Bigger trout being stocked

Trout stocking took place on Cameron County's North Creek earlier this week. Fish & Boat Commission personnel have announced that larger trout will be stocked this spring. Overall, there will be a 30 percent increase in the weight of these fish over last year's, and the average length will increase to 11 inches, compared to 10 inches last year. A full schedule of stockings is listed on the Fish & Boat Commission's website. Locally, Brooks Run and Jerry Run are scheduled to be stocked next week.

Longer, heavier trout are being stocked by the Pa. Fish and Boat Commission this year, in preparation for the April 14 season opener. On the flip side, the PFBC has cut the number of trout to be stocked by about 20%.

Of local interest, the agency will resume trout stockings on Sinnemahoning Portage Creek, Section 3, and Driftwood Branch, Sections 4, 5 and 6. The waterways have been recovering from the sodium hydroxide spill last June 30.

The agency will stock some 3.4 million trout in Pennsylvania waters open to public angling. They come from state fish hatcheries, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and through a purchase contract with a commercial hatchery.

Overall, there will be a 30 percent increase in the weight of these fish over last year's, and the average length will increase to 11 inches, compared to 10 inches last year.

Since the commission's hatchery system production is capped at 1.9 million pounds of trout, statewide the number of individual trout produced was adjusted accordingly. By making the change to raising fewer, but larger trout, the commission is responding to the preference expressed by anglers.

"We think the response is really going to be positive when people start catching some of these fish," said the PFBC's Dan Tredinnick.

The policy has the support of the Pa. Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs.

"Most of the anglers out there today are promoting catch and release," said federation director Melody Zullinger. "They enjoy catching the bigger ones and they put them back, so it keeps plenty for everybody."

Trout stocking in Cameron County got underway with deposits in North Creek on Wednesday. Brooks Run and the First Fork will be stocked on Tuesday and the trucks move on to Jerry Run next Wednesday. Then, next Saturday, PFBC personnel will stock the Driftwood Branch.

In Potter County, stocking has begun in the Allegheny River, as well as the Cowanesque River, Eleven Mile Creek, Cross Fork Creek, portions of Kettle Creek, Pine Creek, Oswayo Creek and the Sinnemahoning's First Fork.

On Tuesday, trout will be stocked in the First Fork and in Sartwell Creek. Next Friday, trucks move on to another section of the First Fork, as well as Bailey Run and Big Moores Run. Next Saturday, PFBC will stock portions of Pine Creek.