March has always had a reputation as a month with unpredictable shifts in the weather, and this March has certainly lived up to that status.

On my way to a medical appointment last Tuesday, I had to endure some frozen fingers while scraping an ample layer of snow and ice from my windshield that morning with temperatures in the low 20s. When I emerged from the doctor’s office, I was greeted with the sight of large, fluffy snowflakes falling densely as I shivered across the parking lot. The snowfall became more intense on my way home with visibility sometimes limited only about 60 yards.

Of course, a snow squall in March is not a rare occurrence for Pennsylvania, but I couldn’t help thinking what a difference those conditions were compared to what we experienced just a week ago. On Tuesday, March 10, I was relaxing on the bank of the Juniata River in Huntingdon County, enjoying a day that reached the high 70s while catching a couple dozen feisty smallmouth bass. Buoyed by that taste of springlike weather and fishing success, I was eager for a rematch with the smallmouths last week, but some prior commitments and a return to March’s fickle weather menu derailed those plans.

Now I’ve fished on my share of miserable days, so I don’t require perfect, balmy weather as an incentive to get out for some fishing, but I will surely take advantage of those conditions when available.

Regardless of what the rest of March will have to offer in terms of weather, there will be plenty of fishing opportunities on the horizon. Trout season begin in just two weeks on April 4, and the annual Mentored Youth Trout Day is next Saturday, March 28 from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Mentored Youth Trout Day was created several years ago to provide an opportunity for an adult mentor to introduce a young person to trout fishing without being subjected to the crowded atmosphere that often occurs on some waters on a typical opening day.

All streams and lakes in Pennsylvania that are managed as Stocked Trout Waters are included in the program. Any young angler under the age of 16 is eligible to participate in the but must be accompanied by an angler16 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 a Voluntary Youth Fishing License.

The young angler and their mentor are both permitted to fish on the youth day, but only the young angler is permitted to keep two trout seven inches or longer. All other general fishing regulations apply during Mentored Youth Trout Day. Additional information regarding the regulations and guidelines for the Mentored Youth Trout Day program is available on the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission website, FishandBoat.com, or on page 21 in the 2026 Pennsylvania Summary of Fishing handbook that comes with your fishing license.

As someone with many years of experience as a fishing guide and a trained fishing instructor for both kids and adults, I can offer a few worthwhile tips to help a potential mentor have a successful outing with their young angler.

First and foremost, make your primary goal for the day to motivate your student to want to go again by keeping things fun. Teens and older kids who already have some interest or experience in fishing are likely to maintain their enthusiasm for significant periods. Attention spans will be much shorter for most younger children. Do your best to keep them involved.

Once they have lost interest, however, it’s usually best to call it a day. Trying to prolong things will only discourage a youngster and make them less likely to want to try fishing again.

Provide your young angler with proper equipment that is working properly. I have a firm policy to never hand a rod and reel to any beginner, young or old, that I wouldn’t want to fish with myself. Put fresh line on the reel and make sure the spool is properly filled to start the season. Have your young person help with that task. If possible, have some casting practice in the backyard and show older kids how to tie a couple of basic knots and how to rig whatever baits or lure you will be using. The preliminary activities will help to build interest and a sense of involvement for the fishing day.

Although this might seem too obvious, one of the best ways to keep a young angler interested is to catch something. Feeling a fish tugging at the end of your line and reeling in your catch is a special thrill. Finding a spot for a budding angler to hook a few trout on most stocked waters shouldn’t be too difficult on the youth day. And you will have the experience of introducing a young person to the sport of fishing.