Eight-year-old Aiyanna Nowacki is pictured with her dad after catching a 19.5-inch rainbow trout out of Chapman Lake. Submitted photo

WARREN, Pa. — Trout fishing in the spring comes with certain expectations. One is the size of the fish.

The vast majority of stocked trout are 10 to 12 inches in length so anglers generally know what to expect when they get a fish on the line.

But every once in a while, someone hooks into that golden Easter egg.

Just ask 8-year-old Aiyanna Nowacki who, while fishing with her dad Joey Nowacki, caught a 19.5-inch rainbow trout out of Chapman lake.

The state stocked approximately 3.2 million trout throughout the state this year. The Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission says the average length of those trout is 11 inches.

But they knew Easter eggs like the fish Nowacki caught are out there.

“In 2021, anglers will have an excellent chance to catch large, trophy-sized trout,” according to the Commission which stocked “approximately 60,000 brood fish,” which are fish between 2.5 years old 3.5 years old. These are fish that have been part of the breeding process at hatcheries across the state.

The Commission says they measure between 14 and 20 inches. Trout in excess of 14 inches are generally considered trophy size.

The state record for rainbows was caught in 1986 and weighed in excess of 15 pounds.

While the length isn’t reported by the state, it’s likely the record-holder was near 30 inches in length.