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With the official arrival of spring last Monday, anglers of all ages are likely to be thinking about the first day of trout season on April 1.
However, this weekend is Mentored Youth Trout Day throughout Pennsylvania. This event offers a great opportunity to introduce a young person to trout fishing without the crowded atmosphere that often occurs on some waters on a typical opening day. All stocked trout waters in Pennsylvania are included in the Mentored Youth Trout Day, and fishing hours are from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
To participate in the 2023 Mentored Youth Trout Day, anglers under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an angler 16 years of age or older who possesses a valid Pennsylvania fishing license and a trout/salmon permit. The youth angler must have either a Mentored Youth Fishing Permit or Voluntary Youth Fishing License and The Mentored Youth Fishing Permit is free, and the Voluntary Youth Fishing License costs $2.97. Either of these can be obtained at any fishing license issuing agent or online at www.pa.wildlifelicensecom. You will need to furnish the child's address, social security number, date of birth, height and eye color to acquire the permit.
Both the young angler and their mentor are permitted to fish on the youth day, but only the young angler is permitted to keep two trout seven inches or longer. The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission encourages adult mentors to respect the spirit of the event with a few helpful guidelines. The opportunity is not intended as a chance for several adult mentors to accompany one child in order to get an early start on trout season.
The PFBC also discourages youth organizations from using the day as an opportunity to get a large group of youth fishing, with minimal adult supervision. Young anglers should be capable of fishing on their own, with limited assistance from mentor. A mentor should be fishing within a reasonable distance of the young person when they are actively fishing. Additional information about the Mentored Youth Trout Day program is available on the PFBC website, FishandBoat.com or on page 21 in the 2023 Pennsylvania Summary of Fishing/Boating Regulations handbook that comes with your fishing license.
Having many years of experience as both a fishing guide and volunteer fishing instructor, I've had the privilege of introducing novice anglers of all ages to the wonderful sport of fishing. I especially enjoy working with kids, knowing that I am teaching them a source of recreation they can participate in all their lives. But depending on their age and upbringing, teaching kids to fish can present a special set of challenges. Here are a few tips that can help make your mentoring more productive and enjoyable.
Above all, keep things fun. Many kids have notoriously short attention spans. And the younger the child, the shorter amount of time they are likely to stay focused on any activity. It might sound overly obvious, but one of the best ways to keep a young angler interested is to catch something. Without the typical opening day crowds, finding a spot or two that will produce some fish should not be too difficult. Some young teenage boys tend to be rather headstrong and inclined to do things their own way on their own time.
If that's the case, keep your coaching to a minimum and allow them to learn from their mistakes. Not every kid will be super excited about going fishing for the first time. If your budding angler is lukewarm about a fishing trip, don't prolong the day once they begin to lose interest. Doing so can sour them to trying it again.
One rule I have firmly established when teaching fishing is never hand a new angler a rod and reel I wouldn't fish with myself. Nothing is more frustrating than trying to cast or fish with an outfit that does not perform as it should, and nothing is more satisfying than using good quality gear that works as it should. And good quality tackle does not necessarily mean the most expensive either. Excellent performing rods and reels are available in a price range to suit any reasonable fishing budget.
If possible, have a short practice session with your youngster before the actual day on the water. Set up some targets and do a little casting practice in the backyard with the equipment they will be using. For older kids, show them how to tie a couple of basic knots and how to rig whatever baits or lure you will be using on youth day. These preliminaries will build interest and involvement for the fishing day and allow you to spend more time fishing together.