COVID-19 compels Pennsylvania to skip traditional trout opener, begins immediately

Breaking with the long-held tradition of a trout season opener, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission fired the “start” gun April 7^th instead of the originally planned for April 18^th opener.

This instant “soft opening” was in response to the growing threat of the coronavirus (COVID-19). Thus, the need to help reduce interaction between anglers and to discourage both interstate and intrastate travel by trout fishers, Fish Commission officials said.

Commission officials said they took this unprecedented action after consuting with the state’s governor Tom Wolf, the Pennsylvania Department of Health, and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, which owns many properties where trout fishing occurs.

“We realize that this announcement is another disruption to tradition, but it is in the best interest of public health and safety,” said Tim Schaeffer, the Commission’s Executive Director.

Schaeffer said also the decision to open trout season immediately was intended to discourage the concentrated gathering of people that often occurs on a traditional opening day, “to minimize intrastate and interstate travel, and to reduce the threat of illegal poaching in waters that have already been stocked.”

“We have already seen that anglers and boaters across the state are willing to adapt their behavior to include social distancing, and we ask everyone to follow their lead while enjoying outdoor activities during this challenging time,” Schaeffer said.

Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission officials also pleaded with non-resident anglers to “refrain from non-essential domestic travel.”

The state has a long history of attracting non-resident anglers from such adjacent states as New Jersey, New York, and Ohio.

“The trout we have been stocking have had time to spread out, and so should you,” Schaeffer said as well.

Commission’s secretary Cindy Adams Dunn, added that “outdoor recreational activities, including fishing, lift our spirits and help relieve stress, but they need to be done with attention to social distancing guidelines to help protect ourselves and others, and slow the spread of COVID-19.”

- Jeffrey L. Frischkorn
JFrischk@Ameritech.net
JFrischk4@gmail.com