Monday will mark the 162nd meeting of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. For most of the Commonwealth’s 767,000 anglers, this means very little — just another quarterly meeting they never attend and rarely hear about. However, for those who spend their time in pursuit of steelhead, this may be one of the most important meetings in recent history.

On the agenda is a proposed rule that, if passed, will limit steelhead fishing on two of the more popular holes to daylight hours only. If the regulation does not pass, access to these areas could be lost altogether, which would be a tough situation for anglers and an even tougher decision for the Commissioners.

The areas in question are Elk Creek, north of Route 5, and Walnut Creek, north of Manchester Creek Bridge. The proposal is to close these areas to fishing from one and a half hours after sunset to one and a half hours before sunrise.

Under current regulations, all Lake Erie tributaries, except the two areas mentioned above, are closed to fishing from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. the following morning. The areas on Elk and Walnut Creeks are the only waters open to fishing during the overnight hours. However, this has not been sitting well with landowners and local conservationists.

According to the Bureau of Law Enforcement, the Commission has experienced increased complaints from landowners claiming anglers, or at least those engaged in fishing, if not true anglers, have been responsible for increased disruptive activities during these overnight hours. Local conservation groups, including the Pennsylvania Steelhead Association, 3-CU Trout Association, and the Northwest Chapter of Trout Unlimited, have all supported the landowner’s request to close these areas during the overnight hours.

During an April 8 Law Enforcement Committee meeting, the Bureau of Law Enforcement supported the proposed regulation change, primarily due to increased poaching activities during the overnight hours.

During the April 8Law Enforcement Committee meeting, not only was the proposed change considered, but the Committee also discussed expanding the proposal to include all Lake Erie tributaries. If the proposal were to be changed and adopted, steelhead fishing would essentially become a daylight-only activity.

Of course, at this point, the proposal is just that — a proposal. It will be discussed at the upcoming Commission meeting, where it can be amended, approved, tabled, or voted down. Although I can not speak for the Board of Commissioners, and those not serving on the Law Enforcement Committee have yet to voice an opinion, I do not see how the Commission can fail to adopt the requested change.

At least as far as Walnut Creek is concerned, the Commission finds itself in a tricky situation where almost any decision means losing access for anglers. Some of the most popular and productive steelhead waters will be highly restricted if they adopt the proposed regulation change. If they do not adopt the proposed regulation change, there is a likelihood that local landowners will limit or completely remove access to their properties. If the latter happens, fishing in this area will cease to exist apart from those specifically invited by the landowner(s). Because of this and the fact that the Commission rarely denies requests by landowners who otherwise open their property to public fishing, adoption is almost inevitable.

What does come into question is whether this proposed change will be amended to include all Lake Erie tributaries. From my time with the Commission, I do not doubt that property owners on other streams have experienced similar disruptive behavior in their backyards. However, those streams close at 10 p.m., so the overnight disruptions are limited and illegal. But once these landowners see the possibility of closing a stream at dark at least some will want it for their stream as well.

As it stands today,, the future of Lake Erie steelhead fishing remains unanswered. This Tuesday, that question will be answered, but it remains to see how big a change that answer will include.