Pennsylvania FBC Trout Stocking Schedules Now Available
OutdoorHub 02.26.13
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) is stocking adult trout in a variety of lakes and streams that are open to public angling throughout Pennsylvania in 2013 and has posted “where” and “when” those fish will be released at www.fishandboat.com.
Anglers can easily search the trout stocking schedules for locations and dates of interest. To make the list, simply go to www.fishandboat.com, click on the link for 2013 Trout Stocking Schedules, select a county, and 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 735 streams and 123 lakes open to public angling. These figures include approximately 1.84 million rainbow; 836,000 brown; and 509,000 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.
About 52% of the trout are stocked prior to opening day; 43% are stocked between opening day and the end of May; and the remaining 5% are stocked from October through February of the following year.
Also, cooperative nurseries run by sportsmen’s clubs across the state will add another 1 million trout to waters close to them.
The 2013 season will open March 30 with the regional opening day of trout in 18 southeastern counties, including: Adams, Berks, Bucks, Chester, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Franklin, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton, Perry, Philadelphia, Schuylkill and York counties.
For the rest of the state, the regular opening day of trout season is April 13.
Changes for the 2013 season include:
New Waters, Stocking Extensions, and Waters Restored to the Stocking Program
Buhl Lake, Mercer County
Adult trout stocking will be initiated during the spring in this 7-acre lake located adjacent to the city of Sharon, Pa. Rainbow trout will be stocked during the preseason and in-season stocking periods.
Dutch Fork Lake, Washington County
Adult trout stocking will be reinstated in this 91-acre lake pending the restoration of water levels in the lake following the completion of maintenance repairs to the dam. Rainbow trout will be stocked during the preseason, in-season, and fall stocking periods.
Harbar Acres Lake, Butler County
In-season stocking will be restored in this 20-acre lake. In-season stocking was cancelled in the lake during 2012 due to elevated water temperatures during the late spring.
Leaser Lake, Lehigh County
Adult trout stocking will be restored to this 117-acre lake pending the restoration of water levels in the lake following the completion of repairs to the dam. Rainbow trout will be stocked during the preseason and in-season stocking periods.
Loch Alsh Reservoir, Montgomery County
Adult trout stocking will be reinstated in this 5.4-acre lake following drawdown and dam repairs. Rainbow trout will be stocked during the preseason and in-season stocking periods.
Mahoning Creek, Carbon and Schuylkill Counties
A classification change based on an increase in human population density will lead to an increase in the number of trout allocated to a 3-mile section of stream extending from the Berry Road Bridge (T-954) downstream to the Mill-Fritz Valley Road (SR 3001). Brown and rainbow trout will be stocked during the preseason and in-season stocking periods.
Opossum Lake, Cumberland County
Adult trout stocking will be restored to this 59-acre lake pending the restoration of water levels in the lake following the completion of repairs to the dam. Rainbow trout will be stocked during the preseason and in-season stocking periods.
Piney Creek, Somerset County
A reduction in landowner posting will allow for in-season stocking to be reinstated on a 4.2-mile section of stream extending from the Pennsylvania-Maryland state line downstream to the mouth. This section of stream will be stocked with brook and brown trout during the preseason and in-season stocking periods.
South Branch Roaring Creek, Columbia and Northumberland Counties
A classification change stemming from an increase in human population density will lead to an increase in the number of trout allocated to the 3.1-mile section of stream extending from the Jepco Campground Road (T-335) downstream to the mouth. Brown and rainbow trout will be stocked during the preseason and in-season stocking periods.
West Branch Brandywine Creek, Chester County
A classification change based on an increase in human population density will lead to an increase in the number of trout allocated to the 3.8-mile section of stream extending from SR 4005 near Cedar Knoll downstream to SR 0340. Brown and rainbow trout will be stocked during the preseason and in-season stocking periods.
West Branch Lackawaxen River, Wayne County
A classification change resulting from an increase in human population density will lead to an increase in the number of trout allocated to the 2.6-mile section of stream extending from the outflow of Prompton Reservoir downstream to the backwaters of Seelyville Dam. Brown and rainbow trout will be stocked during the preseason and in-season stocking periods.
Lake Marburg, York County
Adult trout stocking will be discontinued in this 1,275-acre lake due to low angler use. This water had been stocked on an in-season only basis.
Mill Creek, Montgomery County
Adult trout stocking will be discontinued on this 2.5-mile section of stream extending from Gulph Road downstream to the mouth due to poor in-stream habitat for stocked trout and access limitations for stocking. This water had been stocked on a preseason only basis.
Wapwallopen Creek, Luzerne County
Due to landowner postings, adult trout stocking will be discontinued on a 0.9-mile section of stream extending from 400 yards downstream of SR 3012 downstream to 550 yards downstream of SR 3013.
West Branch Lackawaxen River, Wayne County
Adult trout stocking will be discontinued on the 2.4-mile section of stream extending from the Pleasant Mount hatchery downstream to 0.4 miles downstream of the Hatchery Road Bridge (T-611) due to an increase in landowner posting and low angler use.
