Reeling in a New Generation: Mentored Youth Trout Day lets kids experience the joys of fishing, away from the crowds

Opening day of trout fishing season in Pennsylvania is April 3, except for kids. Children under the age of 16 will have an opportunity to try reeling in these fish a week earlier, on March 27, Mentored Youth Trout Day. Each year parents are allowed to take their kids fishing on this special day, when only young anglers and their adult mentors are allowed to fish the waters. 

“The creation of this day gives people the opportunity to take their kids out when there aren’t crowds of adults around, so they can spend time teaching them to cast, getting them untangled, reeling in their fish, and helping them get it off the hook,” says Mike Parker, communications director of the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission. “When the crowd is smaller, they don’t have to compete for space and it’s just a less stressful situation for the mentors. Plus, the kids have a better shot at catching something.”

Because trout dwell in cold waters, the PFBC starts stocking 1,000 bodies of water in Pennsylvania with 3.2 million trout around mid-February, sometimes having to drill into lakes to dump the supply. They will continue to stock the trout until the first day of the season. 

Joe Chandler of State College and his 6-year-old daughter, Anna, prefer to do their fishing at Whipple Dam State Park or at Lake Perez, both in Huntingdon County. 

“I grew up as an avid outdoorsman, going fishing and hunting with my dad. Anna’s been fishing for two years; she likes reeling in the fish and touching them, and is always chomping at the bit to see the bobber go down,” he says.

Since the pandemic gave them more free time and extra reasons to spend time outdoors, Chandler and his wife, Elizabeth McCallips, spent a lot more time with Anna, fishing in their kayaks, which has added to the fun for Anna.

“I suggest bringing some coloring books to keep them occupied as you wait,” Chandler offers as a tip to parents taking their kids out for the first time. “Have a lot of patience and enjoy the moment when they catch a fish. Anna’s face is pure joy when she catches a fish.”

The Mentored Youth Trout Day is the perfect time for parents to teach their kids without worrying about bothering anyone else, he says.

Aiming to reverse a trend

Another benefit of the youth fishing day is encouraging a new generation to enjoy angling, Parker says. Since 1996, the PFBC has seen a steady decline in fishing license purchases. The mid-1990s reached a peak of about 1 million licenses a year; that dropped to about 617,000 by 2018. But in 2020, the state reached nearly a million licenses again, as people engaged in more outdoor activities during the pandemic. 

Ten-year-old Jeremiah Shaffer of Zion has been fishing since he was 3. His parents wanted him to learn to hunt and fish early, so he learned to love the pastimes before he became too busy with schoolwork and other activities.

“He’s been doing the Mentored Youth Day for years,” says his mom, Nadine Shaffer. “He loves getting his own fishing license – it’s nice for him to spend time with his family; he goes fishing [with] parents and pap and great uncle and cousins, mostly at Bald Eagle State Park and in Milesburg.”

On the Mentored Youth Trout Day, children under age 16 do not need a fishing license, according to Parker, but they do need to register with the PFBC to participate. Children can also purchase a voluntary fish license that’s $2.97, $1 of which goes to the PFBC for stocked trout management. These licenses can be purchased in the same stores that sell regular fishing licenses. 

Nancy Coulter and her husband, Rich, of State College, have been taking their 9-year-old daughter, Ainsley, and 6-year-old daughter, Sawyer, fishing on the youth day for several years, with varying levels of luck catching trout. 

“We take them fishing so they can learn about nature and appreciate the beautiful surroundings of central Pennsylvania,” Rich says. “We love to be outdoors as much as possible, and we want them to have that same enthusiasm for their surroundings. They also have a blast, even when they’re not catching fish.”

Nancy suggests that parents be sure to bring snacks or lunch and make the day more about having fun than catching fish.

Information about the Mentored Youth Trout Day, voluntary licenses for kids, and best fishing places in Centre County can be found at the PFBC’s website, fishandboat.com. 

Rebekka Coakley is a freelance writer.