The anticipated first day of Spring arrives this weekend and I am sure that everyone welcomes that news!

The warmer temperatures and spring rains are always better news for anglers who hope to get onto the local trout waters in the next few weeks. Lake Erie tributaries will be busy waterways as the annual influx of steelhead anglers take advantage of the spring spawning runs featuring the magnificent rainbow trout fresh out of Lake Erie.

For anglers with youth as companions, this marks the Mentored Youth Trout Fishing Day on March 26. All trout waters stocked by the PFBC will have a one-day youth fishing day with special qualifications.

To participate in a Mentored Youth Fishing Day, anglers must be under the age of 16 and accompanied by a licensed angler 16 or older. The Mentored Youth Permit is free and the Voluntary Youth Fishing License is $2.97 and helps the PFBC collect $5 in federal reimbursement for the PA fishing programs.

Mentors are allowed to fish along with their youth, but may not keep any trout while the youth may keep up to two trout seven inches or longer. It’s a good way to support our fishery and to tune up for the statewide Trout Opener on April 2.

.Now is the time to take stock of the condition of your terminal tackle, including rods and reels as well as waders, boots and outer clothing needs. One thing for sure is that the weather in April sure is unpredictable and you want to be ready for whatever nature has to throw at you.

Wet feet or leaky raingear on a cold morning will surely dampen your enthusiasm for fishing. Keep in mind to check your fishing line and replace any that is frayed or damaged by heat, cold or ultraviolet sun rays. A trophy trout will certainly test your line if you don’t test it yourself!

This is also the time to replace hooks, lures, weights and floats. Your best friend is a sharp hook and your worst friend is a dull hook. I also check the hooks on my favorite spoons and spinners for dullness, breaks and for being bent. They are easy to replace and will help you do a better job in presentations and for landing fish.

A landing net will help you bring in a fish in a brushy setting and will help land the big ones, too! Landing a trout with a net helps fish stay healthy if you plan on catch and release fishing as well. Less handling of a trout ensures a better survival rate for the fish due to human touch or accidental trauma injury.

I had the opportunity to meet Butler County’s new PFBC WCO Connor Dobransky at a club meeting last week and he appears to be ready for the challenge of patrolling Butler County’s water resources in the upcoming fishing and boating seasons. We discussed the priorities that he would have for the 2022 season and both safety and respect came up as a number one concern.

Safety on the lakes and rivers with personal flotation devices (especially with children) and operating water craft properly within the PFBC guidelines is very important to him. So is respecting land owners and the waterways with not driving or being destructive on properties, not littering and camping or making fires without permission.

Most of the In-season stocking of trout waters has been completed with a few delays due to high waters from recent rains. Anglers can find the stocking schedule posted on the PFBC website.

WCO Dobransky wants to remind anglers that the current fishing license runs from Jan.1 of this year until Dec. 31. To fish in approved trout waters, you must possess the current trout stamp in addition to your 2022 PA Fishing License. The opening day of trout will be on April 2 statewide with a daily limit of any combined trout species 7 inches or longer.

The PFBC is also seeking applicants for positions in law enforcement Waterway Conservation Officers and Deputy Waterway Conservation Officers. For more information on joining the PA Fish and Boat Commission, see their website and click on employment opportunities.

Until we meet again, get your gear ready and plan for a safe and fun filled 2022 fishing season!

Jay Hewitt is an outdoors columnist for the Butler Eagle