Author and fly fisherman extraordinaire Lee Wulff was once quoted as saying some of the most profound words related to fly fishing. At the risk of restating the obvious here are two of his most famous. “Game fish are too valuable to only be caught once.” The other is, “the fish released may be a gift to another, as it may have been a gift to you.”
What is Delayed Harvest?
If Lee Wulff’s words do not sum up the reason for delayed harvest, then I must have a problem understanding English. The philosophy of delayed harvest is exactly what he had in mind. He may have been thinking of “catch and release,” but it accomplishes the same goal.
We find a number of streams that now fall under the delayed harvest umbrella. Usually this takes effect in October and ends in early June. The goal is to make a resource readily available to all fishermen and get the maximum benefit from the trout resources. Consuming fish is a natural thing, but when the resource is overwhelmed the sport suffers and the fisherman’s experience is less than stellar.
Why do we fish?
Most of us fish for the experience. I like to eat fish, as most of us do, but it is not the primary goal of a visit to the trout streams. It is the experience of being on the water, in remote places, and feeling the flex of the rod and the surge of power when a trout strikes. As someone once said, “trout don’t live in ugly places.”
A day on the water is rejuvenating. It is hard to explain how the body and mind are in tune and time seems to pass unnoticed. The hypnotic swish of the rod, the lazy curl of the line as it stretches over the water and the soft dimple of the fly as it gently settles to the surface of the water are all a part of what makes fly fishing so addictive.
If securing fish For food was the primary goal, we would use more primitive methods with disregard for the future of the resource. As fly fishermen, we have a higher goal and most of us are willing to share the resource with others. It is a fellowship of like minds.
Limited Resources
Trout are a limited resource. Many streams have a limited carrying capacity and if streams are left under normal catch and retain regulations, the fishing experience would be less than satisfactory. In the early days of delayed harvest regulations, one of my friends and I began to concentrate on these streams during the delayed harvest time. When the regular regulations kicked in, we decided to go to a favorite stream and catch a few to keep. When we arrived the parking area was overflowing with cars. Needless to say, we turned away and went to a “catch and release” stream and had a good day.
It bears repeating that we have nothing against fishermen keeping a few fish to eat, but we need to keep Lee Wulff’s philosophy in mind about the value of the resource.
Final thoughts
I wholeheartedly endorse delayed harvest and catch and release as being desirable programs, and feel that these regulations provide the greatest benefit to anglers who are fishing for more than a fish dinner. There is absolutely nothing wrong with keeping fish on a healthy, productive stream, but some of the marginal waters and even some more productive streams should reflect the need for providing a good fishing experience these regulations assure the best utilization of our trout resources.
