Out in the Open Stocking Now, Trout Fishing Soon

by Alex Zidock

Trucks from the various fish hatcheries throughout the state are rumbling on major highways and backroads of Pennsylvania, bringing trout to Commonwealth waters. It’s happening now. The statewide trout season opens at 8 a.m. Saturday, April 1. No joke!

Pre-season and in-season, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission will stock about 3.2 million trout of combined species for anglers in 2023. The fish will be put into 697 streams and 126 lakes around the Commonwealth. And if you care about the breakdown, there will be about 2.3 million Rainbow Trout, 707,000 Brown Trout, and 168,000 Brook Trout. And they all will be over legal catchable size and measure at least 11 inches.

Looking for a wall-hanger trout? Pennsylvania will mix about 70,000 brood fish, between 2.5 and 3.5 years old Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, and Brook Trout in the 14 to 20-inch category.

And to the delight of eager anglers, the Commission will include golden Rainbow Trout. These fish feature a vibrant golden-orange pigmentation and tip the scales at a hefty pound and a half. There is still some time to help or witness trout stocking in some areas. You can get the stocking schedule by visiting the Commission’s website, www.pfbc.pa.gov. Fish wardens in areas not accessible for PA Fish Commission trucks always welcome helping hands to carry five-gallon buckets to the water’s edge to stock the fish. Where boat ramps are available, the trucks can get close enough to move the fish from the truck to the water through a large flexible pipe Anyone age 16 and older must have a fishing license, and various licenses are available from many locations or on-line. My wife JoAnne and I purchased the Senior Lifetime Licenses when we turned 65 and have enjoyed free fishing ever since.

In areas where trout are stocked by way of a blue plastic tube from the stocking truck to the water, Waterways Conservation Officers (WCO’s) often offer the fun of stocking with a bucket to future fishermen and a granpop.

species at least 7 inches long. But check the Pennsylvania Fishing Summary for special regulation areas for those regulations where some impoundments do not allow harvest or the use of certain baits.

After the season opens on April 1, anglers can fish 24 hours a day, seven days a week until September 4. During that time, anglers can keep 5 trout of combined

There’s a lot of discussion about the catch-and-release of trout fishing. The best rule of thumb is to keep only those fish you intend to eat when fishing in a lake or stream stocked with hatchery trout. We keep some stocked fish because we personally enjoy smoking some trout. However, if you are fishing in a stream with native Brook Trout or catch a lunker you would like to put back for someone else to enjoy catching, please practice catch and release. Brook Trout are Pennsylvania’s state fish, and the fun of catching a native brookie should be a joy for generations to come.