Stocked trout will meet wild fish in one more stream again this year.
Tribune-Review photo
Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commissioners found themselves in a tight spot a while back.
Ten streams that had long been stocked were found to be supporting Class A populations of wild trout.
That presented a conundrum.
The streams were all popular with anglers, drawing bigger crowds that 90 percent of other stocked waters. Yet, commission policy says it’s not to stock Class As.
Anglers weighed in on both sides, calling for a cessation of stocking and for continued stocking. Politicians whose districts include the stocked waters got involved, too.
In the end, the agency decided to make an exception to its rules and continue stocking the streams.
That was two years ago.
Last year, they added two more streams – long stocked but suddenly found to be Class A — to the exceptions list.
This year – and this is important to note, with trout season only two weeks away — they’ve added another,
They think – they hope – this is the last one.
This year’s stream in question is section 4 of Bald Eagle Creek in Centre County. It stretches 5.72 miles from the Borough of Milesburg to the inlet of Foster Joseph Sayers Lake and is home to a Class A population of wild browns.
Jason Detar, chief of the commission’s division of fisheries management, said it’s also close to a suburban population and draws more anglers on opening day that 91 percent of other stocked streams.
“It’s a fan favorite,” agreed Andy Shiels, director of the commission’s bureau of fisheries.
Detar also said it’s likely the last of its kind in terms of being a long-stocked water with lots of wild fish.
“This is the last one we know about,” Detar said.
Commissioner Eric Hussar of Union County said that while he doesn’t want to stock any more Class As, this one probably warrants being an exception.
“It’s a special fishery. A lot of anglers use it. It’s always been that way,” Hussar said.
Commissioner Len Lichvar of Somerset County was the only board member to disagree. He said that while he doesn’t oppose stocking trout at all, they should be limited to going in waters that aren’t already producing plenty of trout on their own.
“That’s where those fish belong,” he said.
