Why do we even still have an "Opening Day"?

[The_Sasquatch]

Concerning the "tradition" aspect, is it a tradition worth preserving? It was part of my childhood too, but for most people, I think this tradition-with it's opening day liturgical practices and all, only reenforce the "put and take" mentality that the overwhelming majority of opening day folks embrace.

 

[allan_s]

If they are going to stock then there needs to be a closed season to allow them to do a majority of it. Without the closed season could you imagine all the stockings having the truck chasers in tow. Nobody carrying buckets and just waiting for the few helpers to toss them so they can yank them out?

That would make for a good experience lol


edit: post above quote 'overwhelming majority of the opening day crowd' also provide the 'overwhelming majority' of funding through their license purchases.

They would be very fickle if 'their fishin hole' was messed with before they got a chance to set up camp on it. That would be a whole lot of revenue lost real quick.

Seems kinda obvious they will get what they want to a certain extent.

 

[NewSal]

Who cares, its nice to see people get excited about fishing, especially kids. I take my son out on opening day for an opportunity to catch a load of fish without a whole lot of effort, its great fun.
Then throughout the season I take him out on stocked streams as well, its hard to compete with video games, and fishing wild trout is difficult, once hes older and has some more patience and understanding we'll forego the stockies all-together, but for now, stocked streams are a great way to introduce kids, mine included.

If it wasnt for him you wouldnt catch me dead near any stocked stream on opening day, its a nuthouse on most streams, all to catch something a half a point above an aquarium fish. It takes about as much effort to grab a goldfish out of a fishtank than it does to catch a stocked trout on opening day, thus the appeal. Its a fun way to get most people outside and interested in fish. My son hopefully will grow up to be a wild trout/stream steward thanks in part to stocked streams being there to peak his interest in fishing. And I dont think there is absolutely anything wrong with adults getting excited over it either, its not my cup of tea, but I dont see a single thing wrong with it.
Not everyone has to share the same opinions as everyone else, as long as folks are out enjoying themselves then good on em.

 

[Mike]

Don't underestimate the challenge that stocked trout provide on opening day. Creel surveys have shown again and again that about 70 percent of the anglers go fishless on opening day and the same percentage go fishless on each of the eight to nine days that follow. Additionally, don't overestimate the difficulty that anglers have catching wild trout. Anglers interviewed in the statewide wild trout angler use and harvest survey had much higher catch rates than stocked trout anglers.

 

[troutbert]

What is done in other states that have a stocked trout program?

Do they have a similar opening day, or not?

 

[Brianh]

NJ and NY have similar opening days. The main difference in NY is that you don't have to wait until 8am.

 

[FarmerDave]

Mike wrote:
Don't underestimate the challenge that stocked trout provide on opening day. Creel surveys have shown again and again that about 70 percent of the anglers go fishless on opening day and the same percentage go fishless on each of the eight to nine days that follow. Additionally, don't overestimate the difficulty that anglers have catching wild trout. Anglers interviewed in the statewide wild trout angler use and harvest survey had much higher catch rates than stocked trout anglers.

Mike, I don't doubt your numbers at all, but it doesn't take into account a few likely assumptions.

1. Opening day, and fishing for stocked trout likely accounts for a higher number of novice anglers compared to those fishing for wild trout.
2. Freshly stocked pellet head trout don't act like trout.

I do agree that wild trout especially brook trout are easier to catch (for me), because they know how a trout is supposed to act. ;-)

NewSal, I do agree with you. Stocked trout and opening day does have it's place. But personally I'd rather they just open all the hatcheries to fishing. Think of the gas money the PF&BC would save.;-)

 

[NewSal]

Mike wrote:
Don't underestimate the challenge that stocked trout provide on opening day. Creel surveys have shown again and again that about 70 percent of the anglers go fishless on opening day and the same percentage go fishless on each of the eight to nine days that follow. Additionally, don't overestimate the difficulty that anglers have catching wild trout. Anglers interviewed in the statewide wild trout angler use and harvest survey had much higher catch rates than stocked trout anglers.

I really dont give a **** about what some survey says. My 7 year old son caught his limit opening day within an hour, it would take him all week to catch 5 fish on a wild stream by himself with no assistance from me.

You can argue this point by yourself because Im not going to comment back, but the point is, I absolutely dont care what a survey says, its night and day difference fishing wild trout and stocked trout, if you don't think so, maybe you aught to fish more.

 

[Andreas]

I would love to see all waters open all year. We could very easily limit when fish can be taken. Catch and release the rest of the year.

 

[wildtrout2]

NewSal wrote:
I really dont give a **** about what some survey says. My 7 year old son caught his limit opening day within an hour, it would take him all week to catch 5 fish on a wild stream by himself with no assistance from me.

Not if you explained to him the importance of fishing upstream. I believe he'd catch 5+ trout in no time at all on a wild stream. jmo

 

[sarce]

Is it possible that the wild trout catch rates are higher because the average opening day trout fisherman (who goes fishless for stocked trout) isn't aware that wild trout exist? The people targeting wild trout may be more serious/informed/skilled at catching fish in general. If all wild trout fishermen went to a stocked stream on opening day, I guarantee a majority would catch at least one stocked trout. Stocked trout can certainly be challenging, but for catch rate comparison I would think one key factor is who is targeting them.

 

[The_Sasquatch]

Mike wrote:
Don't underestimate the challenge that stocked trout provide on opening day. Creel surveys have shown again and again that about 70 percent of the anglers go fishless on opening day and the same percentage go fishless on each of the eight to nine days that follow. Additionally, don't overestimate the difficulty that anglers have catching wild trout. Anglers interviewed in the statewide wild trout angler use and harvest survey had much higher catch rates than stocked trout anglers.

I actually somewhat agree. I follow the Fish Commission on the facebook, and there are a TON of comments from "fishermen" complaining that there are no fish in the creeks, no one was catchin' anything, etc.

 

[FarmerDave]

Well, that is one of the problems with relying on someone else to put fish there, and counting on the fact that the fish will stay put.

One year we cleaned up on a stream, about 5 miles below the last stocking point. All freshly stocked trout, and we had as far as we could see to ourselves.

I may go back some day, so I aint saying where it was.

 

[bikerfish]

The good thing about opening day and stocked streams, they keep the streams I like to fish deserted! Fished a brookie stream near state college sat morning, not a person in sight, but plenty of trout, and some nice ones to boot, best I've done on that stream in fact.

 

[PennKev]

The_Sasquatch wrote:

Mike wrote:
Don't underestimate the challenge that stocked trout provide on opening day. Creel surveys have shown again and again that about 70 percent of the anglers go fishless on opening day and the same percentage go fishless on each of the eight to nine days that follow. Additionally, don't overestimate the difficulty that anglers have catching wild trout. Anglers interviewed in the statewide wild trout angler use and harvest survey had much higher catch rates than stocked trout anglers.

I actually somewhat agree. I follow the Fish Commission on the facebook, and there are a TON of comments from "fishermen" complaining that there are no fish in the creeks, no one was catchin' anything, etc.

From my observations, opening day is pretty much 10 guys fishing good fish-holding water and 100 guys fishing water that isn't.

The mind blowing thing is when you see guys fishing the same junk water when there is no crowding whatsoever, and there are still planted in the same spot when you walk by them again an hour opr two later.

The results are not surprising.

 

[Chaz]

Because a million anglers need that sign that says fish here.

 

[tomgamber]

troutbert wrote:
What is done in other states that have a stocked trout program?

Do they have a similar opening day, or not?

In Idaho the have a season for trout in streams and rivers. Most lakes are open all year. They have a lot of special regs areas. Many of their streams close again in mid through late June. Difference is just about every puddle of trickle holds fish. As a whole lot less peopl. it's work to get to much of it. or...You can fish right in downtown Boise, a city of close to 250,000 and have a nice stretch of good trout water to yourself.

 

[gulfgreyhound]

Georgia went to all streams open year round. Some special reg. ones are limited to FF only, C&R. They publish the stocking dates so no surprises there. They stock some weekly and others bi weekly. Tennessee stock and creeks are closed for 3 days after they are stocked. Granted there is less water in each of these and less pressure, but there are other options that might solve the problem? GG

 

[FarmerDave]

PennKev wrote:

The_Sasquatch wrote:

Mike wrote:
Don't underestimate the challenge that stocked trout provide on opening day. Creel surveys have shown again and again that about 70 percent of the anglers go fishless on opening day and the same percentage go fishless on each of the eight to nine days that follow. Additionally, don't overestimate the difficulty that anglers have catching wild trout. Anglers interviewed in the statewide wild trout angler use and harvest survey had much higher catch rates than stocked trout anglers.

I actually somewhat agree. I follow the Fish Commission on the facebook, and there are a TON of comments from "fishermen" complaining that there are no fish in the creeks, no one was catchin' anything, etc.

From my observations, opening day is pretty much 10 guys fishing good fish-holding water and 100 guys fishing water that isn't.

The mind blowing thing is when you see guys fishing the same junk water when there is no crowding whatsoever, and there are still planted in the same spot when you walk by them again an hour opr two later.

The results are not surprising.

This made me smile.

Reminded me of a day I had on Pithole Creek. There was a big hole below the stone arch bridge, and it was surrounded by anglers mostly fishing bait. I had fished further downstream and did Ok. On my way out, I hit a pocket just below the big hole and caught one right away and promptly released it.

I then moved to the other side of the bridge and hit another small pocket and immediately caught and released another. The dirty looks I got, and I wasn't even pinning.

I'm sure they thought it was junk water.

Then there was the time I fished opening day in Connecticut. I lived in an apartment in a converted grist mill, right on a trout stream. God I lived that place and wished I owned it.

As I am cleaning my limit of trout (5) in the kitchen sink, I look out the window and see a news crew interviewing anglers. Later I watched the local news, and most of those that were interviewed said they didn't catch anything. I smiled as I was eating a fresh trout dinner.

By the way, I kept two rainbows, two browns, and a brookie (all stocked trout).

So no. I don't doubt the stats Mike provided.

 

[MKern]

I have had opening days where all the fish were in one hole. I was the only one catching them and it was making the other fishermen frustrated. The thing is after I would catch a fish I would drop it in the riffles below me to spread them out to the next hole. No one even thought about moving there.
I bet I dropped 50 fish in that riffle. From then on I’d fish the riffle and pool below the stroking location and the same guys were still at the same hole catching nothing.

So yeah I agree with Mike. Most opening weekend anglers are clueless and come home empty handed. And are reluctant to try different water that may hold fish.