Trout opener worth the wait
By Aaron McKrell, Eagle Staff Writer
BOGGSVILLE — If you were driving across a bridge in Western Pennsylvania on Saturday morning, there's a good chance you saw anglers casting their lines on the first day of trout season.
Ankle-deep in water or perched atop mud and grass, excited anglers got a jump on the season on a cool, sunny morning.
At Boggsville Bridge, the waters were high, fast and a little murky.
For three Freeport pals who have anxiously awaited this day all winter, the day couldn't have been more perfect.
“This is probably one of the best first days we've had in a while,” said Hunter Fennell.
Fennell arrived at Boggsville Bridge at 7 a.m., an hour before the start time, with his buddies Cameron Salander and Jake Babilon.
Among the three of them, they caught six fish in the first half-hour.
Not everyone was so lucky.
Joel Williams, 67, said the conditions weren't the best, but wasn't deterred.
“It brings out the best in a fisherman,” said Williams of East Vandergrift.
Williams has been coming to opening day for 54 years. He went this year with his daughter, Kristan Goedicke.
“(I come for) just mainly the outdoors and the family, and the chance to catch a big one,” he said.
Like Williams, Craig Taliani of West Deer Township also found the high, fast waters made for difficult fishing.“The fish want to be in slower water,” he said. “The heavy water pushes the bait down stream pretty fast.”John Leonard of Tarentum hadn't had a bite after around 45 minutes of fishing. Still, he was glad to be out there.“My dad took me since I was about 7 years old, and I take my boys,” he said.Travis Hughes and Lee Sanders are two of several people who make the opening a multiday event. Hughes of Brackenridge and Sanders of Kittanning Township camped out the night before.“I like to come just for the fun of it,” Sanders said. “It gets me out of the house.”Katie Sprouse, who caught one trout she estimated was nine inches long, said she had been looking forward to this day all week. She also didn't mind the conditions.“We've had worse,” she said. “It's actually nice.”
