PA Opening Day plans

I’ll be out locally and hoping to take a neighbor’s 9 yr old out.

I liked jifigz’s comment: “I love it when people start saying something is "fished out" after only a couple of weeks because they can't catch fish easily anymore.” It reminded me of doing opening day creel surveys and the frustrating amazement that I felt when anglers would ask me when the next stocking was going to occur two hours or less into opening day (after only a few hundred fish had been taken from a stream that received a couple of thousand). What I really wanted to say with all of the sarcasm that I could muster was “you’ve got to be kidding me!”
 
I’ll be out with my young son, Dad, and brother. Hoping to get a few fish but mainly just want to make sure my little guy has a fun time.
 
I’ll punt on Saturday. Earn some points with Mrs. Swattie and stay home, spend some time with her and our infant son, let her catch a good nap, make sure all the house chores are done, etc.

On Sunday I’m planning on going out with my neighbor to clean up some “leftovers”, as we’ve done the last few years. We, like a few others have mentioned, like to engage in a little Stocker Bonker action from streams that have wild fish in them. We’ll bonk the first 2 or 3 each, depending on size, then move on to fish some unstocked water for the rest of the day. Think we’re planning on heading up towards the Ricketts Glen area this year. Good luck everyone. If you’re fishing water with wild Trout, don’t hesitate to keep a few stocked fish.

Bonus points to the first who can identify this movie…Late 80’s/early 90’s kids will have a distinct advantage.

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Swattie87 said:
I’ll punt on Saturday. Earn some points with Mrs. Swattie and stay home, spend some time with her and our infant son, let her catch a good nap, make sure all the house chores are done, etc.

On Sunday I’m planning on going out with my neighbor to clean up some “leftovers”, as we’ve done the last few years. We, like a few others have mentioned, like to engage in a little Stocker Bonker action from streams that have wild fish in them. We’ll bonk the first 2 or 3 each, depending on size, then move on to fish some unstocked water for the rest of the day. Think we’re planning on heading up towards the Ricketts Glen area this year. Good luck everyone. If you’re fishing water with wild Trout, don’t hesitate to keep a few stocked fish.

Bonus points to the first who can identify this movie…Late 80’s/early 90’s kids will have a distinct advantage.

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I mean, I had a sweet Raphael costume my mom made when I was a kid for Halloween......she is a near legendary seamstress in these parts.....
 
jifigz said:
I mean, I had a sweet Raphael costume my mom made when I was a kid for Halloween......she is a near legendary seamstress in these parts.....
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Hahaha, very impressive. I did too, but it was Donatello, and my Grandmother was the seamstress.
 
Over on NJ's Opening Day I will be doing angler surveys. Been doing that for years and it is an interesting way to spend the day.
 
I’m headed to my buddy’s cabin. Two cabins down had over 100 people for OD last year. Food. Drinks. Fun. I rarely fish though.

I mostly fish solo, but I have always enjoyed the social aspect of opening day.
 
Mike said:
I’ll be out locally and hoping to take a neighbor’s 9 yr old out.

I liked jifigz’s comment: “I love it when people start saying something is "fished out" after only a couple of weeks because they can't catch fish easily anymore.” It reminded me of doing opening day creel surveys and the frustrating amazement that I felt when anglers would ask me when the next stocking was going to occur two hours or less into opening day (after only a few hundred fish had been taken from a stream that received a couple of thousand). What I really wanted to say with all of the sarcasm that I could muster was “you’ve got to be kidding me!”
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Although there may be a perceived shortage of fish by guys like that, there is certainly NO
shortage of guys like that. One year when I was helping stock here in Berks, I encountered a guy on Hay Creek one morning who was telling me that very thing. I went to the creek and fished while I waited for John, the truck, and the rest of the crew to show up. I caught and released at least 8 fish that morning, lost easily as many, and missed I don't know how many. This guy was in the park when I returned and proceeded to tell me there weren't any fish left and he was gonna wait for the stocking truck to show up and did I know when they would get there. I told him I didn't know (yeah I lied) and suggested he go fish, I proceeded to tell him what I caught and advised him to get his rod, quit complaining, and go fish. When the truck finally showed up, and he found out I was one of the helpers, he proceeded to call me names for not telling him what information I had. (Don't remember if this was still the time when we were not allowed to disclose this information.) Later that guy almost tripped me when was carrying a bucket of fish with a gigantic brown in it so he could see where it went.
 
flyguyfishing said:
I’m headed to my buddy’s cabin. Two cabins down had over 100 people for OD last year. Food. Drinks. Fun. I rarely fish though.

I mostly fish solo, but I have always enjoyed the social aspect of opening day.
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100 people! RUN AWAY! RUN AWAY!
 
Wife and I will hit a stocked water in Sullivan County, make a few ceremonial casts, maybe catch (and actually keep, I confess) a couple stockies, then head back to the truck to fire up the grill for some eggs and bacon, and fire up the JetBoil for some hot chocolate.....
 
There are streams that are fished out in a couple of days. And, there are streams where they never get fished out really. And everything in between. Having lived in various parts of the state, I can say that local experiences in one area are far, far different from the standard experience in others in terms of stream type, number of anglers, and angler culture. Even in the same area, the experience on different streams differs a lot, some streams just attract a certain type of fisherman.

A lot of smallish, slow, clear silty streams around here that are 95% frog water, aside from a few spots, you can walk along it and see what's in it by looking, no need to cast. That concentrates the fish, and the fishermen, into that remaining 5%. 30 guys will surround those spots opening morning, it's like the kiddie ponds, tangling each others lines, the whole deal. Most of them keep them. 80% of fish will be gone, either kept, or killed from deep hooking, within a week. A handful spread out into the frog water and you can see them, they get attacked daily.

But bigger water, or streams with more holding water and more places to hide without being seen, farther from major population centers, the fish spread out, the fishermen spread out, most guys release their catch without harming the fish, and there's plenty of fish as long as the water stays cold.
 
I like to think there's a local economic boost from the trout opener, but I haven't participated for many years. It's more fun to over-under the cars counted, than it is ducking bait and hardware. I'll be in Central PA on Easter weekend to pull our youngest out of college for a few days' rest. We might try some small water. Early the next week, I'll be at the in-laws' for a visit and I might be able to put my mentor into some project water somewhere in Western PA. In any case, we won't even get out of the car if things appear to be shoulder-to-shoulder.
 
wildtrout2 said:
This is true, but it would also likely include the Sunday following the "opener". ;)
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IF it rains...

...although...

...Opening Day advocate economists technically define that as "local economic boost from the DAY AFTER the trout opener" while the bookkeepers for houses of worship refer to the same thing after the fact as a "decrease in the basket..." :rolleyes:
 
I'll be doing anything other than partaking in the madness. In the last 35 years, think I did one when I was just getting the nephews started fishing.

Plus, think I'm scheduled to wear the easter bunny torture suit for kids to get photos this weekend. 40 minutes in that suit and you are ready to pass out.
 
Really, the economic shot in the arm mostly comes in the weeks/days leading up to the opener, and probably shortly afterwards. Either way, I avoid fishing until "my streams" warm up.
 
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