Harvest or sport

[troutbert]

The fishermen are responding to the type of trout fishing being presented and promoted. They are acting rationally, or at least predictably, to the situation.

They know that the streams near them only have significant numbers of trout for short periods of time, on opening day, and right after inseason stockings. They know that the fish are quickly removed.

So, what's the logical thing to do in those circumstances? Join the throng, and git it while you can.

On delayed harvest areas, the amount of time there are significant numbers of trout in the stream is MONTHS, not HOURS.

The SITUATION on DH areas is very different, so the angler BEHAVIOR is very different. It makes perfect logical sense that it would be.

There is no point in decrying the behavior of the anglers. They are simply reacting to the situation presented.

If you want to change the behavior, you have to change the way stocked trout are managed.

 

[Colweb78]

Although i fly fish solo generally and treat the hobby with respect, i do all my other fishing (mostly spincasting trout/bass) with my wife and, honestly, we don't care if we catch much and always release what we do. Its all about the wildlife , scenery, the drive, maybe grabbing breakfast or lunch, hiking and photos. I think in summer she cares more about her tan than the size of the bass.

i tend to think of the first-dayers as non-fishermen, just there to check it off their list of tasks for the year. I don't mean that in a snobbish way - each to their own. But most of my friends and colleagues who are fishermen dont ask 'how big?' or 'how many?' They ask 'how was it?' Meaning the trip as a whole because they know its about the adventure not the statistics.

 

[The_Sasquatch]

troutbert wrote:
The fishermen are responding to the type of trout fishing being presented and promoted. They are acting rationally, or at least predictably, to the situation.

They know that the streams near them only have significant numbers of trout for short periods of time, on opening day, and right after inseason stockings. They know that the fish are quickly removed.

So, what's the logical thing to do in those circumstances? Join the throng, and git it while you can.

On delayed harvest areas, the amount of time there are significant numbers of trout in the stream is MONTHS, not HOURS.

The SITUATION on DH areas is very different, so the angler BEHAVIOR is very different. It makes perfect logical sense that it would be.

There is no point in decrying the behavior of the anglers. They are simply reacting to the situation presented.

If you want to change the behavior, you have to change the way stocked trout are managed.

Agreed. I was thinking this the whole time. They act this way because this is the image of trout fishing that the fish commission puts forth. This is the "tradition" of "trout season" in PA.

 

[outsider]

My father taught me catch and release in the 60's, recognizing the value of catching a more wary opponent the second or third time around. But the general trout fishing population doesn't get it. OK, kill a few fish - stockies taste like crap anyways; at least wait until they feed on natural foods for a while and taste better.

And I stopped hunting pheasants decades ago when I had to literally kick a stocked pheasant in the azz to get it to fly. I regret to this day killing that bird. At the same time, I realized that pheasant, or any other stocked pheasant had a snowballs chance in he!! of making it more than a few weeks in the wild. What a disgrace and sham. And then there is the cost per bird to raise and stock them.....stop it already! Pheasant hunting is over and done with in PA period.

 

[troutbert]

Rapid Removal Regs, 5 trout per day, leads to this kind of behavior.

2 trout per day might spread the fishing out a little more over time.

This might result in more civilized fishing behavior, more people catching at least one trout i.e. less people getting skunked, so might lead to more angler enjoyment, leading to more repeat license sales.

 

[PhilC]

Stenonema wrote:
Propagation of fish and fisherman.

I have a problem with dependence. I despised being on unemployment.

While our fisherman are catching fish the PFBC is trying to catch fisherman to save jobs. Trout are the quarry and the bait.

We should be smarter.

Match the hatch