HARRISBURG, Pa. (Feb. 1) – The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) announced today that the 2018 adult trout stocking schedules are now available online and on the PFBC’s “FishBoatPA” mobile app.
Anglers can easily search the trout stocking schedules for locations and dates of interest. To view the list, simply go to www.fishandboat.com, click on the link “Fish” in the upper right corner, then select Trout Stocking Schedules. From there, select a county and enter start and end dates from the calendars at the top of the page. Then press “Go.” For anglers with smartphones, an even easier way to view the schedules is through the FishBoatPA app, which is available for free from the Apple App and Google Play stores.
Included in this year’s stocking lists are the Keystone Select Stocked Trout Waters, a program where 21 streams across the state are stocked with large 14” - 20” trout. Under the program, approximately 6,500 large trout will be distributed among the 21 streams. The trout will be stocked at a rate of 175 to 225 per mile, which is comparable to the numbers of similarly sized fish in Pennsylvania’s best wild trout waters.
Select here to see the list of waters.
The 2018 season will open March 24 for the Mentored Youth Trout Day program in 18 southeastern counties, including: Adams, Berks, Bucks, Chester, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Franklin, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton, Perry, Philadelphia, Schuylkill and York.
The following weekend – March 31– kicks off the Regional Opening Day of Trout Season in the same 18 southeastern counties.
A second Mentored Youth Day will be held on April 7, the Saturday before the April 14 regular opening day of trout season.
“The mentored youth program has been a great success from the moment we launched it in 2013,” said Steve Kralik, Director of the PFBC Bureau of Outreach, Education and Marketing. “Last year, more than 30,000 kids signed up to participate, either by purchasing a $1 voluntary youth fishing license or by acquiring a free mentored youth fishing permit. It’s clearly become a favorite family event each spring.”
To participate in the mentored youth program, adult anglers (16 years or older) must have a valid fishing license and trout permit and be accompanied by a youth. Youth anglers must obtain a free PFBC-issued permit, or a voluntary youth fishing license (only $2.90 including all fees). Both are available at www.GoneFishingPA.com or at any of the more than 900 licensing agents across the state.
For every voluntary youth license sold, the PFBC receives 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 are dedicated to youth fishing programs.
The PFBC annually stocks approximately 3.15 million adult trout in 720 streams and 126 lakes open to public angling. These figures include approximately 2 million rainbow trout; 640,000 brown trout; and 500,000 brook trout. As with past practice, the average size of the trout produced for stocking is 11 inches in length.
In addition to these fish, the PFBC plans to stock about 8,700 trophy golden rainbow trout that weigh an average of 1.5 pounds and measure at least 14 inches long. Also, PFBC cooperative nurseries run by sportsmen’s clubs across the state will add another 1 million trout to waters open to public angling.
PFBC Executive Director John Arway reminds anglers that the 2018 stocking numbers are the same as in previous years but advised that the number of stocked trout in 2019 could be reduced if legislators don’t approve a license fee increase.
Last September, the Board of Commissioners authorized Director Arway to cut $2 million in operating expenses for Fiscal Year 2018-19, which begins July 1, 2018. The current plan for achieving the $2 million reduction in operating expenses would involve closing two warmwater hatcheries and one trout hatchery. Closing the hatcheries would result in the elimination of 240,000 adult stocked trout in 61 streams and four lakes in 2019. It would also result in severe reductions to the PFBC’s cooperative nursery program.
Director Arway added that the agency is evaluating other ways to increase revenues to help offset some of the anticipated reductions, such as voluntary wild trout or bass stamps; fees for individuals who don’t fish or boat but use PFBC property for other purposes; mandatory launch permits; and mandatory trout stamps for lifetime license holders.
But he stressed that a license fee increase remains the most viable option for covering increasing operating costs.
“The three hatcheries won’t be fully closed until late 2018 or early 2019, so there is still time remaining this year for a legislative solution,” he said. “It is imperative that the House of Representatives act now and pass Senate Bill 30.”
2018 Adult Trout Stocking Program Changes
Stocking extensions and waters added or reinstated to the stocking program
Kaercher Creek Dam, Berks County
A preseason stocking will be added to this 31.9-acre lake. Rainbow trout will be stocked during the preseason stocking period.
Cooks Pond, Bradford County
Located near Potterville, adult trout stocked will be initiated in this 30.1-acre lake. Brook trout and rainbow trout will be stocked during the preseason period and rainbow trout will be stocked during the inseason stocking period.
Glade Run Lake, Butler County
A second inseason and a winter stocking will be reinstated in this 51.9-acre lake. Rainbow trout will be stocked during the second inseason and winter stocking periods.
George B. Stevenson Reservoir, Cameron County
Adult trout stocking will be reinstated on this 142-acre impoundment following the completion of maintenance and repairs to the dam. Brook trout and rainbow trout will be stocked during the preseason, inseason, and fall stocking periods.
Cold Stream Dam, Centre County
Adult trout stocking will resume in this 9.9-acre impoundment following the completion of maintenance and repairs to the dam. Rainbow trout will be stocked during the preseason, inseason, and fall stocking periods. The fall stocking is new for 2018.
French Creek, Chester County
Bridge construction has been completed and stocking will be reinstated in a 1.5-mile section of stream extending from SR 1033 (Hollow Road) downstream to the T-481 Bridge (Hoffecker Road). Brown trout and rainbow trout will be stocked during the preseason and inseason stocking periods.
West Branch Susquehanna River, Clearfield County
An inseason stocking will be added to a 2.8-mile stream section extending from the confluence of Anderson Creek downstream to SR 2024 at Porters Bridge. Brown trout and rainbow trout will be stocked during the inseason stocking period.
Hyner Run, Clinton County
A second inseason stocking will be added to this 2.4-mile section of stream extending from the confluences of the Right Branch Hyner Run and Left Branch Hyner Run downstream to the Sproul State Forest boundary. Brook trout, brown trout and rainbow trout will be stocked during the second inseason stocking period.
Little Chiques Creek, Lancaster County
Due to an increase in accessibility, the stocking limits have been extended 1.2-miles downstream. The revised stocking limits will extend for 3.9 miles from a point 100 m upstream from SR 4010 (Mt. Pleasant Road) downstream to SR 230. Brown trout and rainbow trout will be stocked during the preseason and inseason stocking periods.
Pleasant Stream, Lycoming County
Adult trout stocking will be reinstated on the 2.8-mile section of stream extending from Potash Hollow downstream to the mouth. Stocking was cancelled in 2017 due to bridge construction on the road that allows access to the stream section. Rainbow trout will be stocked during the preseason period and brook trout and brown trout will be stocked during the inseason stocking period.
Shenango River, Mercer County
Located near New Hamburg, a 3.8-mile section of stream extending from Hamburg Road bridge (SR 4012) at New Hamburg downstream to a pipeline crossing upstream of the Big Bend Access Area will be added to the adult trout stocking program. Brown trout and rainbow trout will be stocked during the preseason, inseason, and fall stocking periods. This replaces the 1.5-mile section downstream of Shenango River Lake that was removed from the stocking program in 2018 due to a consumption advisory issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
Mill Creek, Tioga County
Twomile Run, Venango County
Due to an increase in accessibility, the stocking limits have been extended 0.4-miles upstream. The revised stocking limits will extend for 3.4 miles from the confluence of Reed Run downstream to the mouth. Brown trout and rainbow trout will be stocked during the preseason and inseason stocking periods.
West Branch Lackawaxen River, Wayne County
Located in Honesdale, a 1.6-mile section of stream extending from the outlet of Sealyville Dam downstream to the mouth will be added to the adult trout stocking program. Brown trout and rainbow trout will be stocked during the preseason stocking period.
Early Warning Waters
Seeley Creek, Bradford County
Beaver Run, Clearfield County
Based on the presence of a Class A wild brown trout population, adult stocking will be terminated on the 3.8-mile section of stream extending from Sylvis Road (SR 3004) downstream to the mouth. Formerly, this water had been stocked on a preseason only basis.
Based on the presence of a Class A wild brook trout population, adult stocking will be terminated on the 1.4-mile section of stream extending from the confluence of Spring Run downstream to the mouth. Formerly, this water had been stocked in both the preseason and inseason stocking periods.
Hares Valley Creek, Huntingdon County
An increase in the amount of landowner posting has led to the removal of trout stocking from a 2.0-mile section of stream extending from 2.0 miles upstream of the mouth downstream to the mouth. Formerly, this water had been stocked in both the preseason and inseason stocking periods.
Upper Pine Bottom, Lycoming County
Based on concerns for public safety due to unsafe stocking conditions and the presence of a Class A mixed wild brook trout and brown trout populations, trout stocking will be terminated on the 3.5-mile section of stream extending from the confluence of Zinck Fork downstream to the mouth. Formerly, this water had been stocked on a preseason only basis.
Shenango River, Mercer County
A consumption advisory issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has led to the removal of trout stocking from the 1.5-mile section of stream extending from the outlet of Shenango River Lake Dam downstream to SR 3025. Formerly, this water had been stocked in both the preseason, inseason, and fall stocking periods.
Musser Run, Mifflin County
Based on the presence of a Class A wild brown trout population, adult stocking will be terminated on the 3.5-mile section of stream extending from the third bridge crossing Musser Run southwest from McVeytown on US Highway 22 downstream to the mouth. Formerly, this water had been stocked on a preseason only basis.
Big Moores Run, Potter County
Based on the presence of a Class A mixed wild brook trout and brown trout populations, trout stocking will be terminated on the 3.3-mile section of stream extending from Knickerbocker Hollow downstream to the downstream Susquehannock State Forest boundary. Formerly, this water had been stocked on a preseason only basis.
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Media contact:
Eric Levis, Press Secretary
717.705.7806
elevis@pa.gov