First Day of Trout Season-Pennsylvania
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Hey guys, wondering if anybody is fishing here in PA on Saturday the 14th of April. I don’t know if they have a first day of trout season in Georgia(Sorry Zach) 😉 But here in PA its like Christmas for us fishing types. I personally will be going to Dunbar Creek which is a small creek here in SW PA. i hope you guys are all enjoying your fishing time as the weather gets nice here in PA.
Tite Lines
Jim BarakZach-That is great having a year round season in GA. Fortunately we have lots of delayed harvest sections in PA that permit year round or almost year round fishing with catch and release and flyfishing only rules implied.
Dunbar Creek! Â I spent quite a few days on that creek when I should have been in class! Â Definitely a fun little freestoner to run to for a day trip. Â It’s a shame that the locals have turned some of the areas into what seems like a circus.
“Opening Day” is truly a spectacle here in PA…where else can you hear commercials on the radio talking about stocking up opening day of trout season? Â Thanks to the special regs areas and steelhead fishing, trout season never truly closes. Â But the second Saturday in April is definitely steeped in tradition and sometimes total chaos. Â I’m off to Ohio for the last hurrah of steelhead season, and to escape the madness here.
Good luck, and don’t forget to take the little ones along!
Well, as a PA boy I suppose I should chime in.
Our opening day was the early one 2 weeks ago.
Hey Seafood…I can’t agree more with my tradition being the same as your on “opening day..” My best friend and I, who have been fishing together since we were 8, Baitfish for trout!!! I know, I know…sacrlige…but my friend hasn’t yet been sold on the greatness of the fly and we have been going to the same place for about 15 years…so I can’t break tradition….i cook and we have a pretty good time talking about fishing and quoting the movie JAWS like we did when we were kids…Then the next day I’ll get my fly gear and head to Dunbar to catch some of those beautiful brookies from the stream…Tite Lines
As a Western Pennsylvanian I’ll chime in too, I guess… I will be heading to the mountains Saturday morning and fishing for wild brook trout in streams that I can step across and not see another person anywhere for hours … Opening Day is what you make of it. I totally understand the tradition and excitement of this day — a holiday really on par with the first day of buck season…
The past five years I have gone to camp, slept in long enough to be rid of my hangover as the masses huddled elbow-to-elbow battling each other over tame fish, gathered my gear and a sandwhich, and driven to a location barely marked on a map. Then I start hiking what are really glorified trickles flowing down from the mountains until I hit a pool barely knee-deep or an undercut bank and drop in my line. Sometimes I’ll feel that tell-tale tug at the end, confident that I’m the only person who will ever see this fish fighting for its survival in this most natural environment. Then I’ll carefully remove the hook and gently place the beautiful green and yellow brookie back in the cold, clear water as it bolts for cover… I continue on my way for a few miles, until it’s time to turn around and try again on my way back to the car… To me, a five- or six-inch native trout is infinitely more rewarding than a foot-long stocker…
Good luck everybody…
AAHHH, The joys of opening day!!! Being from western Pa myself, I can share a lot of similar stories. Truely is something you out-of-staters should come see once! Drunks falling out of canoes/boats, fights over ugly stocked trout and my personal favorite. The guy that hooks himself [smiley=laugh.gif]!! I have seen a lot of crazy stuff happen on the water in April here in Pa, but most of the crazies are gone by May.
I try to fish a least twice a month, so the season really doesn’t close for me. Troutbum74, I may see you @ Dunbar on Sat, I have managed to free up a few hours in the morning and will be fishing the project water somewhere. PM me if you want to meet up.
JHJust wanted to wish all the PA guys fishing tomorrow good luck!!! 😎 You guys aren’t kidding when you talk about al the drunks that come out to fish tomorrow…it is a tad disturbing! I like to drink the occasional ::) um, beer…every once in a while…anyway good luck to everyone flex the rod tomorrow!!
Hey John Pav. –
Great story; I’m wondering if you always carry the gun or if you brought it that day because it was opening day specifically?
By the way, that would be a great subject for a Rant article in American Angler.
Hope all the PA guys did well if they went out Saturday on “Opening Day” I only took one with the fly Saturday…A very nice brookie…weather was hell, but no excuse…thanks for all the comments guys and tite lines…Jim ;D
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