HARRISBURG, Pa. — The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) is reminding anglers that Mentored Youth Trout Day is coming up!
The statewide event will be held on Saturday, March 30 at 8 a.m. for youth anglers ages 15 and under alongside licensed adult mentors on hundreds of waters across all 67 Pennsylvania counties.
"On this special day, kids can enjoy the water a week before the busy statewide opening day of trout season," said William Gibney, PFBC President and District 7 Commissioner. "Mentors should focus on giving these young anglers the attention they need to become successful, ethical anglers, and contribute to the future of conservation."
Participants should keep in mind that while PFBC pre-season trout stocking has begun ahead of the Opening Day of Trout Season on April 6, not all waters will be stocked before March 30. To ensure an enjoyable experience and locate waters that are already stocked, review the 2024 Trout Stocking Schedule here.
To participate in Mentored Youth Trout Day, anglers ages 15 and under must obtain either a Voluntary Youth Fishing License or a free Mentored Youth Permit from the PFBC and be accompanied by a licensed adult angler with a trout permit.
Permits and licenses are available using the FishBoatPA mobile app, online at www.fishandboat.com, and in-person at nearly 700 license-issuing agents. On Mentored Youth Trout Day, young anglers can keep up to two trout at least seven inches long.
Adult mentors (anglers 16 years of age or older) participating in Mentored Youth Trout Fishing Day must possess a valid Pennsylvania Fishing License and a Trout Permit and be accompanied by a properly permitted or licensed youth (less than 16 years of age). While mentors are permitted to fish for trout while in the act of assisting a youth angler, they are not permitted to harvest trout and must release them immediately, unharmed.
“Mentors should be entirely focused on helping kids to fish, with such things as baiting a hook, helping to cast, and hopefully, helping to safely remove a few trout from the line, when needed," said Gibney. "Remember, this day is for the young anglers."
The PFBC reminds anglers of proper catch-and-release fishing techniques when harvest is not permitted or when anglers choose to practice catch-and-release fishing during Mentored Youth Day. The techniques listed below will ensure that released fish have the best chance to survive and contribute to future angling enjoyment.
- Land your fish as quickly as possible and don't play the fish to exhaustion. Excessive stress and exhaustion increase post-release mortality.
- Use a landing net (rubber or rubberized mesh is best) to better control your catch and reduce trauma associated with handling.
- Keep the fish in the water as much as possible. The chance of a fish being injured increases the longer it is held out of the water.
- Wet your hands, your net, and other materials that touch the fish. Don't handle fish with a towel or rag. This helps to keep a fish's protective mucus or slime layer in place.
- Hold the fish upside down while removing the hook. This can calm the fish for quicker unhooking and release.
- Use hemostats or long nose pliers to aid in removing a hook quickly and safely. Use barbless hooks or pinch-down barbs on existing hooks with small pliers to make removing hooks easier.
- When not possible to remove the hook without harming the fish, cut the line or harvest to eat (subject to season, length, and creel limits).
- Avoid contact with the gills and do not handle by placing your fingers under the operculum (gill cover).
- Hold the fish upright underwater after unhooking until it can swim away on its own. If necessary, gently hold the fish out of strong current until it revives.
