Ok Fishing Laws

[Guest]

2 questions

1) I guess there is no trout stamp needed this year (tried to get one and they said it is not necessary) - will this mean less stockings? I know the money generally pays for the trout.

2) T&M Access - went in December and it was blocked off with a private property/no fishing signs - has anyone else ran into this?

Thanks,

Scott

1) Taken from the ODWC Website (www.wildlifedepartment.com) "The new $26 Wildlife Conservation Passport also is now required of all residents or nonresidents who enter or use Department-owned lands, unless exempt. Individuals who possess any current hunting or fishing license issued by the Wildlife Department are exempt from Conservation Passport requirements, except holders of the resident two-day fishing license and the nonresident six-day fishing license must still purchase the Wildlife Conservation Passport." So, pretty much if you want to use department lands for anything other that hunting or fishing (i.e. - bird watching, hikink, etc.) then you have to purchase this new permit. I think the new wildlife passport is supposed to make up for funds lost from the sale of the trout license, but I could be wrong.

2) I noticed the last time I went the the LIR, that the access road at T&M had been closed. My only theory is that, although T&M allowed fishermen to use the road in the past, they have chosen to close it due to the amount of trash that was accumulating. Just a guess, again I may be wrong.

[On The Fly 6]

Yes, the road to the river is closed but I park and make the walk. To get to this spot on the river, simply look for the T&M gravel sign on the road. If you're coming from the dam its on your left past watts.

[Aarobyn]

My boys and I fished Friday and Saturday at Watts. I hooked two (caught one) on Friday and didn't even get a sniff on Saturday (we showed up 1/2 hour before daylight on Saturday and were still the third car there). Once my boys get waders, I'm trying the T&M location.

[Aarobyn]

1) Taken from the ODWC Website (www.wildlifedepartment.com) "The new $26 Wildlife Conservation Passport also is now required of all residents or nonresidents who enter or use Department-owned lands, unless exempt. Individuals who possess any current hunting or fishing license issued by the Wildlife Department are exempt from Conservation Passport requirements, except holders of the resident two-day fishing license and the nonresident six-day fishing license must still purchase the Wildlife Conservation Passport." So, pretty much if you want to use department lands for anything other that hunting or fishing (i.e. - bird watching, hikink, etc.) then you have to purchase this new permit. I think the new wildlife passport is supposed to make up for funds lost from the sale of the trout license, but I could be wrong.

2) I noticed the last time I went the the LIR, that the access road at T&M had been closed. My only theory is that, although T&M allowed fishermen to use the road in the past, they have chosen to close it due to the amount of trash that was accumulating. Just a guess, again I may be wrong.

I was told by the guy that manages Pawhuska Lake that they raised the price of out of state deer tags by enough to cover the cost of the trout program. I also heard from a third party that the Pawhuska Lake manager was concerned about stocking rates because they were historically determined by the number of trout stamps sold and now they don't have that number to work with. I can't verify any of that as being gospel, but it works for me. I'm of the opinion that trout stocking may likely go down, while fishing pressure will probably go up.

[Guest]

I was told by the guy that manages Pawhuska Lake that they raised the price of out of state deer tags by enough to cover the cost of the trout program. I also heard from a third party that the Pawhuska Lake manager was concerned about stocking rates because they were historically determined by the number of trout stamps sold and now they don't have that number to work with. I can't verify any of that as being gospel, but it works for me. I'm of the opinion that trout stocking may likely go down, while fishing pressure will probably go up.

This is the response I received from the ODWC after emailing them concerning funding for the trout program in OK: "The price of the trout license was included in the increased price of the non-resident fishing license, so the funding will still be there for the trout program."