The Rodfather
Well-known member
Listening to the Troutbitten Airing of Grievances episode got me thinking about my own annual grievance, and it has nothing to do with fly patterns, rod lengths, or the poor IPA selection at the pub I went to last Thursday.
My grievance is with the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission's continued unwillingness to seriously address stream access despite repeatedly hearing from anglers that it's a top priority.
Over the years, PFBC surveys and public feedback have consistently shown that anglers want more places to fish. Access is one of the most common concerns raised whenever the public is asked what improvements they'd like to see. Yet it seems like every time there's an opportunity to invest resources, the focus shifts back to expanding stocking programs. Don't get me wrong - I understand the value of stocked trout fisheries and I know they serve an important role for many anglers. While I wholeheartedly disagree with them stocking over wild trout, that is a story for another thread. What frustrates me most is the blatant disconnect between what constituents say they want and where priorities end up. When survey results repeatedly indicate that access is a major concern, why does it seem to receive so little attention compared to stocking expansions, additional stocking events, or new put-and-take opportunities?
Access improvements aren't always easy - I get that. They require landowner relationships, easements, acquisitions, and long-term planning. But that's precisely why they deserve sustained attention. Every new access site benefits anglers year after year, regardless of whether a stream is stocked, wild, or somewhere in between.
I would love to see PFBC devote the same level of energy toward expanding public fishing access that it devotes toward finding new ways to put more trout in the water. More fish are great, but more places for the public to legally and comfortably fish seems like the more fundamental need.
That's my grievance for the year.
How about you all?
The Rodfather
Engagement Czar and Conservation Chair
Dauphin County League of Chubsmen
My grievance is with the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission's continued unwillingness to seriously address stream access despite repeatedly hearing from anglers that it's a top priority.
Over the years, PFBC surveys and public feedback have consistently shown that anglers want more places to fish. Access is one of the most common concerns raised whenever the public is asked what improvements they'd like to see. Yet it seems like every time there's an opportunity to invest resources, the focus shifts back to expanding stocking programs. Don't get me wrong - I understand the value of stocked trout fisheries and I know they serve an important role for many anglers. While I wholeheartedly disagree with them stocking over wild trout, that is a story for another thread. What frustrates me most is the blatant disconnect between what constituents say they want and where priorities end up. When survey results repeatedly indicate that access is a major concern, why does it seem to receive so little attention compared to stocking expansions, additional stocking events, or new put-and-take opportunities?
Access improvements aren't always easy - I get that. They require landowner relationships, easements, acquisitions, and long-term planning. But that's precisely why they deserve sustained attention. Every new access site benefits anglers year after year, regardless of whether a stream is stocked, wild, or somewhere in between.
I would love to see PFBC devote the same level of energy toward expanding public fishing access that it devotes toward finding new ways to put more trout in the water. More fish are great, but more places for the public to legally and comfortably fish seems like the more fundamental need.
That's my grievance for the year.
How about you all?
The Rodfather
Engagement Czar and Conservation Chair
Dauphin County League of Chubsmen
