line, rod or other device that can be used for fishing while on or in any water or on the banks within 25 feet of any water where fishing is prohibited. Unless geographically designated in the Region Regulated Trout Waters section, the term stocked trout waters includes the entire stream from headwaters to mouth."

You need to go to the reg book for the Region and County you are looking to fish in. If simply the stream is named there, and not a specific section with an upper and lower limit, the whole stream in that county is closed from March 1st until OD.

 

[Mike]

They have been fishing in the stocked sections only after they have been stocked. That was my point.

Solitariolupo, there is no rule of the type that you mentioned. The only slack you might get is if you fish below a stocked section where the specific limits of stocking are listed in the Summary Booklet. That’s because in the old days some WCO’s allowed sucker fishing below the specified stocked section shown in the Summary Booklet. By the letter of the law you can’t fish anywhere in a stream during the closed season within the county(ies) under which it is listed in the Summary Booklet, except in special reg areas.

 

[JackM]

The rule in the woods is 6 yards or more.

 

[Solitariolupo]

That’s funny cause when I called and talked to someone at the fish comm about fishing some of the creeks. That’s what they said. There are no signs in the sections and the signs posted end. They said 100 yards away from the last sign. Not well written in the book.

 

[Mike]

I think that which Swattie included above as a quote from the reg book is darn clear. You might question what geographically designated means, but that simply means if the specific stocked segment is listed in the Summary Booklet along with the stream’s name. Some streams are listed that way, especially in SE Pa.

 

[Solitariolupo]

Sure did confuse me. That’s why I called in to make sure if I was allowed to fish it. And they said what I posted. Not trying to start nothing here could I have been misinformed yes but I’ve fished it and no problems. Yes there are approved trout waters that are all closed. Can others get confused yes. I’m not taking there side who are breaking the laws. Best if your not sure call in.

 

[JeffP]

Must have been 3 families fishing on Hammer Creek on Sunday. I hiked the creek up by the pumping station and they definitely stocked up there.

 

[Bamboozle]

It ain't rocket science and quite frankly, I honestly believe there are no more than three people out there that actually don't know the rules.

If you see signs saying "this water is stocked with trout, etc.", like I am positive are posted along Pennypack Creek and probably 100% of the other stocked streams, you can't fish PERIOD!!

Anybody who KNOWS where the stocked sections are, KNOWS they are stocked with trout around this time of year or they wouldn't be fishing there with "trout tackle." That's why you'll never see a soul on the same sections on a 50 degree day in February because they KNOW nothing has been stocked yet.

If they are fishing where they KNOW there are trout stocked, they KNOW they are NOT supposed to be fishing before the season opens. If they say they didn't know, they are full of it!

If you want to see a zoo, wait until April 4th which is the now CANCELLED Regional Opening Day. The BS'ers will be out in droves claiming they didn't know the earlier Opening Day was cancelled...

 

[laszlo]

I legally fished a ATW Sun Mar. 22 in York Co. hoping to find some fish. It was obviously not stocked yet but I ended up landing a brookie oddly small to be a holdover.

 

[Bamboozle]

laszlo wrote:
I legally fished a ATW Sun Mar. 22 in York Co. hoping to find some fish. It was obviously not stocked yet but I ended up landing a brookie oddly small to be a holdover.

How do you LEGALLY fish an ATW (now referred to as STW) on March 22nd when the season is closed?