Opening Day of Trout Season

[sipe]

There is a tradition to the first day that is hard to shake. This might be the first day ive not fished in the morning of the first day ever. I know its easy to knock the hassle of crowds and one week a year guys...but, why not be happy for what this brings. Good times with friends or family that might not happen without an "Opener". I am sitting here wishing my dad still wanted to fish, that my son was old enough to fish, or that my longtime fishing friends hadn't moved away or stopped fishing. Ill fish this afternoon with a former student who just returned from Afghanistan, but it wont be the same as a few years ago with my dad or friends waiting for 8am.

 

[tomgamber]

SteelheadWhisperer wrote:
I just look forward to going to camp with the guys. First day, I just watch my sonfish for awhile and then I fish in the afternoon.

A very common sequence. How I've done the last few years.

 

[WhiskeyRiver]

For those of you who are fortunate enough to be taking your child or grandchild or anyone for that matter, enjoy the time together and take pictures you won’t regret it. For me the kids are grown and have moved on but memories of the opener will always be there. Nothing better than seeing smiling faces while reeling one in better yet while releasing one and saying "See ya next time... right dad".

 

[Fishidiot]

I had a good time today and enjoy the opening day tradition. I went through a phase some years ago when I hated opening day and never fished it... perhaps 20 years ago I had a change of heart and decided I enjoy it. It's all what your expectations are. I like to fish "open" water and I creeled three stockies for dinner today.

Anyway, it seemed to me that the number of fishermen was up a bit this year. For the last decade or so, I've done the opener on a local creek in a popular state park with picnic tables and lots of easy access and parking. For years, it's seemed to me that the number of fishermen gets fewer every year (a general trend I see all over trout streams here in the southcentral throughout the year). This year, the numbers seemed to be up a bit and I was pleased to see lots of kids. It looked like an opening day from the good 'ole days.
When I went over to Yellow Breeches later in the morning, it definitely wasn't crowded at all....although it's typical to see the crowds thin by lunchtime (see report in Stream Reports).


What did you see? Did it seem more crowded or less?

 

[Foxgap239]

Fishidiot wrote:

What did you see? Did it seem more crowded or less?

Seemed less crowded to me but then again cold rainy days take its toll by late afternoon.

 

[steve2u42]

I did my ritual and drove around checking different spots on the Breeches and it was way less people out than i saw the last 2 years. less cars, less people. Some spots had the normal crouds(many people in a 30ft area )then it opened way up.

 

[TUrainbow88]

My special tradition, get there before anyone else

 

[Letort]

One thing I noticed was that the fish were not spread out in the stream. Most years, I can fish the main hole and downstream a good portion. Nothing was caught outside of the main stocking area.

The stream was stocked in early March, so there was ample time for them to move around. Noticed the crowds were down from previous years, also.

Other thing I noticed was the lack of children out with their parents - I saw two kids (13-14 yo) with their granddad, and that was it.

 

[tomgamber]

Letort wrote:
One thing I noticed was that the fish were not spread out in the stream. Most years, I can fish the main hole and downstream a good portion. Nothing was caught outside of the main stocking area.

I think the lack of water plays a big part in that. A big rain will spread them out better than anything else. How long before opening day is the other but I think the lack of rain is the big culprit this year.

 

[Maurice]

Typically I work the refreshment stand fundraiser for MCTU but this year I did a presentation on wild v. stocked trout ID at a Private Club within the watershed. Afterward I took my daughter (12yrs old) out with a bucket of minnies and her new pink rod & reel. Only trout to hand was a 10" wildie. hooked deep, no blood, cut line. released. Fortunately once we fine tuned the line management whe oddly couldn't hold them on the hook to land them...kinda good seeing that we deep hooked the first one. but she had action on about 10 fish, got pretty good at putting her minnie where she wanted it (or rather where I wanted it) and I only made her cry twice.

So it was a pretty good day. :-o

And, although there were over a half dozen campsites and more than 30 cars at the access when we started we saw not one other angler and covered nearly a mile of water before quitting when she fell in.

Water was low and clear. but where you couldn't see bottom, there were fish, guaranteed.

After rereading the post I see that I fraternized with the enemy (private fishing club), didn't help the TU chapter, fished with bait, Possibly aided and abetted in killing a wild trout, and was mean to my daughter by making her cry. (twice).....I need to reconsider my bar level for a good day. :lol:

 

[djs12354]

Maurice:

Great Post! Wish I could have been there to see your little girl catch that fish and to see the look on your face when she fell in. Hope she didn't get too chilled. (And that you had dry clothes for her)

Thanks for sharing this one!

Dave

 

[Letort]

Opening day is nothing but tradition for me. Clearly, I could skip it and not miss a beat, but I like to sit there and reflect on opening days past and the memories.

 

[Maurice]

Here is Sams fish.....