PA Offers Discounted License for Labor Day Youth Fishing Day
HARRISBURG, Pa., July 14, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission's (PFBC) announced today that it will host a second Mentored Youth Fishing Day on Labor Day, Sept. 1, on 17 Panfish Enhancement lakes.
To encourage participation on this day, the PFBC also announced that it has reduced the price of a Labor Day 1-day adult resident and Labor Day 1-day adult non-resident license to just $1 on Labor Day. With issuing agent and transaction fees, the total price for the 1-day adult license is $2.70.
"Anglers enjoyed the first mentored youth fishing day and told us that they particularly liked the idea of having a dedicated day to fish with their families and friends," said PFBC Executive Director John Arway. "With everyone's busy schedules, we decided to pick a day so people can put it on their calendars. Labor Day makes sense since many families already plan to be out on the water that day."
"We chose the panfish enhancement lakes because these waters have been managed to produce a large number of fish, so kids should catch a lot of sunfish, crappies and perch, which makes the day fun," he added. "As an added incentive, we're also removing the minimum size limits, which are either seven or nine inches, depending on the species, for participants in the mentored youth fishing day."
Arway said the reduced license should be attractive to anglers who don't want to pay full price midway through the fishing season.
"Legislators have given us the ability to be creative with our pricing and marketing strategies, so we're using the reduced cost license to attract people to this particular day," he said. "These are both substantial discounts, so customers should like it."
A normal 1-day adult resident license costs $11.70 and a 1-day adult tourist license is $26.70.
The Labor Day 1-day adult licenses will be available through the PFBC's Outdoor Shop and various licensing agents on July 21. Other licensing agents will have them available on August 24. Visit the PFBC website for a complete list of agents and the exact date they will have the license available.
Arway added that the 17 lakes will be open to all anglers on Labor Day and noted that individuals fishing the lake without mentors are likely to experience larger crowds while having to adhere to existing size limits.
He also noted that anglers can purchase the discounted 1-day license and fish anywhere in the Commonwealth on Labor Day.
"This is also an opportunity to reach some of our customers who have not fished yet this year and give them a chance to get out without having to pay for a full license," Arway said. "While we typically sell 98 percent of our licenses by Labor Day, anglers often need to be reminded that fishing season does not end with trout in the spring and bass in the summer. Panfish are a great example of a resource that can be enjoyed all year long."
To participate in the mentored youth program, adult anglers (16 years or older) must have a valid fishing license and be accompanied by a youth. Youth anglers must obtain a free PFBC-issued permit or a voluntary youth fishing license. Both are available at www.GoneFishingPA.com or at any of the more than 900 licensing agents across the state.
So far, nearly more than 2,400 kids have obtained a free permit and another 1,600 have purchased a voluntary youth fishing license.
The 17 lakes will be open all day for mentored youth day participants. Anglers may keep 20 fish of each species or a combined creel of 50. The lakes included in the program are, by county:
- Berks - Blue Marsh Reservoir
- Cambria - Beaverdam Run Reservoir, Hinkston Run Reservoir, Wilmore Dam
- Centre - Foster Joseph Sayers Lake
- Chester - Chambers Lake
- Montour - Lake Chillisquaque
- Monroe - Bradys Lake, Gouldsboro Lake
- Pike - Lower and Upper Promised Land Lakes
- Somerset - High Point Lake, Quemahoning Reservoir
- Washington - Cross Creek Lake
- Westmoreland - Lower Twin Lake, Northmoreland Lake, Upper Twin Lake
"We're excited to add this second day and are looking forward to hearing from anglers about their experiences," said Arway. "This program is designed to encourage adults to take kids fishing, to show them that fishing is fun, and to promote active, outdoor recreation."
"Many long-time anglers' first fish was a panfish," he added. "This program provides an opportunity for young anglers to catch their first fish and continue a time-honored tradition."
For every voluntary youth license sold, the PFBC will receive approximately $5 in federal revenue from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Sport Fish Restoration Act program, which provides funds to states based on a formula that includes the number of licenses a state sells. All revenues earned from a voluntary youth fishing license will be dedicated to youth fishing programs.
More information about this program and others, including a list of the panfish enhancement waters, is available at www.GoneFishingPa.com.
Media Contact:
Eric Levis, Press Secretary
717.705.7806 or [email protected]
SOURCE Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission
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