PA 2019 Stocking Schedule

[afishinado]

For those that are interested, the 2019 stocking schedule is now available to check out >

http://fbweb.pa.gov/stocking/TroutStockingDetails_GIS.aspx

 

[Mike]

Note that 3/23 is Mentored Youth Day in the SE and that Antietam Lk and Antietam Ck, Berks Co, will be stocked on that day. It was done out of necessity last year because of the stocking schedule changes brought on by bad weather. It was so popular that we decided to intentionally schedule it that way this year. My understanding is that a lot of kids got to see stocking who had never seen it before. You may see some similar intentional MYD stocking elsewhere in the future in SE and SC Pa.

Another change was that the N Br Muddy Ck, Section 02, York Co, lost its inseason stocking due to the extent of the posting. Cooperative nurseries are being contacted to determine whether or not they would be willing to stock unposted stretches during the inseason period.

 

[laurelrun]

Mike,

From my own experience, stocking on the Mentored Youth Day is a great idea. My nephew was able to help stock after a morning at another spot fishing. He had a great time helping distribute buckets. And after the fish calmed down we enjoyed a few more hours of fishing. Our plan this year is to explore a new creek by helping to stock before heading out opening day.

 

[lestrout]

A related topic: when inclement weather, such as tonight's snow in the SE, causes disruption in the stocking schedule, what is the normal communication that the Commish issues? I'd rather not drive a good way through the slush to go help stock, only to find that the white trucks stayed home.

 

[Fish4PA]

If inclement weather or other factors cause a trout stocking to be delayed or rescheduled, the Hatchery Manager enters it in the data base as early as possible, then emails are automatically sent to staff involved and the stocking webpage is automatically updated - it will show a message such as Postponed (if the manager hasn't bee able to resched it yet) or it may say Rescheduled with a new time or date.

Hatchery Managers do this as early as possible but if there are weather delays that are announced early in the morning or if a truck has mechanical problems, the postponement may only be announced a short time before the meeting time. Fortunately, this doesn't happen often and we do our best to keep anglers notified of any changes through the website. It's always a good idea to check the website before you drive to the meeting location, just in case there are issues.

 

[laszlo]

A Central PA TV station was reporting on the upcoming trout season and the stocking of a local stream. They kept showing a clip of a "stocker" throwing buckets of trout into the stream like they were throwing out old dishwater. The trout were flying a good 10 to 20 feet into the water. Then they ended by stating "Trout season begins Sat. Mar, 23."

 

[keirns4]

It was Fox 45 that stated that the season opened this Saturday earlier in the broadcast. They did correct that statement later and said it was Youth Mentored Day this Saturday and Regular Opening Day is on the 30th.

 

[lestrout]

Yo lasz - re "They kept showing a clip of a "stocker" throwing buckets of trout into the stream like they were throwing out old dishwater. The trout were flying a good 10 to 20 feet into the water." - actually the biologists recommend the dishwater delivery as Best Practice. If you gently tip in the trouts, the stressed fish might not orient themselves properly and turn upsidedown. If the current then carries them off out of control, they could get damaged against rocks and sticks and meet their demise. The dishwater method jolts them when they hit the water and their instincts take over so they get off to a good start in their new, albeit maybe temporary, home.

 

[Swattie87]

Yeah, the WCO's coach the stocking helpers to give them a moderate toss from waist height, ideally into areas of moderate current. The buckets should never touch the water they state.

From observing, the advice is accurate and well founded. The fish that are "tossed" immediately orient with their noses pointing upstream to the current. The fish that are gently poured into the shallows or slack water meander around, or sometimes just sit still where they were poured and don't orient as quickly. Sometimes they sit still nose to the bank even.

 

[laszlo]

I did not know that about the flinging of the fish, I retract my negative implication of my previous post.

 

[Mike]

Tossing the fish into the deeper water and/or main current also keeps them from going nose-first into near-shore mud and filling their mouths and gills with the suffocating or physically damaging sediment. And as others have said, those near-shore fish are often lethargic, get caught up in some kind of debris, need to be pushed into greater water velocities where they will then orient into the current, and where they will be safer from avian predators while they recover from the truck trip. Just remember, they drop fingerlings from aircraft out west.

 

[outsider]

Mike is absolutely correct. Participate in the stocking and you will learn what is the best solution for the fish.

 

[Jessed]

I know a few stocking points where it's all riffles about 14 inches in depth. I wonder how that plays into the fish getting acclimated.

 

[The_Sasquatch]

So something interesting here in WV, which I sort of like. They do not publish the stocking schedule. The WV DCNR will post a stream has been posted the day after, but there's no truck chasin' down here, 'cause they don't know where the trucks will be!

 

[Dave_W]

The_Sasquatch wrote:
They do not publish the stocking schedule.

PA used to do something similar this. They would identify the week of stocking (inseason), but not the day. I suppose it has been well over a decade since PFBC changed to the policy of announcing the day(?). The thought was that anglers would prefer this - knowing the exact day in advance - and that this would lead to more fish being caught. It was more consistent with put and take philosophy.

I'd prefer they return to announcing only the week.