Tommy Ladson: How Was Your Trout Season Opener?

May 10, 2010

By Tommy Ladson

A couple of weeks ago, anglers everywhere (myself included) took to the lakes and streams of Pennsylvania for the opening day of trout season. If you have never been in Pennsylvania for the first day of trout season it is a sight to see. On nearly every road located within a mile of fishable water cars and trucks line up on both sides.

I started my day by waking up at 4:30 a.m. I got all my gear ready and went to my grandfather's house since it is an annual tradition. After a donut and milk, we headed to our favorite trout fishing spot. In Pennsylvania, trout season doesn't officially open until 8 a.m., but there are so many people fishing at this particular lake that it is often hard to get a spot, so we like to leave especially early to save ours. We arrived at the lake by 5:30 a.m. and picked out our spot.

After what seemed like an eternity, it was finally 8 a.m. and I already had my pole in the water. Barely 10 seconds had passed and I was already reeling in my first trout of the year, which was a 16-inch brooke trout. I was using green Power Bait and the fish couldn't get enough of it. It seemed like every time I would cast, I would have to quickly set the rod down to reel in another fish on another rod.

The first day of trout season is always my favorite trip of the year. I always catch my limit and it seems like the fish are always biting. After a quick 30 minutes of fishing I had caught my limit of five trout, and it was my personal best outing ever because every fish measured 16 inches or larger.

How about the rest of you? Did you have a successful trout opener this spring?

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from Koldkut wrote 3 years 5 weeks ago

I remember those days in PA, nuts really, but I'm glad I live in a state that has no closed season. Got 11 fish to hand in 11-mile canyon on saturday afternoon. Some nice cutts and brownies, with a few other MRT's thrown in.

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from WVOtter wrote 3 years 5 weeks ago

I too was out before 8:00 to secure my spot in the creek where my dad, brother, and I traditionally start the first week. The spot has become almost exclusively bait fishermen with everything from powerbait to live minnies. I started with my spinning rod and spoon, but had my fly rod out using nymphs in about 10 minutes. I didn't set the world on fire, didn't reach my limit until the afternoon while the bait guys were C&Ring all day or limited out in an hour...but had a blast fighting those 12-13" browns on my fly rod in the sleet and rain; despite the hung over *&#holes on the bank still throwing up from the night before and shouting "F" this and that.

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from mountaindew732 wrote 3 years 5 weeks ago

my brother, dad, and a friend all went to Troy, Pa. They fished up and down the stream until they hit a spot and caught 14 trout in about 20 minutes. It was a good day for them. I had to wait a week, but my first day out I caught two. And yes it was crowded as always..

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from fasted wrote 3 years 5 weeks ago

Season open for me in Central NY was a personal best. Got up late and someone else was in my honey hole, he didn't seem too sociable so I moseyed up the stream trying a few other spote with no luck. After about an hour noticed he and his friend had moved on with out even a pick-up. Being the eternal optimistdropped my line in and with in an hour landed 5 nice Browns 4 of which were keepers.

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from steve182 wrote 3 years 5 weeks ago

Missed it due to work and family

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from fisherman wrote 3 years 5 weeks ago

I didn't get out for the real MN stream opener, but on my own personal opener I caught a little 9" rainbow at a pond. That there is a nice stringer of brookies to be sure!

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from Nolan wrote 2 years 50 weeks ago

I got 1 brookie after 5 hours on the McCauslin.

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from lxxsumi8 wrote 2 years 31 weeks ago

my pleasure to read your post.

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from nwild wrote 2 years 7 weeks ago

Minnesota. Water is too high. No stocking. Everything but the luckiest browns die each year. Freezing rain and f...... snow. Went for cats...water is too fast too cold. Spent more time in the ER than on the end of a tight line. F...

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