PENNSYLVANIA, USA — There are over three million reasons why to throw a line in the water this trout season!
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission has been stocking streams and lakes across the Commonwealth since February in preparation for opening day on Saturday.
“We started putting fish in the water right after President’s Day so we’ve been at this since the end of February," explained Tim Schaeffer, the executive director of the Fish and Boat Commission. "But really it’s a 24/7, 365 [day] operation with our state fish hatcheries across the Commonwealth to raise those trout."
"We have a network of about 160 sportsman clubs, many here in Pennsylvania that raise another million trout that are stocked in the waters of the Commonwealth and that’s on top of the phenomenal wild trout opportunities," he continued.
There are plenty of opportunities to catch and release or to put food on the table.
"The catch and release ethic is alive and well in Pennsylvania but the fish that we put out there that we stock, we want people to catch them and if you want to take them home and eat them, go for it," said Schaeffer.
Fishers can find a link to the stocking schedule from the Fish and Boat Commission here.
Recent rainfall has creeks and streams running fast and high. Schaeffer stressed that Saturday is just opening day, if you feel it's safer to wait a few days to fish in your favorite spot, take the extra precaution.