LUZERNE COUNTY, Pa. — Those who are new to fishing and those who have been doing it for a long time say there is a lot about the sport that anyone would enjoy.
"Nice weather, summer, it's quiet in the morning, not many people just come out here and fish," Anthony Elkin said.
"We like shore fishing, and it's nice. It's quiet, it's peaceful," David Worall said.
But you don't have to take their word for it. You are invited to give it a try for yourself during Fish For Free Day on July 4. The state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) says anyone can fish on Pennsylvania waterways for free, without a license, from 6 a.m. to 11:59 p.m.
"It's a good size lake and there's quite a few different varieties of fish. So, we usually do pan fishing, so like sunfish and crappie and bluegill," Worall said.
All other regulations for the sport still apply
These anglers at Frances Slocum State Park in Luzerne County have some advice for newcomers.
"More experienced anglers use plastic worms," Worall said. "We use just real worms or minnows and just have fun."
They say don't be discouraged if you don't catch a big one on your first day.
"it all depends on the temperature of the water and how the current is going and just the time of the year and how cold it is and that it's all hit and miss," Worall said.
"Just go with the flow. I mean, there's a couple videos you can watch on YouTube. You can just figure out what the best setup is for fishing," Elkin added.