Post by yihunt on Jan 28, 2010 10:27:28 GMT -4
Proposal to use three rods comes up empty
Buzz up!By Bob Frye, TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Thursday, January 28, 2010
A proposal to let anglers use up to three rods instead of two when fishing didn't pass muster with Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commissioners Wednesday.
But it may yet.
Right now, anglers may fish with up to two rods and a hand line. That regulation dates back to at least the 1930s. Why it exists at all is a mystery.
"Why it's two rods and not 10, we don't know," said Leroy Young, director of the commission's bureau of fisheries.
A couple of western Pennsylvania carp fishermen, Joe Gorden of Hooversville and Brian Wingard of Holsopple, first asked commissioners to change the rules to allow the use of three rods last fall. They said most carp equipment — derived from Europe — is meant to be used on sets of three, and so a rules change would be more convenient and add to anglers' enjoyment.
Plenty of other states allow anglers to use three rods. New Jersey and Michigan went from two to three rods at the request of carp anglers in recent months, while Maryland and Missouri have long allowed three rods. West Virginia doesn't limit its anglers at all.
Gorden and several other anglers from various parts of the state presented their case before the board yesterday when commissioners met in Harrisburg on day one of a two-day meeting.
Young recommended the agency put the idea forward as proposed rulemaking, as did commissioner Len Lichvar of Somerset County.
"It doesn't change any creel limits. It doesn't change any management. But it does create opportunity," Lichvar said.
"I simply want to put it out there and let the public give us their very important comments."
Other commissioners weren't so eager to take that step, however.
Bill Sabatose of Jefferson County and Tom Shetterly of Washington said they feared allowing anglers to use an additional rod would create problems during trout season, when lakes in particular are often ringed with dense crowds of fishermen.
"I see nothing but conflict coming," Sabatose said.
"It's going to be a nightmare," Shetterly agreed.
That prompted the ire of Johnstown angler Sam Ross, who pointed out that the proposal put forward by the carp fishermen calls for maintaining the limit of two rods on stocked trout waters. If commissioners aren't willing to raise the rod limit elsewhere, it's because of an anti-carp bias, he charged.
"It's obvious that trout are the tail that wags this dog. But don't scorn a carp fisherman because he might use three rods," Ross said.
"Why is the limit two rods anyway? Is it a Biblical reference? Is it because we have two arms? Who knows. Changing this doesn't hurt anybody."
Ultimately, the board tabled the proposal at the suggestion of commissioner Bob Bachman of Lancaster County, who said they need to spend more time investigating its pros and cons before voting on it.
"This is sort of like fire, aim, ready," Bachman said.
The carp fishermen may yet get what they want, though. Sabatose said he'll have the fisheries committee discuss the proposal again when it meets this spring, with the idea of putting it before the full board later this summer. But he's already willing to approve it if stocked trout lakes were excluded.
"I think that would alleviate all of my concerns, anyway," Sabatose said
Buzz up!By Bob Frye, TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Thursday, January 28, 2010
A proposal to let anglers use up to three rods instead of two when fishing didn't pass muster with Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commissioners Wednesday.
But it may yet.
Right now, anglers may fish with up to two rods and a hand line. That regulation dates back to at least the 1930s. Why it exists at all is a mystery.
"Why it's two rods and not 10, we don't know," said Leroy Young, director of the commission's bureau of fisheries.
A couple of western Pennsylvania carp fishermen, Joe Gorden of Hooversville and Brian Wingard of Holsopple, first asked commissioners to change the rules to allow the use of three rods last fall. They said most carp equipment — derived from Europe — is meant to be used on sets of three, and so a rules change would be more convenient and add to anglers' enjoyment.
Plenty of other states allow anglers to use three rods. New Jersey and Michigan went from two to three rods at the request of carp anglers in recent months, while Maryland and Missouri have long allowed three rods. West Virginia doesn't limit its anglers at all.
Gorden and several other anglers from various parts of the state presented their case before the board yesterday when commissioners met in Harrisburg on day one of a two-day meeting.
Young recommended the agency put the idea forward as proposed rulemaking, as did commissioner Len Lichvar of Somerset County.
"It doesn't change any creel limits. It doesn't change any management. But it does create opportunity," Lichvar said.
"I simply want to put it out there and let the public give us their very important comments."
Other commissioners weren't so eager to take that step, however.
Bill Sabatose of Jefferson County and Tom Shetterly of Washington said they feared allowing anglers to use an additional rod would create problems during trout season, when lakes in particular are often ringed with dense crowds of fishermen.
"I see nothing but conflict coming," Sabatose said.
"It's going to be a nightmare," Shetterly agreed.
That prompted the ire of Johnstown angler Sam Ross, who pointed out that the proposal put forward by the carp fishermen calls for maintaining the limit of two rods on stocked trout waters. If commissioners aren't willing to raise the rod limit elsewhere, it's because of an anti-carp bias, he charged.
"It's obvious that trout are the tail that wags this dog. But don't scorn a carp fisherman because he might use three rods," Ross said.
"Why is the limit two rods anyway? Is it a Biblical reference? Is it because we have two arms? Who knows. Changing this doesn't hurt anybody."
Ultimately, the board tabled the proposal at the suggestion of commissioner Bob Bachman of Lancaster County, who said they need to spend more time investigating its pros and cons before voting on it.
"This is sort of like fire, aim, ready," Bachman said.
The carp fishermen may yet get what they want, though. Sabatose said he'll have the fisheries committee discuss the proposal again when it meets this spring, with the idea of putting it before the full board later this summer. But he's already willing to approve it if stocked trout lakes were excluded.
"I think that would alleviate all of my concerns, anyway," Sabatose said