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When it comes to bait, anglers have choices

By John Hartsock jhartsock@altoonamirror.com The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission will stock 3.2 million trout in 696 streams and 128 lakes statewide for the 2022 trout season, which begins Saturday at 8 a.m. for all of Pennsylvania. Many of the trout that are stocked in the state’s waters aren’t unduly picky about what they will choose to feed upon on the first day of the season, but as the weather warms up and the trout get acclimated to their conditions, most of them become much more discerning about the bait at which they will strike. Live bait like waxworms, ...

Camp sites for anglers open

From Mirror reports HARRISBURG – Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn is encouraging anglers to consider using state park campsites for overnight fishing trips as trout season approaches. A total of 43 campgrounds throughout the state will provide camping for the April 2 opener. “As trout season nears, it is important that the public is aware of the wonderful opportunities for fishing and camping at our state parks,” Dunn said. “We are proud to support outdoor recreation efforts on public lands and look forward to seeing a great turnout ...

Camp sites for anglers open

From Mirror reports HARRISBURG – Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn is encouraging anglers to consider using state park campsites for overnight fishing trips as trout season approaches. A total of 43 campgrounds throughout the state will provide camping for the April 2 opener. “As trout season nears, it is important that the public is aware of the wonderful opportunities for fishing and camping at our state parks,” Dunn said. “We are proud to support outdoor recreation efforts on public lands and look forward to seeing a great turnout ...

Deer harvest reports are released by PGC

From Mirror reports HARRISBURG — The Pennsylvania Game Commission recently reported results from the 2021-22 deer seasons, which ended in January. Hunters harvested an estimated 376,810 white-tailed deer. The statewide buck harvest was estimated at 145,320 and the antlerless harvest at 231,490. That take, overall, is down about 13 percent compared to 2020-21, when hunters recorded the largest deer harvest in 16 years, harvesting an estimated 435,180 deer. It is, however, similar to the estimated statewide deer harvests during the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons. That’s not cause ...

The wait will be over soon for local fishermen

By Walt Young For the Mirror Next Saturday, April 2, is the opening of trout season throughout Pennsylvania. In 2007, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission adopted two regional opening days for trout season, which started trout season two weeks earlier in 18 southeastern counties than the rest of the state. Along with returning to a single statewide opening day, the first day of trout season is now set for the first Saturday of April, two weeks earlier than the traditional mid-April opener. While the annual opener is always a much-awaited day for many trout anglers, some avid ...

It’s time to start scouting for your fish bait

By Shirley Grenoble For the Mirror As much as Walt Young has tried to convert me, I cling to my bait-casting stuff and so it is time for old-timers to start looking for worms. Well maybe in a couple weeks would be better because of all the snow we recently endured. I smile a bit at the leaves I didn’t get raked up in the fall and know that soon I’ll overturn them looking for fat earthworms. So go get a coffee can ready and start scouting for the worms. It won’t be long before you have a full can. The fly-fishing zealots among us have already created their dandruff-sized ...