Plant a tree; shade a trout

Recent 90-degree weather has, for the most part wiped out trout fishing in many of our stocked streams.

Some years, high water temperatures do not affect larger stocked trout streams such as the Driftwood Branch and First Fork until mid-July. Other years, water temperatures stay well below the mortality threshold for trout all summer long, allowing numerous stocked trout to carry over into the following year.

This year, things heated up early. Last Thursday, the water temperature in the Driftwood Branch was 66 degrees, perfect for trout fishing. The following night, it had climbed ten degrees. By Saturday evening, the temperature downstream where I was fishing on the Sinnemahoning Creek was 80.

Once water temperatures climb above the mid-70s, trout begin to die. It's due to their need for high levels of dissolved oxygen. Gases such as oxygen are more soluble in cold water temperatures.

The only hope trout have is to find cold-water refuges. Springs and coldwater mountain tributaries that empty into our larger streams allow trout to find refuge.

One of the most important factors in maintaining cold water temperatures for trout is the presence of a canopy overhead to shade the stream. One of the worst things a landowner can do to a stream is to cut down streamside forests or mow large lengths of stream bank, preventing trees from growing along that stretch.

Landowners should seek to leave forested buffers alongside streams. If forested canopy cover is lacking, landowners should plant native trees. Not only will water temperatures be kept lower, but erosion will be reduced and habitat enhanced. Many local organizations are able to obtain free trees for landowners to plant alongside streams.

Every small portion of a stream denuded of trees causes the water temperature to rise a fraction of a degree. It can spell death for trout.

Think about how many of our favorite wild trout streams would also be able to support populations even farther downstream if they were properly shaded.

Even a single row of shade trees planted on the streambank can make an enormous improvement.

Such an effort wouldn't even take away that much of the two-acre yard that, with high gasoline prices, costs $10 to mow.