Joe Angler, come on down! You’re the next contestant on Name That Program!
Not really. That’s not how the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is going about naming its new “trophy” trout program.
But it is looking for angler input.
The agency is launching a new trout program next year, meant to give fishermen a better chance to catch a big trout. It’s going to take eight waters across the state, all managed under delayed harvest artificial lures only rules, and stock them with 2- to 3-year-old trout measuring 14 to more than 20 inches long.
Most waters get those kinds of fish now, but at a rate of about five per stream mile. Waters in the program will get 250 such fish per mile.
The goal is to create “destination” fisheries.
The streams to be a part of the program haven’t been identified, and won’t be until the commission’s next meeting Sept. 28-29 in Erie. But they’ll be spread geographically around the state “so that at least one water is located within a reasonable distance of all of Pennsylvania’s anglers,” the commission said.
That’s all what’s known.
What isn’t known is what the trout program will be called.
That’s where angler input is being sought. The commission is asking fishermen to suggest names and help identify the program.
Votes are being taken through Sept. 4 here.
Four possibilities are listed: premium, trophy, lunker and blue ribbon stocked trout program. But anglers can write in a suggested name, too.
The winning name will be announced at the commission’s September meeting, too.
