What's the logic behind separate openings in PA?

It's probably just me approaching the 'cranky old man' stage in life I guess... Good answers everyone!
 
Keeps all the flat landers and city dwellers away from the good fishin up here !!!
 
I was glad to see the SE PA early openings. I'd seen too many Hendricksons hatching before fishing was legal and then they were gone by Opening Day.

 
Yep, changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes. Just got back from camp in Huntingdon county. Yeah, bout two weeks plus diff between here and there. The lake still has ice on it in places and still snow in the hollows and north side of the mountains. I can remember years gone by being in Huntingdon, Potter, Tioga and being in the middle of white outs cuz of snow on the first weekend of trout. I was always perplexed exactly what the big deal was with the opener, especially on a board like this... We all do know that there really is no stop or start day don't we?
 
I was directly told the reason for opening day is because states that switched from a opening day to open season all lost licensing sales. This was from someone who can be trusted I will not mention there name. So, 1 opening day = x plus dollars 2 opening days = x plus dollars plus dollars. I am glad we have a earlier opening day because we used to miss or be at the end of 2 or 3 early hatches in Cumberland co. As for not stocking trout 90 percent of trout fishermen would not catch fish and our wild trout fishery could hurt from more fishing pressure. Many fishermen want it easy and stockers fit the bill.
 
Kinda find it hard to believe the two openers mean more money coming in. Those who are going to buy their license are going to do it regardless of one opener or two. And as far as trout stocking... I guess that could all very well be true that most fishermen want it easy. I'd like to see the game comm. reallocate sections of the deer population to within a 100 yards of all state game land roads and trails too but something tells me that ain't gonna happen.
 
This is what I was told Five weight if you or I believe it is up to you.
 
My view: There are a whole lot of reasons it makes sense.

First, the reason for the closed season to begin with is mostly to maintain the opening day tradition in PA. This event is large for license sales. The avid fishermen by licenses anyway. But there are a lot of not so avid fishermen who buy a license only to take part in opening day, and don't fish the rest of the year. They are a substantial % of license sales, but maybe not stream hours. But by buying a license, they help the trout program for all of us.

In my own family, we have a number of people who are avid fishermen and will always buy a license. We have a number of others who are not fishermen in any way, shape or form, but still sometimes buy a license and take part in the opener, taking kids, etc.

I realize if they can't fish the opener why not just go a week later? But it's tradition, it doesn't have to make sense.

1. In the SE, water temps rise quicker, hence fishing gets good earlier. There's no reason to hold it off an extra 2 weeks.
2. Water temps also get TOO warm earlier. If the opening day were not moved up, that means SE PA fishermen would get shafted by having a shorter overall season.
3. Staggering opening days around the state allows stocking to be spread out more, making it an easier schedule to meet for hatcheries and workers.
4. It likely increases license sales, by giving 2 chances to have an opening day. Especially around the border. If a would be fisherperson can't make one opening day, they may not buy a license, but they get a 2nd shot at it.
5. It extends the interest factor. On message boards, in newspapers, etc. 2 separate "events" to cover = longer exposure time and free advertising for the sport.
 
blueheron wrote:
Mike answered the question with his usual good natured and informative responses and apparently was involved firsthand in the initial process. If population densities equate with license sales, then I'll guess the SE region generates a higher rate of money for the PFBC and it's self sustaining programs ,including stocking. Let the harvesters have their fun, as long as they pay the fees and follow the rules it's better to let them all meet up and catch their stockies and leave the rest of the year for the guys who view it as a pasttime and not a trip to the fish market. Without the money collected from the bait bombers we'd have a much reduced fisheries program that could lead to worries other than opening day crowds. Ordered my button yesterday instead of fishing and tied some more flies to pass the time.
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+1
 
having two opening days spreads out the violence to reduce the burden on the court system.
 
You guys got it all wrong. It was a reaction to global warming.
 
Numbers are down for licenses bought state wide. Especially since the early 90s although not by all that much. Money intake is up due to cost of the license. I can't say the numbers show a big upswing in the two day opener making any huge change. Matter of fact since the two date opener in 2007 the numbers are slightly down. But hey, if that's what you were told.... Maybe he has other info than what the commish puts out. Although the senior sales are up somewhat. But here again, I would think that age bracket is going to buy the tag regardless of when the opener is or how many.

http://www.fish.state.pa.us/licsal2.htm
 
I seen a post earlier on West Virginia. I have lived here for three years and I will take our all year season any day over the two dates in PA. When I last was in PA for the opener and went to the Little Schuylkill, there was an immense amount of people from all over the state. When I was younger and there was one date, everyone was spread out across the state. Not just in one regional area. you have people that chase the stocking trucks in PA, but, you have that everywhere. I can go to a trout stream any time I like to fish. Since there is no spring opener, I bet I can drive to the 4 streams around me and there will be no one there. Trust me, its a lot better.
 
For years, there had been two dates when it was acceptable in Pennsylvania to drink heavily, act like total idiots and get into fights and roll around in the mud. St. Patrick's Day and the trout opener. Now there are tree dates. Fortunately they are separated by 2 weeks to allow recovery.

Seriously though. I never have a problem finding stocked streams for opening day with little traffic. We all know where the big circle jerks are. I just chose to avoid them.
 
It forces you to look up where stocking is occuring and when. If you screw up and go to the wrong section you either don't catch any trout (cause they have not stocked yet) or so they can give you a ticket for poaching.
 
Water temps also get TOO warm earlier. If the opening day were not moved up, that means SE PA fishermen would get shafted by having a shorter overall season.
Click to expand...

...and those of us in SWPA tend to then that the SEPA people are closer to better fishing opportunities, including spring creeks that support trout much later into the season than the miserably few trout streams in and around the Pittsburgh region. In that sense, I tend to think that the SWPA folks are the ones getting shafted. Why not just move the opening day up across the board? I have no problem with the opener being held early, and I think simply because we've always done something one way ("opening day traditions") is absolutely no justification for trying something new.
 
The fish could never all be stocked in a one month period and weather/stream conditions are just too nasty across much of Pa to stock many streams in Feb, which would be necessary to start the season statewide around Apr 1. As for the SW joining the SE and SC, that would not work either. Again, there are too many waters to make it practical to get them stocked in such a large region in a one month period and stock too few waters in a more limited area and you have landowner conflicts. Additionally, weather conditions would be difficult for stocking causing too many cancellations, such as in the Laurel Highlands.
 
Most of New England has opening day on April 1. But then PA probably stocks more places then all of those states combined.
 
Mike,
Did the USGS research substantiating earlier run-off enter into the decision, I know several years back they published a report that run-off was occurring from 2 to 3 weeks earlier in the NE US?
 
No, but over a 30 year period I noticed that I was moving the last allowable date for inseason stockings forward for more and more waters based either on water temp or earlier low flows. In some cases I think I moved the dates forward twice in that time period.
 
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