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FeedHoping the mentored youth trout-fishing day comes to other regions soon
Late last month when an email arrived listing the waters that will be included in the Mentored Youth Trout Program, I eagerly opened it to see what northeast region waterways made the list.
None did.
I was disappointed and a bit surprised. There are plenty of suitable lakes, ponds and streams for youth to fish for trout here in the northeast.
I spoke to Fish & Boat Commissioner Norm Gavlick about the matter and he explained that the program is in the pilot project stage, so the agency decided to implement it for the southeast only to see how it works.
Still, Gavlick shared my confidence that the youth trout day will be a big hit, and I was glad to hear it's very likely the program will be expanded to other areas of the state for the 2014 season.
Like the multi-year license, it looks like the Fish & Boat Commission will hit a home run with the youth trout day. There is nothing better than seeing a shoreline crowded with excited kids awaiting the 8 a.m. start of trout season on a Saturday.
Conversely, there's nothing worse than seeing those same kids crowded out of their spots by adults.
It does happen.
And that's why the kids needed a trout day of their own.
They have it in the southeast, and hopefully in a year the same opportunity will be available in the rest of the state.
This mentored youth trout fishing day is utter nonsense. They can catch 2 trout. Whoopie! The mentor can also catch 2 if I read the law correctly. The mentor should be there to help the youth bait the hook, take the fish off the hook, untangle the line etc. Why fish?? He could let the youth catch his 2 also but that is probably a no-no. A kid is all gung ho to go fishing and he catches 2 in 5 minutes and then has to quit fishing??? Take a kid fishing to a pond where he can catch all the fish he wants to. A kid doesn't care if he catches a trout or a bluegill. He just wants to fish and catch something. Again, take the youth where he or she, can catch all they want. Making them quit after 5 minutes of fishing is not the way to encourage them to want to go fishing.