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WMA closings

Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2020 9:11 am
by Troutman

Re: WMA closings

Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2020 9:18 am
by Fishybig

Re: WMA closings

Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2020 12:43 pm
by Rusty Spinner
State employee furloughs are to blame. This pandemic is a hot mess all around!

Re: WMA closings

Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2020 3:15 pm
by PortMurrayAng
I am ok with this for two reasons.

One of those reasons is the people I still see fishing the musky. I support their right to do it, if they're hungry. I'd prefer letting the fish find shade and become a nice holdover for later.

Re: WMA closings

Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2020 4:53 pm
by Rusty Spinner
PortMurrayAng wrote:
Wed Jul 08, 2020 3:15 pm
I am ok with this for two reasons.

One of those reasons is the people I still see fishing the musky. I support their right to do it, if they're hungry. I'd prefer letting the fish find shade and become a nice holdover for later.
This isn't going to shut down fishing on the Musky, it's more about boat launches, gun ranges, etc. Conservation officers, hatchery personnel, and others in important, can't miss roles will work as if normal.

Re: WMA closings

Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2020 5:27 pm
by PortMurrayAng
KLG is on the list. I was only using the M as an example. A few weeks with fewer people can only help any water.

What does restricted access mean, anyway?

Re: WMA closings

Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2020 9:03 pm
by coaltrout
PortMurrayAng wrote:
Wed Jul 08, 2020 5:27 pm
KLG is on the list. I was only using the M as an example. A few weeks with fewer people can only help any water.

What does restricted access mean, anyway?
reading about it online, it looks like boat ramps and parking lots are completely closed / barricaded .

Re: WMA closings

Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2020 10:40 pm
by Troutman
coaltrout wrote:
Wed Jul 08, 2020 9:03 pm
PortMurrayAng wrote:
Wed Jul 08, 2020 5:27 pm
KLG is on the list. I was only using the M as an example. A few weeks with fewer people can only help any water.

What does restricted access mean, anyway?
reading about it online, it looks like boat ramps and parking lots are completely closed / barricaded .
you can fish the section above the KLG if you desire. But with these temps are true trout C&R wont be ;) .

Re: WMA closings

Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2020 10:44 pm
by Fishybig
If you truly care about the resource ,trout fishing should have stopped almost a month ago!!! Just sayin....there are exceptions to the rule but , why if there's a chance of fish mortality

Re: WMA closings

Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2020 8:27 am
by PortMurrayAng
I agree. I stop before the end of June. I was expressing my exasperation at seeing cars and fishermen this time of year in the musky. Saw several today at the pt. Mnt. TCA.

Re: WMA closings

Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2020 11:22 am
by barkeater
I agree. I stop before the end of June. I was expressing my exasperation at seeing cars and fishermen this time of year in the musky. Saw several today at the pt. Mnt. TCA.
Since the TCA's are C&R with exception of some allowing one over 15" I wonder if there is a way to close them when temps indicate the demise of any trout caught. You often have to go through a lot of fish to get a keeper and most anglers who fish the TCA's don't keep any including myself. Seems like a bad idea to let people destroy fish in a C&R area.

Re: WMA closings

Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2020 2:41 pm
by Rusty Spinner
barkeater wrote:
Thu Jul 09, 2020 11:22 am
I agree. I stop before the end of June. I was expressing my exasperation at seeing cars and fishermen this time of year in the musky. Saw several today at the pt. Mnt. TCA.
Since the TCA's are C&R with exception of some allowing one over 15" I wonder if there is a way to close them when temps indicate the demise of any trout caught. You often have to go through a lot of fish to get a keeper and most anglers who fish the TCA's don't keep any including myself. Seems like a bad idea to let people destroy fish in a C&R area.
In a word, no. TU asked the Division if they would even consider Hoot Owl Closures, but no go here. Most of the trout the average angler fishes for are Pequest stocked fish, and those fish are raised for anglers to catch and release or keep. All we can do is educate those that might not know fishing in hot water temps will kill the trout they are releasing. If they are keeping up to their limits, then who cares?

Re: WMA closings

Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2020 9:19 am
by CheeseburgerFly
That's a shame that the division was against it because it's really not closing down that much water. I could understand that the CO's would have a lot more to do though.

Re: WMA closings

Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2020 10:25 am
by Rusty Spinner
CheeseburgerFly wrote:
Fri Jul 10, 2020 9:19 am
That's a shame that the division was against it because it's really not closing down that much water. I could understand that the CO's would have a lot more to do though.
You have to realize that only Montana has these temperature related river closures and that is the only state that also does not stock trout over wild trout. So we are in good company with the other 49 states. :)

Re: WMA closings

Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2020 11:51 am
by PortMurrayAng
That's why there's no fly fishing in Montana, right? 🤔

Re: WMA closings

Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2020 11:04 am
by Rusty Spinner
PortMurrayAng wrote:
Fri Jul 10, 2020 11:51 am
That's why there's no fly fishing in Montana, right? 🤔
Not sure I'm following you? Hoot Owl closures affect all forms of angling for trout, not just spin or just fly. Montana is so famous for its wild trout fishing that it goes the extra mile to protect those fish because they know they are a cash cow for ecotourism. And that means you are off the water by noon on Hoot Owl days is all.

Re: WMA closings

Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2020 11:09 am
by PortMurrayAng
Sarcasm is hard to express. Wrong emoji perhaps. I'm all for closing water when it will help fish.

Re: WMA closings

Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2020 11:01 pm
by Dave B.
Rusty Spinner wrote:
Fri Jul 10, 2020 10:25 am
CheeseburgerFly wrote:
Fri Jul 10, 2020 9:19 am
That's a shame that the division was against it because it's really not closing down that much water. I could understand that the CO's would have a lot more to do though.
You have to realize that only Montana has these temperature related river closures and that is the only state that also does not stock trout over wild trout. So we are in good company with the other 49 states. :)
Actually NY has summer temp closures also on the Beaverkill. Don't know of any other NY waters that may have them though.

Re: WMA closings

Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2020 7:28 pm
by Rusty Spinner
Dave B. wrote:
Mon Jul 13, 2020 11:01 pm
Rusty Spinner wrote:
Fri Jul 10, 2020 10:25 am
CheeseburgerFly wrote:
Fri Jul 10, 2020 9:19 am
That's a shame that the division was against it because it's really not closing down that much water. I could understand that the CO's would have a lot more to do though.
You have to realize that only Montana has these temperature related river closures and that is the only state that also does not stock trout over wild trout. So we are in good company with the other 49 states. :)
Actually NY has summer temp closures also on the Beaverkill. Don't know of any other NY waters that may have them though.
Those are a little different in that they are thermal refuges off limits to fishing for a specific time period. Hoot Owl closures happen based on weather and not dates and are called (I guess) by the state fisheries agency.

Re: WMA closings

Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2020 11:44 pm
by Troutman
Rusty Spinner wrote:
Tue Jul 14, 2020 7:28 pm
Dave B. wrote:
Mon Jul 13, 2020 11:01 pm
Rusty Spinner wrote:
Fri Jul 10, 2020 10:25 am


You have to realize that only Montana has these temperature related river closures and that is the only state that also does not stock trout over wild trout. So we are in good company with the other 49 states. :)
Actually NY has summer temp closures also on the Beaverkill. Don't know of any other NY waters that may have them though.
Those are a little different in that they are thermal refuges off limits to fishing for a specific time period. Hoot Owl closures happen based on weather and not dates and are called (I guess) by the state fisheries agency.
I think thats the tail end of the beaverkill that dumps into the east branch of the delaware that has that thermal refuge. its closed to fishing during the summer months. Ive fished there a few times