The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission will hold its annual Mentored Youth Trout Day this Saturday, March 30, starting at 8 a.m. The statewide event is open to anglers aged 15 and under, and allows them to fish alongside a licensed adult mentor on hundreds of waterways throughout the commonwealth.
“If you want to spend quality time sharing the joy of fishing while teaching a young person the skills they can carry with them for a lifetime, Mentored Youth Trout Day is a fantastic opportunity,” said William Gibney, PFBC President and District 7 Commissioner. “On this special day, kids can enjoy the water a week before the busy statewide opening day of trout season.”
To participate in Mentored Youth Trout Day, children ages 15 and under must obtain either a Voluntary Youth Fishing License for $2.97 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, at Fishandboat.com and in-person at nearly 700 license agents.
To purchase a fishing license or obtain related permits, all anglers, including youth, are also required to have their own account within the licensing system, which can be created online or at a retail license issuing location.
On Mentored Youth Trout Day, youth anglers may keep up to two trout which are at least seven inches in length. Adult mentors (anglers 16 years of age or older) participating in Mentored Youth Trout Fishing Day must have a valid Pennsylvania Fishing License and a Trout Permit and be accompanied by a properly permitted or licensed youth who is under 16. Mentors are permitted to fish for trout while in the act of assisting a youth angler, but 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. Mentoring is most effective when just one adult accompanies each child.”
Participants should be aware that not all waters will be stocked before Mentored Youth Trout Day. To find out which waters are open for fishing on March 30, anglers can refer to the 2024 trout stocking schedule on the PFBC website. For anyone planning to take part in Mentored Youth Trout Day, the PFBC also has helpful tips to help make any fishing expedition successful and safe.
For more information on Mentored Youth Trout Day and fishing in Pennsylvania, visit the PFBC website.
This local news story was reported with generative AI assistance.
