Wild Trout Streams and Public Access

[LetortAngler]

PAs population has almost doubled since the early 1900s, and the amount of people who fish who target wild trout has also increased. What has not increased is the amount of fishable water in the state. As PA continues to urbanize, more and more streams are becoming posted, privatized, or club water.

Is there any organizations out there that specialize in acquiring land along wild trout streams in PA for the public? I know the Eastern Brook Trout Venture is one, but their main focus is Brook Trout streams (which is great). And sometimes our states Conservancys will acquire them, but it’s not their primary goal. Is there any other orgs/foundations worth looking into that are trying to safeguard public access to wild trout waters?

 

[Bamboozle]

Not exclusively for acquiring land along wild trout streams but:

https://www.fishandboat.com/AboutUs/AgencyOverview/Funding/Pages/CAP-Program.aspx

 

[troutbert]

I don't know of any group that specializes in conserving land along streams.

But many of the conservancies have done this. The Western PA Conservancy for example.

And there are many smaller conservancies that have also.

And there are larger national ones like the Nature Conservancy.

 

[lycoflyfisher]

The Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy has a good history of acquiring tracts of land and then typically transferring to state ownership (DCNR or PGC). Their activity isn't necessarily centered on wild trout streams, however many of the land transactions have involved water resources. Their ability to have liquid funds available to purchase lands on short notice has been on display in recent years. They purchased land near the mouth of a Class A tributary on Loyalsock Creek that is adjacent to DCNR state forest land. Said property has now been transferred to DCNR. They also purchased a property to provide another access point to the Pine Creek Rail trail system I think it was called the cavanaugh access.

If you want to support a conservancy of this type I strongly recommend supporting the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy and Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy. I am sure there are others, but these two organizations have a solid track record.

 

[rrt]

I am not sure of the logistics, but I know streamside easements can be developed to maintain public access to private properties. I believe this was done on the Fly-Fishing Only area on Bedford County's Yellow Creek.

I have often thought obtaining easements would be a good policy for the PFBC to pursue aggressively. It would, of course, require substantial amounts of money.

 

[LetortAngler]

Speaking of Yellow - I couldn’t think of a better piece of property the PFBC could have purchased than the 12+ acres in the Yellow Creek gorge which was sold for as little as a few grand an acre in the last few months. Hundreds of feet of stream now gone. Posted signs on every tree and rumors are that Beaver acquired it. So it will be likely lost indefinitely from the public. The gorge was a favorite spot by spin and fly anglers alike for many years.

I’ve contacted the PFBC multiple times about properties ive seen that would secure large amounts of Class A water. They just aren’t interested unless it’s Steelhead or Boating related. I spend an extra 30$ for the voluntary Wild Trout Permits which according to their site, funds habitat, research, which is great, but not land acquisition/easements which I think is equally, if not so more important. Can’t do research or fix habitat in a stream if you can’t access the stream in the first place.

 

[rrt]

I hope beaver didn't get the YC gorge. But, his customers probably won't like it b/c of the rattlesnakes there.

 

[lycoflyfisher]

Funding issues aside I think it is difficult for any state agency to acquire new property. In most cases a full environmental assessment will be done along with extensive deed research and legal review. If a property is already on the market or an auction is scheduled its likely too late. This is where conservancies can come into play if the have the liquid funds available.

 

[PennKev]

rrt wrote:
I have often thought obtaining easements would be a good policy for the PFBC to pursue aggressively. It would, of course, require substantial amounts of money.

They already do but they've been too focused on the Erie steelbow sh!t show so far.

 

[tabasco_joe]

The same areas that are the most popular for building are going to have the higher land prices. I think a program to work with landowners to promote buffer zones and allow public access would be more productive.

A lot of discussion about limestone streams on the forum. Those are more often in developed areas of the state. Where land prices are higher. In my opinion that should be a major focus.

 

[edhank]

LetortAngler wrote:
Speaking of Yellow - I couldn’t think of a better piece of property the PFBC could have purchased than the 12+ acres in the Yellow Creek gorge which was sold for as little as a few grand an acre in the last few months. Hundreds of feet of stream now gone. Posted signs on every tree and rumors are that Beaver acquired it. So it will be likely lost indefinitely from the public. The gorge was a favorite spot by spin and fly anglers alike for many years.

I don't think it was the Beav that acquired it, a private "competitive" angler bought it who felt that it needed protection because catch rates were down on this section. This section was a very productive stretch of water that I believe saw little pressure, and my experience up to even the time of posting was very productive. I saw very little trash and was an awesome stretch to fish.

That 1/4 mile section of water was purchased for a mere $20k. The Yellow Creek Coalition should have gobbled this property up, or maybe the Southern Alleghenies Conservancy. The land that was part of the transaction is worthless in my opinion.

First it was the purple paint that appeared, then every tree was adorned with a No Trespassing sign. There's even sign that states the property is under video surveillance.

 

[Susquehanna]

PA Game Commission has bought more access to wild trout streams than anyone combined

 

[jifigz]

Susquehanna wrote:
PA Game Commission has bought more access to wild trout streams than anyone combined

There is a lot of public trout water on game commission lands. There is even more on DCNR lands, I would say.

I am surrounded by public land. Tuscarora, Bald Eagle, and Rothrock State Forests surrounds me and there are lots of trout streams there.

 

[RLeep2]

>>PA Game Commission has bought more access to wild trout streams than anyone combined>>

There's most likely more hyperbole than factual accuracy to this assertion, but it is for certain that PGC has significantly broadened wild trout opportunities through the SGL acquisition program.

Even if we don't hunt, I think it is good policy to buy a PA hunting license. I usually do and I haven't hunted in over 40 years.

 

[Susquehanna]

It was.

I think their model is far better though.

 

[CRB]

If tout water easements are wanted the more stink the better. Lots of noise to PAFBC the better and they will listen.
The Steelhead program is waning on interested land owners.

What is needed is a push for the wild trout moneys be spent on easements the easement program exists and Scott Bollinger is the person behind land acquisitions at pafbc. From what i would expect is the lack of $$ is behind the lack of intrest on PaFBC side.

 

[silverfox]

LetortAngler wrote:
Speaking of Yellow - I couldn’t think of a better piece of property the PFBC could have purchased than the 12+ acres in the Yellow Creek gorge which was sold for as little as a few grand an acre in the last few months. Hundreds of feet of stream now gone. Posted signs on every tree and rumors are that Beaver acquired it. So it will be likely lost indefinitely from the public. The gorge was a favorite spot by spin and fly anglers alike for many years.

I’ve contacted the PFBC multiple times about properties ive seen that would secure large amounts of Class A water. They just aren’t interested unless it’s Steelhead or Boating related. I spend an extra 30$ for the voluntary Wild Trout Permits which according to their site, funds habitat, research, which is great, but not land acquisition/easements which I think is equally, if not so more important. Can’t do research or fix habitat in a stream if you can’t access the stream in the first place.

That was my favorite stretch of the stream. I fished it last week from the bridge by New Frontier to the lot but I used to go up to the house up the road. That's a real shame.

 

[Mike]

Never having been to the stream, I am asking if the gorge stretch is or is part of the Class A section that was being stocked by the PFBC? Please, no speculation. If you don’t know for certain, don’t respond. I have a very specific reason for asking that requires an accurate response.

 

[silverfox]

Mike wrote:
Never having been to the stream, I am asking if the gorge stretch is or is part of the Class A section that was being stocked by the PFBC? Please, no speculation. If you don’t know for certain, don’t respond. I have a very specific reason for asking that requires an accurate response.

Mike, yes, that section is Class A and stocked. That is section 4 (Beaver Creek to Red Bank). Section 4 is stated to receive rainbows only. Someone also stocks brook trout in that section though.

 

[silverfox]

Mike, One other interesting note on this. The signs on section 4 are "stocked trout water" signs, not the "this water is class A and stocked" like Penns and the others that are class a + stw. Also, section 4 on yellow creek is listed by the commission as one of the 13 class a + stw in the state.

Between the posted land just above red bank to about the 36 bridge and now this, there are only 3 small sections that are still accessible on section 4. From about the campground at beaver creek to below the trail bridge, from just above the gravel lot on 36 down to just below the 36 bridge and the FFO section from Redbank up a few hundred yards to the other posted land.