Opening Friday, Alpine County Trout Season Due To Shortened Delay Order
Alpine County, CA — Beginning Friday, anglers can cast their lines in Alpine County as trout season will belatedly open two weeks earlier than previously set.
On Thursday, at the request of Alpine County government and sheriff’s officials, California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Director Charlton H. Bonham lifted the delay of the trout opener for that jurisdiction. Trout season, which opened April 25 in most other counties, was delayed due to concerns of COVID-19 and tourism straining the local health care systems there as well as in Inyo, Mono, and Sierra counties. So, CDFW, in consultation with Fish and Game Commission President Eric Sklar, delayed the opener through May 31.
However, now that Alpine County is moving toward initiating a soft opening of restaurants and other facilities in the weeks ahead, county officials requested in a letter last week that CDFW shorten the delay to May 15. CDFW officials note that the decision does not affect the trout season in any other county.
CDFW reminds anglers to abide by all state and local health guidelines regarding non-essential travel and physical distancing, adding that staying home in order to stay healthy is still the best public safety practice.
Anglers should check in advance with local authorities on the status of access points as many site closures and access restrictions still exist and may change daily. For more details about the COVID-19 impacts on fishing, click here.
