Opening Day of Trout Season

[Deadeye]

Back when I was growing up in Pa, The Opening Day of Trout Season was like a State Holiday. The Streams would be lined with guys and gals waiting for that majical 8:00 am start time. The opening Flurry was something to behold.

The Pa Fish Commission would raise Trout to be released and all the Sportsman Clubs would assist in stocking them into the designated streams and lakes. Some even did Float Stockings where they used 2 Canoes with a tank in between to hold the fish and let a few out as the went along.

I can remember going out to "scout" for the best holes by tossing Salmon Eggs into the water and seeing how many Trout would swirl to feed on them.

Now my Brother tells me that most of that has ended. He claims they no longer raise the Trout or Stock them like they used to. Is this all true? if so then an entire Generation will never know the Thrill of the Opening Day of Pa Trout Fishing.

How about you all? is Trout Day an dying thing in Pa?

[Lipripper]

Fred I don't know about PA but here in Illinois it's still a big thing. They stock a lot of the Forest Preserve pond and lakes with them and on opening day of inland trout season it's hard to find a spot on the bank cause there are so many fishermen and fisher ladies out there to catch some of them.

[fishballer06]

I'm not sure where he's getting his information from, but they still stock lots of trout, in hopes of selling a license and stamp to guys who will only fish that opening weekend and maybe one or two weekends after that. And yes, guys still stand shoulder to shoulder in the streams and fight over those little guys.

It's quite a sight to see. The plus side is that it's usually a good day to go to the lake and catch a few crappies.

[cport]

When I lived in San Diego, the first weekend in November was the opener for trout. DFG would stock plenty of 10-12 inch fish and throw in some broodstock as well. My kids and I would always go, and we went to Lake Jennings in Lakeside CA. Large reservoir that also had big bass getting fat on trout. It was mostly still fishing, using an egg sinker, 4# flouro leader, and a tiny treble hook baited with Power Bait. I liked to inflate a crawler and put it on two of the hooks with the Power Bait, my secret weapon and usually would get my limit with a few larger fish in the bag (there were lots of holdovers, as those SD reservoirs were plenty deep allowing them to hide in the cool depths during the summer).

Anyways, there was this large cove that we liked to fish, as well as many other anglers; we'd get there super early to get to a particular spot I liked at the edge of the cove. All the anglers would be lined up, rods on the bank in pole holders. This is when I would witness one of the oddest things I've ever seen while fishing. At the head of the cove, someone would get hit. Then the next down the line. And the next, then the next, and so on, like a wave. It was later explained to me that the trout would travel in a circle as they did at the hatchery, and as they circled the cove, they would hit the baits in succession. This never varied every year we went. Now, that doesn't mean that we would ignore our lines the rest of the time, but when you start seeing the "trout wave" in that cove, you did pay extra special attention. I'd tell the kids to be ready, and the excitement on their faces when they got that bite was one of the sweetest things in life.

[zippyduck]

It is still as you remember. Just a few less stockings later on.  I take kids out every year to an uncles property where the kids get to catch a fish before anyone else can fish. It is a long standing tradition.

[fishballer06]

It is still as you remember. Just a few less stockings later on.  I take kids out every year to an uncles property where the kids get to catch a fish before anyone else can fish. It is a long standing tradition.

I did forget about that part. The PAFBC now has a weekend or two before the regular season where children can fish for trout before the public. From my understanding, they've also made parts of certain creeks/rivers exclusive to juniors only.