Changes anglers will be seeing are in the news in 2014. On January 23rd the PFBC Commissioners approved a Voluntary $1 Youth License.

This is for any youth 15 and under that would like to have the opportunity to sport their own license in fishing season.

The revenue generated by the license sales would be dedicated to the programs that encourage youth fishing participation.

Holy cow… a program change that encourages kids to get off the gaming systems and go outdoors and have some fun!

“Increasing youth and family participation in fishing, boating, and conservation programs has always been part of our strategic plan” PFBC Executive Director John Arway said. “This goal responds to the fact that the percentage of children and young adults ages 6 to 15 who fished in Pennsylvania in 2010 was only 24 percent, as in comparison to 37% in 2005 and 41% in 1995. We want to continue to refine and develop programs to engage kids.”

According to Butler County WCO Jonathan Kay the program has set two dates for Mentored Youth Fishing Days. In the South East part of the State it is set for March 22nd, in Butler County and surrounding counties our Mentored Youth Day has been set for April 5th at the Harbor Acres Lake in Game lands 95.

On that day, which is the Saturday before the statewide Trout opener all mentored youth will get an early start to fishing season with a two trout limit.

The kids get a day out of the house, parents and family get an outing, and some education time around fishing skills can take place.

“I want to emphasize that this is purely a voluntary youth license, and it is not required for kids to fish,” Arway said. “If just 25% of the potential 367,000 children were to purchase a voluntary $1 license, it would result in more than $550,000 in the Commission to invest in youth programs.”

He added that the potential market for voluntary youth license sales goes beyond the youth anglers and their family and friends. Clubs, organizations, businesses, individuals and others who are interested in promoting youth angling could purchase quantities of voluntary youth license vouchers to distribute to children.

Once a voluntary youth license is purchased or a youth license voucher is redeemed, the individual will be assigned a unique customer identification number (CID).

Youth who plan to participate in the upcoming Mentored Youth Fishing Days must obtain either a voluntary youth fishing license or a free mentored youth fishing permit.

Other news for senior anglers is that the PFBC is seeking public comment on proposed changes in the life time fishing license for those 65 or older.

Currently if a senior purchases a life time fishing license and adds a trout stamp or Lake Erie stamp or combo of both they are set for life with no further need to buy any of the licenses.

Under the new proposal any senior anglers that purchase a lifetime license after January 1, 2015 would be required to purchase a trout/salmon permit each year. It only affects those of us who turn 65 after 2015 everyone else will be grandfathered in if they have everything in place before that date.

Good news for anglers who purchase a license and move out of state! The PFBC will honor any license until it expires; this applies to multi-year licenses or senior lifetime especially.

Anglers will get the maximum benefit use of their license without a penalty for moving away from PA. Do you remember the old fishing license buttons from the 30’s, 40’s and 50’s? Those colorful fishing license buttons have become collectibles and I remember them when they came out for two years in 1974 and 1975. The PFBC has decided to go retro and bring back the button licenses in 2014.

They recently had a poll to select the color of the button and offered seven different color choices to anglers. The button color most favored by the poll respondents will be the new button color.

I participated in the poll and my color of choice was teal green.

Let’s see what the majority chose when the buttons become available in March for $5 at the PFBC Outdoor Shop.

The button will change color each year and will have your CID number on the front as your license.

If you purchase the button it will take the place of the paper license. I know that I will have the button for several reasons; it looks cool, it will be a collectible and it doubles as your license.