Little Juniata River Fishing Access Decision
Location(s)
A recent decision by Huntingdon County Judge Stewart Kurtz ruled in favor of public access to a 1.3 mile long section of the Little Juniata River at Spruce Creek, Pennsylvania.
For years the Pennsylvania Boat & Fish Commission, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Agency, and local anglers - on one side and the Spring Ridge Fishing Club on the other side battled in court over public access verses private ownership of the stream-bed.
The decision came down to the one critical question, was the river navigable and as such a public transportation route that then belongs to the Commonwealth and the public?
Altoona Mirror Newspaper reporter, Rebecca Berdar, filed a recent story. Visit this link and read her report. Pennsylvania wins fishing lawsuit
While I have fished the Little Juniata River and it is a fine trout stream, I have never fished the section of stream mentioned in the suit; however, I have seen no fishing signs on other sections that I have fished in the past.
Public access and property rights issues can heat up an friendly conversation.
I would be interested in knowing how you feel about the Little Juniata River Decision.
Pleaxse post a comment.
Comments
privite fishing
Jack
Good topic, To be honest about this why doesn't this fishing club build a lake on their own property? Maybe I will sell some parts of the Brooklyn Bridge or you want some shares of stock in Lake Erie?  If this kind of property ownership goes on ,like the little J, then there will be no need to buy a fishing licence - you just have to pay the property owner.
The same club leased land on the Conneaut Creek in Conneaut Ohio and posted the access property.Article in the PA Outdoor News dated 1-19-07. You know this all comes down to money. Guides taking clients to private public waterways to catch fish. CATCHING fish is what they are paid to do and you cannot catch fish if a hole is filled with other anglers. I do know that there are a few fishing people who ruin it for the rest of us. Leaving litter and desecrating on peoples lawns.Â
All this privatizing on steams is going to do is change parts of the creeks into nursing waters ,NO FISHING ALLOWED........ The people in Ohio are a little different in ways that they would set nets in the creek to stop the fish from going up creek , not legal.Â
If I was a rich man and belong to that fishing club I may have a different view but I am not rich.
Look for an Erie stamp to fish in Ohio now thanks to the imagination of a certain few.
All in all there has to be some middle ground and things will work out for the best.
In Fishing
Pgh Joe
Property Rights
Joe thanks for sharing your thoughts.
There was a day in my past when the issue of who owns property was never a big deal. We hunted, fished, and hiked in places we did not own and allowed others to do the same on property that we owned.
That time is gone.
These days many communities are made up of strangers who are unwilling to share with others.Â
I'm not sure where our country is going, but I am prepared to dislike the destination.