The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) reminds anglers that Mentored Youth Trout Day will happen on Saturday, March 25, 2023, beginning at 8 a.m. This is a statewide event open to youth anglers ages 15 and under and their licensed adult mentors on hundreds of waters in all 67 counties.
“Mentored youth day is a fantastic opportunity to introduce youngsters to Pennsylvania’s proud trout fishing traditions while teaching them skills they can carry with them for a lifetime,” said Robert B.J. Small, PFBC President and District 6 Commissioner. “On this special day, kids get to enjoy the water a week before the busy statewide opening day of trout season. We hope that mentors give these young anglers the attention they need to become successful, ethical anglers, and contribute to the future of conservation.”
Participants should note that while PFBC pre-season trout stocking is well underway in advance of the statewide Opening Day of trout season on April 1, not all waters will be stocked with trout prior to Mentored Youth Trout Fishing Day on March 25. To ensure an enjoyable experience and locate waters that have already been stocked, please review the complete 2023 trout stocking schedule on the FishBoatPA app and PFBC website. Youth anglers may keep up to two trout which are at least seven inches in length.
To participate in any Mentored Youth Trout Fishing Day, anglers ages 15 and under must obtain either a Voluntary Youth Fishing License ($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, online at www.fishandboat.com, and in-person at nearly 700 license issuing agents. To purchase a fishing license or obtain related permits, all anglers, including youth, are required to have their own account within the licensing system, which can be created either online or at a retail license issuing location. Upon creation of an account, anglers are issued a permanent, individual Customer Identification Number (CID#) that can be used for an improved, user-friendly experience during future transactions.
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.
“Adult mentors should be focused entirely 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 Small. “Remember, this day is for the young anglers. The most effective mentoring experience happens when just one adult accompanies each youth angler. Fishing with young children or an inexperienced youth angler can be extremely rewarding. Most importantly, mentors and youths should have fun and make some great memories that will keep the kids wanting to return to the water year after year.”
