HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) has announced that the 2015 adult trout stocking schedules are now available online at www.fishandboat.com.
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 for Trout Stocking Schedules, select a county and enter start and end dates from the calendars at the top of the page. Then press “Go.”
The search results will provide each body of water within a county that is scheduled for stocking, the section of water, the date, the species of trout, the meeting place and time, the hatchery stocking the section, the regulations that apply, and the latitude/longitude number.
“The PFBC annually stocks approximately 3.2 million adult trout in more than 700 streams and 120 lakes open to public angling,” said Brian Wisner, director of the PFBC Bureau of Hatcheries.
“These figures include approximately 2.01 million rainbow trout; 641,000 brown trout; and 525,000 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 8,500 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 close to them.
About 53 percent of the trout are stocked prior to opening day; 43 percent are stocked between opening day and the end of May; and the remaining 4 percent are stocked from October through December.
The 2015 season will open March 28 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.
This year the mentored youth program has been expanded to include all PFBC-stocked approved trout waters. The PFBC expects to stock a majority of the trout waters in advance of the mentored youth days. But some of the waters may not be stocked in time due to weather, water conditions and scheduling logistics. Also, special regulation areas, like Catch and Release Fly-Fishing Only or Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only, are not included in the mentored youth program.
“It’s important for anglers to visit the PFBC stocking page for an updated list so they know exactly what waters are being stocked,” added Wisner.
“We don’t want mentors and kids inadvertently showing up at waters which have not been stocked. Waters that receive a stocking before the mentored youth days will be clearly highlighted on this list to assist anglers with their fishing plans.”
The following weekend – April 4 – 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 11, the Saturday before the April 18 regular opening day of trout season.
“We’re excited that so many mentors and kids have chosen to participate in the program,” said PFBC Executive Director John Arway.
“It is designed to encourage adults to take kids fishing, to show them that fishing is fun, and to promote active, outdoor recreation. Without a doubt, the program has been a success.”
“By expanding the program this year to all stocked waters, and taking into account the$1 decrease in the price of an adult fishing license, I’m certain we will see an even greater level of participation,” he added.
The PFBC announced last fall that it was reducing the price of resident, non-resident and senior resident annual licenses by $1 for the entire 2015 season. The discount is part of a marketing campaign to highlight the sport’s affordability to families and younger audiences and to persuade lapsed anglers to return. It’s being promoted under the slogan “Catch the Value!” (Twitter – #CatchTheValue).
Click here for more information about the youth program.
Changes for the 2015 season include new waters, waters restored to the stocking program, and the removal of waters from the stocking program.
2015 Adult Trout Stocking Program Changes
New waters and waters restored to the stocking program
Desandis Pond, Lackawanna County Adult trout stocking will be initiated in this 8.2-acre lake located near Scranton. Rainbow Trout will be stocked during the preseason and inseason stocking periods.
Hoagland Branch, Sullivan County
Due to damages caused during a flood event in 2011, stocking had been limited to approximately the lower 1.4-miles of stream. Maintenance work has been completed to repair the road and bridges along the stream and stocking will be reinstated over a 4.0-mile section of stream extending from the confluence with Porter Creekdownstream to the mouth. Rainbow Trout will be stocked during the preseason distribution period and brook trout and rainbow trout will be stocked during the in-season stocking period.
Lake Perez, Huntingdon County
Providing that water levels have been restored after a period of drawdown for repairs to the dam, adult trout stocking will be reinstated in this 72-acre lake. Rainbow trout will be stocked during the preseason stocking period.
Early Warning Waters – Removed from stocking list
Appenzell Creek, Monroe County
Due to an increase in landowner posting adult trout stocking will be discontinued on a 3.4-mile section of stream extending from the outflow of Gruber Lake downstream to the Neola Church Road Bridge (SR 3018). Formerly, this water had been stocked on a preseason-only basis.
Lake Jean, Luzerne and Sullivan Counties
This 245-acre impoundment will be removed from the adult trout-stocking program in 2015 due to a complete dewatering of the dam to allow for maintenance repairs to the dam. This water had been stocked on an inseason-only basis.
Neifert Creek Dam, Schuylkill County
Adult trout stocking will be discontinued in this 5.9-acre lake due to poor road conditions for stocking and angler access limitations. Formerly, this water had been stocked on a preseason-only basis.
Red Creek, Schuylkill County
An increase in landowner posting and low angler use have led to the removal of adult trout stocking on a 2.8-mile section of stream extending from a point near the junction of T-657 (Valley Road) and T-670 downstream to the mouth. This water had been stocked on a preseason-only basis.