Trout season opens April 4 in Pennsylvania
Butler County’s creeks and lakes are loaded with trout for one of the biggest annual outdoor events in the state.
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission has completed its preseason stocking of rainbow, brown, brook and golden rainbow trout for the opening day of trout season on Saturday, April 4.
Preseason stocking was done at Connoquenessing Creek, Little Connoquenessing Creek, Harbar Acres Lake, Glade Run Lake, Slippery Rock Creek, North Branch Slippery Rock Creek, Bear Creek, Silver Creek, Thorn Creek, Buffalo Creek, Little Buffalo Run and Bonnie Brook. Preseason stocking in the county began Feb. 16 and the last stocking was March 14.
“Fish haven’t changed for 1,000 years. You just have to find them and put your bait in front of them,” said Jerry O’Donnell, co-owner of O’Donnell’s Sports Supply in Muddy Creek Township.
Weather and the water level in the creeks are major factors in angler participation. Rain storms before last year’s trout opener caused creeks to flood and many anglers to stay home.
“There was a lot of rain. The creeks overflowed their banks. The opening three weeks were dead. You couldn’t get near the creeks,” O’Donnell said.
He is hoping Saturday brings favorable weather. His shop has ample supplies of live bait — such as maggots, meal worms and shiner and fathead minnows — and lures.
“Keep your fingers crossed. Pray for sunshine,” O’Donnell said.
The season opens at 8 a.m. Anglers 16 years old and older must have a fishing license and trout permit to keep fish. The daily limit of trout anglers can keep is five if they meet the 7-inch minimum size requirement.
The rewards awaiting anglers are the 2.3 million rainbow trout, 698,000 brown trout, 128,000 brook trout and 18,000 golden rainbow trout stocked by the commission in 684 streams and 130 lakes across the state. The commission said the number of stocked fish has been consistent over the last 10 years.
The average stocked trout is 11 inches in length and weighs 0.58 pounds, but the commission also stocks thousands of wall-hangers.
About 72,000 trophy-sized brood fish measuring 14-20 inches are being stocked this year and about 75% of them were stocked before the season. The brood fish are 2½- and 3½-year-old hatchery-raised rainbow, brown and brook trout.
“They stocked some nice trout,” O’Donnell said.
The remaining 25% will be stocked during in-season replenishment stockings.
In addition to trout raised at state fish hatcheries, cooperative nurseries operated by sportsmen’s clubs and other groups across the state will add another 1.1 million trout to waters open to public angling throughout the year.
“The trout are there. All you have to do is get out,” O’Donnell said.
