The fall spawn fish it or not fish it ?

[Fredrick]

Just curious , how many of you guys give trout a break during the spawn ? I usually stop fishing for wild trout after the first week in November and don't start back until middle of January . You can never be to careful I am always worried that I could accidently step on a red or spook two fished paired up forcing them to separate . Usually if I need a trout fix I hit the local stocked stream during this time. . I always wondered why the commish never proposed a closed season for trout like they do for bass for their spawn . Thoughts ?

 

[bigjohn58]

I leave it alone around here. Only spawn I'll fish is up in the NY tribs. I never liked bothering our trout while they are spawning. Our resources are too important!

 

[fritz]

I do. Sometimes I start going by mid December or so being carefull where I wade if I do wade.

 

[afishinado]

Fredrick wrote:
Just curious , how many of you guys give trout a break during the spawn ? I usually stop fishing for wild trout after the first week in November and don't start back until middle of January . You can never be to careful I am always worried that I could accidently step on a red or spook two fished paired up forcing them to separate . Usually if I need a trout fix I hit the local stocked stream during this time. . I always wondered why the commish never proposed a closed season for trout like they do for bass for their spawn . Thoughts ?

The only closed season for bass is in the lower Susky basin because of a population decline from a disease issue. C&R (immediate release) is allowed for bass in nearly all other PA waters.

Pretty much the same rules apply for PA trout fishing in unstocked streams > C&R immediate release.

It's up to the angler to decide to fish during the spawn (fall trout and spring bass). The temptation to fish for more easily caught and very large spawning fish exists at that time. I know I'm not the only one that shakes his head when seeing the many grip & grin photos of large fish caught during the spawn > trout or bass.

Careful angling can be done during the spawn, unfortunately there are unscrupulous guys that take advantage of the open season and don't practice good sportsmanship.

Like you, I generally do not fish during the spawn for either species. If I do, I make sure I do not fish near or step into active redds. Generally I will avoid fishing wild trout streams in mid to late fall and do not fish for bass in in mid to late spring.

 

[Fredrick]

afishinado wrote:

Fredrick wrote:
Just curious , how many of you guys give trout a break during the spawn ? I usually stop fishing for wild trout after the first week in November and don't start back until middle of January . You can never be to careful I am always worried that I could accidently step on a red or spook two fished paired up forcing them to separate . Usually if I need a trout fix I hit the local stocked stream during this time. . I always wondered why the commish never proposed a closed season for trout like they do for bass for their spawn . Thoughts ?

The only closed season for bass is in the lower Susky basin because of a population decline from a disease issue. C&R (immediate release) is allowed for bass in nearly all other PA waters.

Pretty much the same rules apply for PA trout fishing in unstocked streams > C&R immediate release.

This is the only reg I could find concerning catch and immediate release for class A trout waters, but it only includes class A waters with a stocked section. There is several streams on there but I'm sure many are left out .

https://pfbc.pa.gov/fishpub/summaryad/trout-classa-stocked.htm

 

[afishinado]

Fredrick wrote:

afishinado wrote:

Fredrick wrote:
Just curious , how many of you guys give trout a break during the spawn ? I usually stop fishing for wild trout after the first week in November and don't start back until middle of January . You can never be to careful I am always worried that I could accidently step on a red or spook two fished paired up forcing them to separate . Usually if I need a trout fix I hit the local stocked stream during this time. . I always wondered why the commish never proposed a closed season for trout like they do for bass for their spawn . Thoughts ?

The only closed season for bass is in the lower Susky basin because of a population decline from a disease issue. C&R (immediate release) is allowed for bass in nearly all other PA waters.

Pretty much the same rules apply for PA trout fishing in unstocked streams > C&R immediate release.

This is the only reg I could find concerning catch and immediate release for class A trout waters, but it only includes class A waters with a stocked section. There is several streams on there but I'm sure many are left out .

https://pfbc.pa.gov/fishpub/summaryad/trout-classa-stocked.htm

Click on the Summary Book in your link and on page 10 all Class A's are listed as C&R in the extended season.

 

[moon1284]

I don't fish for trout from mid Oct to Jan. I think all streams with wild trout should be closed during these times. I think NY has it correct closing trout fishing from 10/15 to 4/1 - although they keep opening up more and more year round water.

NY also opened up bass fishing year round in the past few years (at least in the great lakes). Before bass were closed from 12/1 to 3rd saturday in June, but I think there was a special trophy season or catch and release season in this time period. I prefer a closed season for bass as well but to be honest the bass population in Lake Erie, the Niagara River, and Lake Ontario does not seem to be suffering.

In Western NY there are 7# + SMB caught all the time, but all of the pros come out of the woodwork in may. Catching huge SMB while they are on beds really doesn't take much skill.

I don't fish for steelhead when they are on their beds either, and in the few places I know with wild steelhead I try not to fish at all in sections where I know there is a lot of spawning.

 

[CLSports]

Dec 21st. is the winter solstice. Since they are fall spawners then they need to finish up by then.

 

[sarce]

I still fish but avoid actively spawning fish and try to stay out of the water. I do try to avoid brookie streams during spawning season, but will go after them post-spawn. Don't care about brown trout streams as much, more and more I've come to see them as an invasive, but with that said targeting fish on redds is just lame.

 

[jifigz]

I don't usually ever stop fishing for trout but I do actively avoid redds and fish on the redd. This year I haven't fished for quite a while for trout but that is due to my schedule. I don't think regs are warranted because most everyone is off of the streams by now, fishing pressure is so light for 99% of the waters come autumn, and wild trout continue to grow, expand, and thrive. Why restrict our greater liberties then if things are doing great?

 

[JasonC]

Actually just wrestled with this today and decided to fish a stocked stream and forego any fishing on wild streams. I mean, would you like it if someone barged your door down while spawning?

 

[Swattie87]

JasonC wrote:
I mean, would you like it if someone barged your door down while spawning?

You get used to it. The lock didn’t work on the door to my bedroom in my apartment senior year of college. My buddies made quite the sport of it, sneaking in and busting in the door. My gf at the time was a good sport fortunately.

 

[PennKev]

jifigz wrote:
I don't usually ever stop fishing for trout but I do actively avoid redds and fish on the redd. This year I haven't fished for quite a while for trout but that is due to my schedule. I don't think regs are warranted because most everyone is off of the streams by now, fishing pressure is so light for 99% of the waters come autumn, and wild trout continue to grow, expand, and thrive. Why restrict our greater liberties then if things are doing great?

+1

 

[Nymph-wristed]

As a general rule, I give them a break, but I don't take issue with anyone who fishes at that time, especially if like jfigz, sarce, and PennKev, they seem to know where and what to avoid.

The other school of thought is that if a 22" is aggressive around the spawn, or even on a redd, take your shot. The DNA of a 22" fish is all up in that ecosystem by now, true? Unknowingly treading all over fertilized eggs is one thing, by I am on the fence about tossing a streamer at a kyped up buck, like myself, in his sexual decline...

 

[ryansheehan]

It changes very little for me during the spawning the season. I adjust my wading habits some but I would do that this time of year anyway due to the colder air and water temps . I don't target spawning fish, but don't take issue with those who do. I believe every fishery is different. If you target spawning fish on a river where the brown trout per mile is off the charts and the place is loaded with small fish.......go for it. Targeting fish in those marginal systems with few trout is a different story for in my mind.

 

[10rman88]

This year I avoided fishing for brookies and Browns but in the past I have fished for browns during the spawn. Took the same precautions already mentioned such as avoiding wading as much as possible and not targeting fish that were on redds.

One thing I missed by not fishing was just enjoying seeing the fish do their thing. On the flip side I hit some stocked streams that I have not fished in a long time due to my love of wild trout. It was great to just relax and mess with some stocker bows.

 

[Nymph-wristed]

ryansheehan wrote:
It changes very little for me during the spawning the season. I adjust my wading habits some but I would do that this time of year anyway due to the colder air and water temps . I don't target spawning fish, but don't take issue with those who do. I believe every fishery is different. If you target spawning fish on a river where the brown trout per mile is off the charts and the place is loaded with small fish.......go for it. Targeting fish in those marginal systems with few trout is a different story for in my mind.

I agree and almost wrote something similar about the type creek in question being a factor.

 

[Brown71]

What ryansheehan said. Careful wading, don't target actively spawning fish.

This is the best time of year to catch big fish, if done carefully it I don't see the problem with it. Im not a real judgemental guy as long as your playing by the rules.

And you sure don't have to pick fish off of redds to find/catch some now.

90 percent of my very large fish are caught Oct through Dec.

 

[Acristickid]

Sound like a bunch of streamer-nymph Jim’s and Joes when everybody knows throwing sizes 18 and 20 olives and midges is safe.

 

[dryflyguy]

I quit fishing for brookies by October.
And most other streams by November