A delight this morning to look out my attic office window and see a fat-breasted robin in the scraggly white birch tree, lately populated by chickadees, juncos and starlings. Spring! Not so delightful is the thought that he/she might be eyeing the porch as a nesting site.
Seems like I'm channeling my grandfather's writing style this morning, the first day of fishing season in Pennsylvania. Fishing season was celebrated annually in his Golly column as he enticed newspaper readers to return to the streams and rivers of his beloved Potter County.
 |
| My angler grandfather, likely in the early 1900s. That dog, whose name is lost in history, appears in several old photographs. |
From 1950:
Now that fishin' season is nearing and the question of trout limits during the years often arises, Golly may tell you that previous to 1901 there was no limit on trout in Pennsylvania – except one's ability to catch them.
In 1901 the limit was set at 50.
That was the law until 1909 when a cut to 40 was made. In 1917 another reduction was made and 25 was the legal take.
This lasted until 1933 when it was made 20, and two years later the limit was reduced to 15.
It was 11 years ago – 1939 – that the limit was dropped to 10 and there it remains at the present time.
And Golly might remark that ten six-inch trout will overfeed a large family.
FYI: Fast forward to 2026, anglers are allowed to keep up to five fish daily as long as they are seven inches or longer.
From 1954 –
Opening day of fishing season will see hundreds – yes, thousands – of fishermen along the trout streams of Penn's Woods, and the 700 miles of uncontaminated brooks, creeks and rivers of Potter County will have their full share.
Woodland camps, at remote locations away back in the wilds, will be occupied once more, having been deserted since the close of the hunting season or even longer. Smoke will pour forth from many chimneys and in some instances tents will indicate that fishermen are along the streams of the vicinity.
If your sense of smell is at all acute, the olfactory cell will tell you at a distance that coffee is brewing and bacon is sizzling in the pan over the open fire.
Life can be grand.
Life can be wonderful.
And this from 1959
Betcha all the fishermen have their rods limbered up and ready for trout fishing next week!
Fine!
Betcha there are a lot of big fat speckled trout lurking in sequestered pools, just aching to grab a lure, worm or fly or other bait – and eventually squirm in a well buttered frying pan just to make you happy.
Great sport is trout fishing.
- 30 -
