Fisherman Still Chasing Rainbows

Now that all the regional opening day festivities for trout here in the southeastern corner of the state are behind us, serious anglers can get down to the business of chasing trout without the hassle of the elbow to elbow competition typical of so many streams on the opener. And while those opening day hoards will have dissipated, plenty of trout should still be available to those more dedicated anglers willing to work for them on Chester County’s approved trout waters.

Additionally, the folks at the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) begin their in-season stocking efforts this week. In fact, tomorrow, the PFBC plans to stock Beaver Creek, the East Branch of the Octoraro Creek, and the West Branch of the Brandywine Creek. Then, on Thursday selected stretches of French Creek and Pickering Creek are slated to get fresh batches of trout. According to the agency’s posted stocking schedules, the trout that the PFBC is releasing into our Chesco waterways this year are all rainbow and brown trout. Brook trout added to the mix only in most of the upstate counties’ approved trout waters.

Despite this week’s forecast of extended April showers, expect trout aficionados to find themselves chasing rainbows (and browns) throughout the county in the days to come. Many will practice catch and release while some will attempt to creel their coveted five trout daily limit. Others will dream of catching that elusive trophy trout, perhaps even establishing a new state record. If you’ve set your sights on fishing fame and fortune by landing the new state record for any species of trout, you’ll have your work cut out for you.

The PFBC’s website provides the following information on state record trout, all based on weight. The record brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) weighed 7 lbs. and was caught by Vonada Ranck of Watsontown, PA, while fishing Clinton County’s Fishing Creek in 1996. The record brown trout (Salmo trutta) tipped the scales at 19 lb. 10 oz. caught by Fazle Buljubasic of Erie, PA, while fishing Erie County’s Walnut Creek back in 2000. The record rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) weighed in at 15 lb. 6.25 oz. caught by Dennis L. Clouse of Bethlehem, PA, while fishing Lehigh County’s Jordan Creek in 1986. The record golden trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss -actually a rainbow hybrid) weighed 13 lb. 8 oz. caught by Eli Borger of Palmerton, PA, while fishing Schuylkill County’s Mahoning Creek in 2008.

While rainbow (including golden), brown, and brook trout make up the “big three” of the trout species stocked throughout the commonwealth, steelhead and lake trout are also part of the family. The state record lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) weighed 29 lb. 4 oz. caught by Todd Young of Nazareth, PA, while fishing Lake Erie near Erie County in 2012. The record steelhead Trout (Oncorhyncus mykiss, an anadromous strain of rainbow trout) weighed 20 lb. 3 oz. caught by Corey T. Brown of Osterburg, PA, on Erie County’s Walnut Creek in 2001.

Incidentally, the brook trout, which is the smallest of the “big three,” is the only one of the three species that is actually native to the Keystone State. Rainbow trout are native to the Western United States and brown trout were originally imported from Europe. The brook trout is also Pennsylvania’s official state fish.

Nonetheless, all species of trout are fun to catch on hook and line using lightweight gear, and while the odds are slim to none that you’ll ever hook into a new record-book trout of any kind here on one of Chester County’s relatively smallish streams, you can still have loads of fun trying. See you on the water.