Adult trout stocking schedule available
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is pleased to make its 2022 adult trout stocking schedule available using the FishBoatPA mobile app and website (www.fishandboat.com).
“The release of our trout stocking schedule is always a welcome reminder that spring is just around the corner,” said Brian Wisner, Director of the PFBC Bureau of Hatcheries.
“This schedule is our roadmap for stocking millions of trout into hundreds of waterways across the state before and during the trout season, which is no small task. Anglers can review the schedule to learn which local waters will be ready for some great fishing in just a few weeks. So, buy your fishing license early, get your gear ready, and start planning your opening day adventure and fishing trips throughout the season.”
The trout stocking schedule is searchable by county, lists the waterways in alphabetical order, and indicates stocking dates, meeting locations for volunteers, and the species of trout that will be stocked.
This year, Pennsylvania will return to a single, statewide Opening Day of Trout Season, the first Saturday in April, which in 2022 will be April 2. A single, statewide Mentored Youth Trout Day will take place March 26. Under this change, which will result in a longer regular season for trout statewide, the practice of holding a separate regional opening day and mentored youth day for Pennsylvania’s 18 southeastern counties will no longer occur.
To accommodate the earlier statewide trout season, preseason trout stocking operations are set to begin the week of Feb. 21. Anglers should note that fishing is not permitted on lakes and streams designated as Stocked Trout Waters from Feb. 21 to the Mentored Youth Trout Fishing Day and the opening day of the regular trout season in April, unless waters are included in the Stocked Trout Waters Open to Year-Round Fishing program.
The PFBC will stock approximately 3.2 million adult trout in 696 streams and 128 lakes open to public angling. These figures, which are consistent with the number of trout stocked over the past decade, include approximately 2.2 million Rainbow Trout; 686,000 Brown Trout; and 293,000 Brook Trout. As with past practice, the average size of the trout produced for stocking is 11 inches in length with an average weight of .58 pounds.
Anglers will have an excellent chance to catch large, trophy-sized trout. This year, the PFBC will stock approximately 70,000 brood fish, which are 2½ year-old and 3½ year-old hatchery-raised Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, and Brook Trout measuring 14″-20″. Roughly 70% of these large fish will be stocked into streams and lakes during the preseason prior to opening day of trout season, and 30% will be stocked during in-season replenishment stockings.
In 2022, the PFBC will stock approximately 13,000 golden Rainbow Trout. In addition to being stocked during the preseason period before opening day, these highly prized fish featuring vibrant golden-orange pigmentation and weighing an average of 1.5 pounds will be stocked during in-season replenishment stockings. Approximately 80% of golden Rainbow Trout will be stocked during the preseason, and approximately 20% will be stocked in-season.