Central Pennsylvania Fishing

Ladies and Gentlemen, start your engines! Another Pennsylvania trout season opener is just around the corner. As a young lad, I can honestly say that I had more trouble sleeping the night before trout season opened than I did on Christmas eve. Yes, hard to believe but true! In this post I’ll cover some of the equipment “essentials” of fishing for trout on the first day here in the great state of Pennsylvania.

Our fellow sportsmen to the south east will get a head start on the 2007 trout season . The rest of us still have a few more weeks to get geared up. I’ve compiled a list of must haves based on my 35 plus years of trout openers here in Pennsylvania. My list is a little unorthodox. I tried to stay away from the obvious. Most are fishing related but some are simply included because it will add to the experience we fondly refer to as the first day.

Bait

Its always a good idea to have a variet of bait on hand. You never know what the little buggers want to eat. Usually it’s something you don’t have.

• Redworms - No self respecting trout fisherman would leave home without an ample supply of the tried and true trout bait.
• In-line spinners - These are great baits for covering water and catching a ton of those early season trout. One of my all time favorites is the venerable Rooster Tail. I’ve also collected a good supply of the simple but effective CP swings.
• Wax worms - Often called “waxies” in trout fishing circles, this little bait can save the day when the trout get a little finicky.
• Power bait - I use this term to refer to the many paste type baits that are available on the market today. There particularly easy to used if you are taking kids fishing. It’s a snap to bait and it really catches those “stockies”.

If you want to read more about my top picks for the trout opener check out Top five live baits for trout on opening day.

Tackle and other fishing related items

• Sinkers- On most streams BB shot will do nicely.
• Hooks - It’s always good to have a variety of styles and sizes if you plan to take a variety of baits with you.
• Needle nose pliers - You can use the to pinch split shots and dislodge hooks from the fishes mouth.
• Extra line - You never know when your going to get the mother of all tangles. The odds are it will be in the first ten minutes of the opener so make sure you have a least one extra spool of line with you.
• Wader repair kit - If I had a dollar for every time I ripped a hole in my boot while crossing over a barbed wire fence or gracefully sliding down an embankment, I’d be a rich man. Soggy feet are no fun.
• An extra rod and reel combo - What I’m about to tell you is the truth. I had a friend who broke two fishing rods and lost a third in a deep hole. All this occurred the space of about 12 hours. Do yourself a favor and throw an extra rod in the trunk.

Other Stuff

• Bagged Lunch - It’s always nice to sit down with your kids or a few good friends and enjoy a simple bagged lunch, conversation, and some great scenery.
• Camera - I never leave home without my digital camera. I have literally thousands of pictures of fishing trips I’ve taken over the years. The memories and images are priceless!
• An extra set of car keys - About 20 years ago, I found myself locked out of my car in a remote area of the state. With a little ingenuity and a medium heave action fishing rod I was able to solve the problem. I’m not going to go into detail, but believe me when I tell you having an extra set of keys would have been a lot easier.

Well, there you have it. One man’s list for essential items for the opening day of trout season. This list is not all inclusive but, as you can see, all the items have a purpose and are based on years of trial and error. Mostly error.

Tags: Fishing, Fishing Tackle, Pennsylvania, Trout, Trout Season

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