Pack in Cherokee Iowa Opening Again
HARRISBURG, Pa. (Feb ane) – Excitement for the spring trout fishing season kicks into high gear today as the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Committee (PFBC) is pleased to make its 2022 adult trout stocking schedule available using the FishBoatPA mobile app and website (www.fishandboat.com).
"The release of our trout stocking schedule is always a welcome reminder that spring is simply around the corner," said Brian Wisner, Director of the PFBC Bureau of Hatcheries. "This schedule is our roadmap for stocking millions of trout into hundreds of waterways beyond the state before and during the trout season, which is no small task. Anglers tin review the schedule to learn which local waters will be ready for some corking fishing in just a few weeks. Then, buy your line-fishing license early on, get your gear ready, and beginning planning your opening 24-hour interval adventure and angling trips throughout the season."
The trout stocking schedule is searchable past county, lists the waterways in alphabetical order, and indicates stocking dates, meeting locations for volunteers, and the species of trout that will be stocked.
In 2022, Pennsylvania will render to a single, statewide Opening Day of Trout Season on the first Saturday in Apr, which in 2022 will occur on Saturday, April 2. A single, statewide Mentored Youth Trout Day volition have place on Saturday, March 26. Under this change, which will issue in a longer regular season for trout statewide, the practise of property a divide regional opening day and mentored youth day for Pennsylvania'due south eighteen southeastern counties will no longer occur.
To suit the earlier statewide trout flavor, preseason trout stocking operations are set up to begin the week of February 21. Anglers should annotation that fishing is not permitted on lakes and streams designated as Stocked Trout Waters from February 21 to the Mentored Youth Trout Fishing Day and the opening day of the regular trout season in Apr, unless waters are included in the Stocked Trout Waters Open up to Yr-Round Fishing program.
3.2 Million Trout
The PFBC will stock approximately three.2 million adult trout in 696 streams and 128 lakes open to public angling. These figures, which are consistent with the number of trout stocked over the past decade, include approximately 2.ii million Rainbow Trout; 686,000 Brown Trout; and 293,000 Brook Trout. Every bit with by exercise, the average size of the trout produced for stocking is 11 inches in length with an average weight of .58 pounds.
In 2022, anglers will have an excellent risk to take hold of large, trophy-sized trout. This year, the PFBC will stock approximately 70,000 breed fish, which are 2 ½ year-quondam and 3 ½ twelvemonth-quondam hatchery-raised Rainbow Trout, Brownish Trout, and Brook Trout measuring 14"-20". Roughly 70% of these large fish volition be stocked into streams and lakes during the preseason prior to opening day of trout season, and 30% will exist stocked during in-season replenishment stockings.
In 2022, the PFBC will stock approximately 13,000 golden Rainbow Trout. In addition to being stocked during the preseason period earlier opening 24-hour interval, these highly prized fish featuring vibrant golden-orange pigmentation and weighing an boilerplate of 1.5 pounds will exist stocked during in-flavor replenishment stockings. Approximately fourscore% of golden Rainbow Trout will be stocked during the preseason, and approximately twenty% will exist stocked in-season.
In addition to trout raised at state fish hatcheries, PFBC cooperative nurseries operated by sportsmen's clubs and other groups across the state will add together another 1 1000000 trout to waters open to public line-fishing throughout the year.
Once once again included in this year's stocking lists are the Keystone Select Stocked Trout Waters, a program where sections of 24 streams across the state are stocked with large xiv" - 20" trout and managed under Delayed Harvest Bogus Lures Just or Miscellaneous Special regulations. Under the program, approximately ten,000 large trout volition be distributed among the streams. The trout will be stocked at a rate of 175 to 225 per mile of stream, which is comparable to the numbers of similarly sized fish in Pennsylvania's best wild trout waters.
Volunteers
The PFBC will exist welcoming volunteers to help distribute approximately 3.ii million hatchery-raised developed trout to hundreds of waterways statewide throughout the 2022 season. The PFBC is proud to partner with conservation groups, schools, and walk-upward volunteers to assist spread out the trout in local waterways. Volunteers are asked to go along the prophylactic of PFBC staff and other volunteers in listen, obey traffic laws while following stocking vehicles, and stay home if they are not feeling well.
Licenses and Permits
To participate in trout fishing and continue trout, anglers ages 16 and older require both a fishing license and a trout let.
Anglers and boaters can start preparing for opening twenty-four hours of trout season right now by purchasing their 2022 Pennsylvania angling licenses, launch permits, and boat registration renewals online at www.fishandboat.com, the FishBoatPA mobile app, or past visiting one of approximately 700 retail license issuing agents. Online customers will detect an improved licensing buying experience, relieve time, and tin avoid long lines in stores when waiting to purchase a license closer to the outset of trout flavour. Anglers are no longer required to display a printed re-create of their line-fishing license on the exterior of their clothing and may simply store their license digitally on their phones.
2022 Developed Trout Stocking Program Changes
Each year, the PFBC adjusts its adult trout stocking program based on several factors. A waterway may be added, extended, reinstated, or removed depending on existing or awaiting changes to angler access, changes to designations on streams managed for wild trout populations, water quality issues that may threaten the survival of stocked trout, and maintenance being performed to dams and other infrastructure that effect in the drawdown of impoundments or decreased water flow.
Waters Added or Extended:
Dunbar Creek, Fayette County
Due to improved admission, the stocked portion of the stream was extended 0.half-dozen-mile upstream. The revised stocking limits will extend two.3 miles from one.seven mile upstream of Furnace Hill Route bridge downstream to the Sheepskin Trail crossing downstream of the ballfield.
Mugser Run, Columbia County
An in-season stocking will be added to the iv.7-mile section of stream extending from Fisherdale Road bridge downstream to the oral fissure. Formerly, this water had been stocked only during the preseason.
Oswayo Creek, Potter Canton
Located near the Civic of Shinglehouse, an 8.1-mile section of stream extending from Post Hollow Route span downstream to Horse Run Road bridge will be added to the developed trout stocking plan. Brown Trout and Rainbow Trout will exist stocked during the preseason and in-flavor stocking periods.
Waters Replaced:
When survey data suggests that a waterway is no longer suitable for developed trout stocking based on a loss of angler access, environmental factors, or designation as a Class A wild trout stream, the PFBC makes every attempt to reallocate fish to a comparable location nearby. When inadequate angler admission is the reason for a removal, locations are monitored for improvement, and so these waters tin can be considered for reinstatement to the stocking program if access is improved. When a water is designated as a Class A wild trout stream, it is among the "all-time of the all-time" of the wild trout streams in Pennsylvania. These streams support a population of natural reproducing trout of sufficient size and abundance that support a long-term and rewarding fishery, and do not crave stocking to sustain the fishery. Removing a newly designated Form A stream from the Stocked Trout Waters (STW) program allows the PFBC to optimize stocked trout line-fishing opportunities by establishing a new STW in a nearby water or improving existing opportunities in a nearby STW by increasing the allocation of fish stocked during the preseason and/or in-season stocking periods.
Cold Stream, Centre Canton
Based on the presence of a Grade A wild Brown Trout population, trout stocking will exist discontinued in favor of wild trout management on the i.3-mile section of stream extending from the State Game Lands boundary downstream to the inflow of Cold Stream Dam. Formerly, this water was stocked in both the preseason and in-season stocking periods. Fish previously stocked in this stream will at present be stocked in Blackness Moshannon Creek and Cold Stream Dam, Eye Canton.
Eddy Lick Run, Centre County
A decrease in stream admission has led to the removal of trout stocking from a 3.2-mile section of stream extending from the beginning unnamed tributary one.four mile upstream of Fetzer Hollow downstream to the mouth. Formerly, this water was stocked on a preseason simply footing. Fish previously stocked in this stream will now be stocked in Blackness Moshannon Creek, Centre County.
Dingmans Creek, Pike County
A decrease in stream access has led to the removal of trout stocking from a i.vi-mile department of stream extending from Deer Jump Falls downstream to the Dingmans Falls. Formerly, this water was included in the Delayed Harvest Bogus Lures Only (DHALO) program and stocked in both the preseason and in-season stocking periods. A nearby water will be added to the DHALO programme for 2023.
Middle Branch Genesee River, Potter County
Based on the presence of a Form A wild Brown Trout population, trout stocking volition be discontinued in favor of wild trout management on the 5.vii-mile section of stream extending from the Gazdag Road bridge downstream to the rima oris. Formerly, this water was stocked in both the preseason and in-season stocking periods. Fish previously stocked in this stream will now exist stocked in Oswayo Creek, Potter Canton.
Neshaminy Creek, Bucks Canton
A consumption advisory issued past the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has led to the removal of trout stocking from the i.9-mile section of stream extending from the 2nd unnamed tributary 0.25 mile upstream of Valley Route bridge downstream to the second unnamed tributary 0.53 mile downstream of Mill Route bridge and from the 1.0-mile section of stream extending from the dam above the Tyler State Park causeway downstream to the Richboro Road bridge. Formerly, this water was stocked in both the preseason and in-season stocking periods. Fish previously stocked in this stream will at present be stocked in the Delaware Canal and Tohicken Creek, Bucks County.
West Co-operative Genesee River, Potter County
Based on the presence of a Grade A wild Brown Trout population, trout stocking volition be discontinued in favor of wild trout management on the 4.9-mile section of stream extending from the confluence of Rose Lake Run downstream to the mouth. Formerly, this water was stocked in both the preseason and in-season stocking periods. Fish previously stocked in this stream will now be stocked in Oswayo Creek, Potter County.
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MEDIA CONTACT:
Mike Parker
Communications Manager
Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
(717) 585-3076
michparker@pa.gov
Source: https://www.media.pa.gov/pages/Fish-and-Boat-Commission-details.aspx?newsid=429