Leaves are appearing and the weather is warming; spring is here and fishing season is upon us.
In Pennsylvania, trout season opened on Saturday, April 6, making the long wait come to an end. For freshwater fishing, trout and bass tend to be the favorites due to trout’s beauty and phenomenal taste, and the tough, hard fight of a bass. Though you can legally fish for bass all year round, they do not start to bite until around April. This means the lakes, ponds, and rivers are starting to heat up.
Nature’s sanctuary
To many people, fishing is a time of peace and an escape from the real world. It is more than just catching a fish, it is a way to clear your mind and enjoy the beautiful aspects of nature. Catching a fish is just an added bonus to the experience. Sophomore business management major Matt Williams said, “my favorite part about fishing is just being outside and being a part of nature and then sometimes getting lucky enough to be able to catch and release a beautiful fish while also feeling the fight.”
Trout
While some fish like the warmer water of a pond or a lake, trout thrive in cold running waters such as rivers and streams. Funded entirely through fishing license purchases, trout are stocked in local rivers by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, They are raised in hatcheries and then released into waters that already have some wild fish, giving anglers a higher chance of catching and potentially cooking a delicious meal.
Since trout are smaller than bass, anglers also need lighter gear. Junior education major Brett Gougler says, “When I’m fishing for trout, I use an ultralight rod with four-pound line and a spinner. That usually gives me the highest chance to catch something.”
When buying your fishing license, for an extra $14.97, you can add a trout stamp. A trout stamp gives you the ability to keep up to five trout per day, with a minimum of seven inches and a maximum of twelve inches. However, anyone who exceeds that limit will be fined if caught.
Bass
Due to their strength and size, bass are known for putting up a challenging fight. Bass eat more often in warmer water. They stay shallow at around typically less than eight feet, then once hot summer days push water temperatures into the high 80s, they go deeper. Since bass are bigger fish, they eat more. This leaves more room for a catch since they almost never seem to get full.
Williams notes, “I like artificial plastic worms with heavier line, or I’ll throw something that mimics a crayfish; that always seems to work for me.”
Worms always seem to be reliable when it comes to bass fishing. Sometimes people will throw a topwater lure as well, which tends to mimic an injured fish or a frog if there are lily pads around. The great thing about these lures, is you get to enjoy the thrill of seeing the bass take the bait right in front of your eyes. Just make sure to set the hook hard, which is done by jerking the line so the hook gets into the fish’s lip and always keep your rod tip up. Though it is legal to catch and cook a bass, it is looked at as frowned upon in the freshwater fishing world.
Notable fishing spots
There are plenty of good fishing spots not too far from Cabrini. Marsh Creek Lake is a 535-acre body of water in Chester County. This lake is home to fish at many depths, including bass, and if you are lucky, a giant muskellunge (musky). This state park offers beautiful views with many hiking trails as well, leaving endless possibilities.
To catch trout, try Darby Creek, which runs through Delaware, Chester, and Philadelphia counties. It is stocked with brown, rainbow, and golden trout, which are not only fun to catch but also delicious to eat. Gougler claims it as one of his favorites.
You might want to check your info on minimum and maximum sizes for trout. Your are correct in 7″ as a minimum size but I am not aware of any sort of maximum size allowed for trout. Moreover, I cannot imagine it as anything as short as 12″ as I estimate that at least half of the trout stocked by the PA F&BC exceed that length to begin with.