IF YOU GO Trout fishing

Some things you'll need, and need to know, to go trout fishing in Pennsylvania:
A rod and reel: Spinning or baitcasting rod and reel combos can be purchased starting under $20 and equipment can top out with a handmade bamboo fly rod costing $1,000 or more and a several-hundred dollar reel to match.
Bait, lures and flies: Trout can be taken on worms, fish eggs, corn, lures or flies -- often a combination of feathers and animal hair tied on a hook and designed to imitate insects or baitfish on which trout feed.
Waders or hip boots: To enable anglers to wade.
Polarized glasses: They help reduce glare on the water, enabling anglers to better see trout holding in water.
Creel or stringer: If you're going to keep trout, you need a place to keep them. Stringers let anglers to keep the trout in the water. Creels help keep trout cool and fresh.
Equipment can be purchased at chain stores or at many specialty stores.
Season: General season opens today and runs through Labor Day; special regulations allow fishing year-round on some waters.
The quarry: Rainbow, brown and brook -- Pennsylvania's state fish and the only trout native to the state's waters -- and golden trout, commonly known as a palomino, which is actually a rainbow bred for the specific color variation.
Limit: The state has a number of regulations and anglers should consult their rule book, but on open water, the general limit is five trout daily of 7 inches minimum during the regular season.
Close to 2 million anglers fish in Pennsylvania and the commission sells nearly 1 million licenses, about 10 percent to out-of-state residents. Fishing has a more than $1.5 billion impact on the economy, supports 14,000 jobs and provides $53 million in state sales and income taxes, Treddinick said.
In 1925, the daily limit was 25 trout; it's declined to the present limit of five daily of 7 inches minimum during the regular season.
All of Pennsylvania's 67 counties have at least two waters stocked with trout and many counties have numerous stocked streams. The state stocks 2.2 million trout on 40,679 miles of flowing water and 110 lakes and private clubs add to the overall total.
Good bets include: Spring Creek in Centre County; Pine Creek in Lycoming and Tioga counties; Kettle Creek in Potter County; Tionesta Creek in Warren County; Lackawaxen River in Wayne and Pike counties; Little Lehigh Creek in Lehigh County; Pennypack Creek in Philadelphia; Laurel Hill Creek in Somerset County and Yellow Breeches Creek in Cumberland and York counties.
Source: Associated Press
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