Today is Mentored Youth Trout fishing day in Pennsylvania. This will be the 13th year in a row that the Keystone State has allowed its youth trout anglers an opportunity to have the lakes and streams to themselves before the season opens to fishermen and -women of all ages.

Anglers 15 years old and younger are allowed to participate in the youth trout fishing day. Adults are permitted to assist youth anglers while fishing. Anyone 16 years or older who obtains a Pennsylvania fishing license along with a trout fishing permit is allowed to take part in mentoring youth trout anglers on youth fishing day. Mentored Youth Trout Fishing Day is not intended for large groups of youth fishing with minimal adult supervision. Youth anglers are allowed to keep two trout (combined species) of a minimum of seven inches.

Trout fishing is one of the best ways to get kids to enjoy fishing. Especially on youth day when streams are stocked full of trout. I can remember back in my younger days being only allowed to fish when the season opened up to anglers of all ages. Although it was a lot of fun, at times it was difficult to find good holes to fish that weren’t crowded with other fishermen. Unfortunately I had a few encounters with fishermen who showed no care for the fact that I was a young, beginning angler. Multiple times I was crowded out by adult anglers to the point where I had to find a new place to fish. I’ve always felt that it’s best for adult fishermen to do whatever we can to place our youth anglers as one of our highest priorities when we are on the trout streams. For this reason, I strongly encourage adult mentors to take kids fishing on mentored youth day. The streams and lakes are far less crowded and kids get an opportunity to enjoy a day of trout fishing when it is all about them.

There’s a lot a kid can learn about fishing when you introduce them to trout fishing. In fact, you can teach a kid everything they need to know. Trout fishing requires precise casting and hook baiting as well as learning how to set the hook after a fish bites. I find it’s best for beginning anglers to allow the adult to cast the rod into the water for them and then have them reel it in themselves until they can get comfortable casting on their own.

Kids love trout fishing the most because it keeps them busy. There’s always something to do, even when the fish aren’t biting. One of the things I enjoyed most about trout fishing when I was a kid was the fact that I would constantly move to new locations. On the trout streams, rarely would I fish the same hole for more than 15 to 20 minutes. If I wasn’t catching fish, I would move to a new spot after a few casts. There was always the thought that the next spot was going to be better than the one I was currently fishing, which brought a lot of excitement into my trout fishing experiences.

Proper gear is a must for youth trout anglers. Rubber boots are vital for keeping feet dry. As kids get older, invest in some hip or chest waders that will allow them to venture out into deeper water. Young kids should always be closely attended by adults when standing in moving currents. Trout fishing often requires anglers to be in the water while fishing. You can ruin a day of fishing for a kid by having to take them home just because of wet feet.

Rod size is also important for kids younger than 10. Kids 3 to 5 years old are recommended to use a rod no more than 3 feet long. Children from 6 to 8 years old are recommended to use rods no longer than 5 feet long. Youth anglers who are 10 years of age or older can usually use any rod size they prefer.

I like to start kids off by learning to cast spinners. The best part about using spinners is that the trout usually hook themselves. Plus, kids rarely have to determine whether they are getting a bite or a snag. Even for me, there’s nothing more exciting in the fishing world than having a trout aggressively bite your line while running a spinner.