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Get ready for a whopper.
As opening day of Pennsylvania’s trout season approaches Saturday, prepare to hear fishing tales that strain believability almost to the breaking point – like a bamboo rod bent under the weight of an unseen something.
Except, certain anglers will be able to back up their words with photo evidence or scaly proof: the one that didn’t get away (albeit maybe it was caught and released).
Will you be among the fortunate ones to land one for the frying pan? Or wall mount? Anyone toting tackle and heading to an area streamside or lake this year should find several things – including fabulous opening-day spring weather – working in his or her favor for making a big catch. Perhaps the big catch.
For starters, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission reportedly will begin a new program later this year in which more monster trout, measuring 14 to 20 inches, will be released in eight waterways statewide, upping the odds of hooking a trophy. (For updates on all stocking schedules and locations, get the commission’s free mobile app.)
Meanwhile, Lake Jean, a 245-acre drawing card at Ricketts Glen State Park, continues to rebound after having been nearly drained in 2015 for the replacement of a dam control tower. State park workers capitalized on the low water level to improve the lake’s fish habitat, installing wooden cribs. By Memorial Day, the lake should be back to its usual level, outdoors writer Tom Venesky reported in November.
Elsewhere, those whispers surrounding a supposed lunker lurking beneath the lake’s surface at Frances Slocum State Park, which sounded like Loch Ness silliness, recently were confirmed. No joke. The commission’s biologists netted about 12 muskies, each longer than 34 inches, Venesky reported this month. The biggest of the bunch measured 50.2 inches and weighed more than 45 pounds.
Perhaps you’re gonna need a bigger boat.
You definitely need a valid fishing license. Go to a licensing agent or visit GoneFishingPa.com. The Fish and Boat Commission supplies a wealth of online information for would-be anglers, including a “frequently asked questions” page and license prices.
Remember, those license and trout/salmon permit fees pay for the commission, a “user-funded agency” that gets no dollars from the state’s general fund, to continue its critical work on behalf of water quality and the state’s aquatic life.
It’s a relatively small price to pay for hours of enjoyment, relaxation and, just maybe, one whale of a conversation starter.