idiodic idea for Steelhead but otherwise a good idea for OPEN bodies of water

Two lines from shore, three in a boat. Sounds like a plan. I have tried to keep track of three lines when fishing on a pier in Nags Head. It is not easy to properly attend to three lines, especially when the fish are biting. I would think that two lines is plenty when fishing from shore.

ORIGINAL: Bughawk

Two lines from shore, three in a boat. Sounds like a plan. I have tried to keep track of three lines when fishing on a pier in Nags Head. It is not easy to properly attend to three lines, especially when the fish are biting. I would think that two lines is plenty when fishing from shore.

I can't tell you how many fish that I have lost with the - 1 bait rod & 1 plugging rod in the surf. At least there, you have seemingly endless shore line, and even when crowded, guys give you 50+ feet.

3 rods in PA is a horrible idea IMO. OK for boat trolling/jigging, but don't think you can leave the shore guys out, unless it is some sort of boating 3 rod stamp.

Many that fish with a chair and rod holder are curtious people and could handle an additional rod in a thoughtful way. Issue is, on ALL PA waters (that I have fished) there are people that could care less about others though, including those on boats. The lazy lawn chair brigade which is my name for the most ignorant of these trash balls, should probably quit fishing and start exercising a bit more. I wish that was on the PFBC's new regulation agenda. Give these idiots an additional rod (many already go with 3)? These morons are the very reason that I and many others quit shore fishing the 3 rivers. I would never take my kids shore fishing to the rivers or any "trout lake" if this 3 rod deal came about, to avoid these idiots. I was raised fishing Cannonsburg Lake and the rivers, which 2 rod limit was constant untangling at peak times. Guys that got up at 4AM to stake out the 20+ feet between rods of the prime spots (on the trout lakes and 50' between on the rivers) would take up an additional 20'-50', leaving about half of the other license paying anglers virtually nowhere to fish.

I find the arguement rather amusing that "this gives the young kids a chance to catch more fish"??? What young kid can handle 2 rods on their own, yet 3? If they can do that, they can definitely handle the chaos of the Erie tribs. How would these young kids get up and race to the lake/stream/river to compete for the even less fish holding water available to them now.

I'm not certain as to where this proposed change originated from, but I only see a few applications where it would be feasible and or helpful. I can't imagine anyone is seriously considering this for stream fishing. However, it makes perfect sense for trolling, especially on Erie, or spider-rigging for crappie. Carp and Cat anglers would benefit from this as well. I haven't done this in years, but I don't recall too many instances where catfishermen were battling for real estate...it may happen, I've just never witnessed it. Other than that, what other applications does more than 2 rods make sense?

Actually myself and the original poster of this thread started this proposal.We were trying to keep open minded and also keep in mind the issues that will come up with such a change. First of all I do quite well fishing but there is always a day where its slow and its tough to figure out a pattern. Allowing a 3rd rod will allow me to zone in on the changes faster and hopefully get more bites. As I have grown older I have also noticed that time in my life has grown shorter to enjoy my favorite past times. So the time I am out there I want to catch as many as possible in that alloted time.

There is always going to be people who are too idiotic to have any type of common sense. Why focus on these people? I am more interested in the 90% of people that want to enjoy themselves and respect others in doing so. If I am out fishing and not catching I will fish 3 rods if this happens. If I start catching a lot I will go down to 2 or even 1 rod based on my judgement of what I feel I can handle comfortably.

Now one thing I also felt was good is this. Lets say I am targeting a specific specie of fish with 2 rods that then allows me to target another specie with the 3rd rod. Now you will say you can do that with 2 but again your odds are greatly increased compared to 2. I can't tell you how many times I was fishing 2 rods and had a huge bass or pike crash near me and wished I could tie on a lure and use a 3 rod just to see if I could trigger a strike.

I would say boaters will benefit as already mentioned. The thing is I can't tell you how many times I see guys in boats using more than 2 rods per guy so this will just make it ok for what they already do. Its not just one or two guys either trust me.

Any angler can benefit from this. If you are even bass fishing or pike fishing where you are strictly using a single rod you could have live bait out on others and so on.Even though a limit may happen faster you still have to oblige by the limits mandated. Obviously a number wasn't pulled out of a hat in the limits so there may only be a little effect overall there. Now with the guys that get a limit and come back for more. Well go tell a game warden then because its not legal to do so.

I do see this being an issue on crowded streams for trout or steel head but again its not that you have to use 3 rods. Its merely a change that you can or can not choose to do. Most anglers will not use 3 in a crowded situation.Some will of course but after a few guys yell at them I am sure they will then reconsider and think what they can and can not handle.

Ok keeping up with the rest of the world.There are a lot of states that do allow 3 or more rods. All of these concerns do appear valid that are mentioned but if you go to the states that have 3 rods already you don't hear people complaining about it. Maybe the first year you will have some overuse of it and the fad will wear off. I need to check with my friend from south carolina I believe it is where he fishes with 10 rods and its legal to do so.Its up to the anglers to choose how they want to fish and if all these other states can do it and no issues then why magically should PA have an overabundance of issues associated with this?

Also the kid thing that was mentioned before can be valid or it can be an excuse. Again its up to the individual. If you have a kid that sits there fishing all day with no fish do you think he will enjoy himself when he can sit at home all day playing video games? No Not saying 3 rods is the answer but if that 3rd rod allows a single fish to be caught for that kid the odds of an excitment building for fishing just increased so isn't that worth it in a society where kids want to sit inside all day?

My last idea was the fact that if a 3rd rod is added it could be a nice economy booster for anyone and anything associated with fishing. You would need a new rod reel and terminal tackle and bait. Those who chose to fish a 3rd rod would also have a positive impact on the states economy.If 100,000 guys spent an extra $1 and if they spent an extra $100 it would really add up.

These are the main ideas I had in my idea of what I felt and some of the positives of what it would mean if a 3rd rod was passed. Hope this clears up anything you were wondering about what I was thinking in doing so. Thanks for reading.

ORIGINAL: Bogeyjoker

I'm not certain as to where this proposed change originated from, but I only see a few applications where it would be feasible and or helpful. I can't imagine anyone is seriously considering this for stream fishing. However, it makes perfect sense for trolling, especially on Erie, or spider-rigging for crappie. Carp and Cat anglers would benefit from this as well. I haven't done this in years, but I don't recall too many instances where catfishermen were battling for real estate...it may happen, I've just never witnessed it. Other than that, what other applications does more than 2 rods make sense?

Honestly, I think it will not make much of a difference. I usually only use one rod at a time when I am fishing because I am usually fly fishing or casting for muskies. Kinda tough trying to cast cast two fly rods at once.... I sometimes will use two when cat fishing, but once the sun goes down, I usually go to one simply because it is easier to keep track of and because I usually fish alone and when I do hook one, it is a pain if the fish gets tangled up in the other line... Been there, done that, got the tee shirt.

The bag limits are the key. Keep them as they are for now and adjust them in the future as needed.

I would agree there will always be that small percentage of idiots out there who will find a way to screw things up for everyone, but hey, they are already doing that with a two rod limit or even with just one rod sometimes... i.e. the guy who decided to swing flies in the Stop sign hole and did not understand why the people he was constantly fouling up with were angry at him....

All u opposed don't go to texas.. 5 rods is the limit.. just sayin 

Pymie on the ice   5 rods..  already allowed to do it..

I fish offshore and 3 rods per person would be a bonus... It would allow me to target different kinds of fish....Lake trout deep, then steelhead a little higher, then brown trout and walleye...

It will allow a chance to put some (Trout) rods out... Knowing that they might only fire once... lol

I enjoy trout fishing in the lake, but my time on the water is limited to weekends.. My fishing buddies never buy a trout stamp for reasons stated but with 3 rods...... It would be manditory on my boat... More $$$ going to the trout programs...

In my case 6 more trout stamps....

MM

ORIGINAL: accordbw

Actually myself and the original poster of this thread started this proposal.We were trying to keep open minded and also keep in mind the issues that will come up with such a change. First of all I do quite well fishing but there is always a day where its slow and its tough to figure out a pattern. Allowing a 3rd rod will allow me to zone in on the changes faster and hopefully get more bites. As I have grown older I have also noticed that time in my life has grown shorter to enjoy my favorite past times. So the time I am out there I want to catch as many as possible in that alloted time...

...These are the main ideas I had in my idea of what I felt and some of the positives of what it would mean if a 3rd rod was passed. Hope this clears up anything you were wondering about what I was thinking in doing so. Thanks for reading.

ORIGINAL: Bogeyjoker

I'm not certain as to where this proposed change originated from, but I only see a few applications where it would be feasible and or helpful. I can't imagine anyone is seriously considering this for stream fishing. However, it makes perfect sense for trolling, especially on Erie, or spider-rigging for crappie. Carp and Cat anglers would benefit from this as well. I haven't done this in years, but I don't recall too many instances where catfishermen were battling for real estate...it may happen, I've just never witnessed it. Other than that, what other applications does more than 2 rods make sense?

Accord,
You may have misconstrued my intent here. I'm all for the proposed change. I'm a offshore troller during the summer months and would love to be able to use 3 rods per person when I'm fishing by myself, or with one other guy. My point was to the people that thought it could be abused or create havoc in inland/small stream situations.

What I meant to get across was I didn't think very many people would be willing/able to use 3 rods while trout or steelhead fishing on small or medium size creeks. Same thing with perch fishing on the lake. I end up missing more hits by using two rods than with one when perching...anyone that could effectively manage 3 rods while perching would be my hero. It's not that I think people shouldn't be able to use 3 rods in these scenarios, it's just that it doesn't seem like it would be that desirable to do so.

I apologize. After rereading it I can see your interest. Thats the only thing about the internet its hard to see what exactly someone means. A person could write a sentence and 10 people could all interpret it differently. Thank you for clearing it up for me.

I posted the rest just to clear up a few questions and comments others were expressing. Thanks for your approval on this!

good excuse to get a new rod

Maybe the issue is how one attends to the rods. If a person is fishing in a an area where three rods are not bothering anyone, the fishing pressure is light and they can keep track of all three, I honestly don't have a problem with three rods. When there are lots of people around, all with three lines out, the fish are biting, and people are not able to keep up the fish on the lines, then this is a recipe for a mess. I would hope that the average fisherman would recognize when using three rods is appropriate and when it is not. Of course, there will be those who are clueless and would decide to set out three rods on the wall at Walnut in the middle of a run and pretty much screw up the fishing not only for themselves, but everyone around them... I guess there are some who could do that with just one rod...

whats a pinner...

ORIGINAL: Big Fathead

I'm a charter captain and I can't see how three rods would help on a charter trip. With 4 customers on my boat I can run 12 rods now and with 6 customers I can run 16 rods. 12 is a nice spread and i don't think I would run 18 with 4 customers or 24 rods with 6 customers.

maybe I'm missing something... How can you run 12 rods with 4 customers? 4 customers x 2 rods/person = 8 rods total (plus your 2 rods would be 10 max),not 14; OR 6 customers x 2 rods/person = 12 rods total (plus your 2 rods would be 14 max), not 16.