What’s the best way to regulate “angler pressure” on rivers that get pounded hard, and we can document that trout populations are declining?
Loading ...Angling Trade E-Survey: What’s the best way to regulate “angler pressure”?
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STOP SNAGGING and OVER-FISHING RUNS. Pegged beads/materials are the scourge our “industry” and the hack guides/outfitters are perpetuating it. Over fishing water…hook a few and move on. Don’t come back for another lap later in the day, hacks. 2 fly max, no barbs no snagging…start there. When they struggle to catch fish while trying to crowd the circle jerk they won’t stick around when real fly anglers are getting the job done that they can’t. They will scurry away and help the unnecessary crowding issue.
I would imagine much of the fish kill due to pressure is mis-handling of fish, so surprised that wasn’t a potential selection in the survey. “Catch and Release” rules should include not taking the fish out of water. Stop with all the photos for your social media – I’m sure that kills more fish than anyone knows. Use the camera in your head to enjoy the moment, don’t oxygen starve a fish that just fought hard, use a barbless hook so you can easily release in the net and in the water.
If you don’t have the skill to land a fish on a barbless hook, well, that’s your problem – don’t take it out on the fish.
BTW – the survey should not have been a radio button select one answer, because ‘all of the above’ would mean you select competing thoughts…like regulation ideas (reduced days, limited flies) are the exact opposite of ‘let nature take its course’. Survey design is important if you actually want valid results.
Thanks for your thoughts Greg, we appreciate it. Regarding the radio button, you’re right. We’re just working with the tools that we have and this is how this plugin works. Definite food for thought going forward. best, Managing Editor -Tim Romano
I once worked as guide on a private ranch where a consulting biologist had recommended the owner not allow any wading in the small streams on the property. The rationale for this was not to crush Benthic insects. Try that along with single barbless flies and lures as a public regulation and see what happens.
There’s a section on a local river that has a No wading policy just for that reason. Too many people walking through the river decreases the insect populations. The river was being loved to death. The bug population is rebounding and the fishing is too.
As someone that goes out west to fish ( home is NJ) I do my research and land on the most popular rivers. Pick up some guide books on Montana and you’ll see the same rivers mentioned. Most material related to fly fishing funnels us to these same rivers. The same thing happens in Wyoming and Colorado. When I dig deeper I can find blue lines where I can catch fish and not see other anglers. I know some people will want to only fish the iconic rivers of the west but there are plenty of others that would take a suggestion to try a lesser known stream if only we could find it. Fly shops and outfitters could play a role in spreading out the crowds of anglers with better local information. I’m not suggesting they reveal their honey holes and secret spots, just direct us to a place where we have a chance of catching a fish. In the west you lament on the fact that there are “ only “ 1000 fish per mile but the river down from 3000, but here at home we count the fish per mile in the hundreds (if we’re lucky). Maybe by issuing a limited number of permits to the most popular stretches of rivers and offering a menu of options for fishing lesser known waters the pressure on the famous rivers will decrease. I would certainly drive off of the beaten path to find some fish and solitude. There isn’t going to be one solution but a combination that working together will make a difference. It’s taken a while to get to this point and it’s going to take a while to get back to “ normal “ what ever that looks like.