Why wait for April?
Preseason trout fishing is open on selected waters
Pssst. Just between us, when the cold lake waters of March slow the metabolism of trout, they often gather around the mouths of springfed tributaries where the water temperature is slightly warmer, closer to their mid50s preference.
I’ve had lot of preseason fun at those spots with an ultralight spinning rod, light line, a 3/16th-ounce jig with a Twister Tail and no one else on the water. One of the few anglers I’ve met that time of year at North Park Lake taught me that the stocked rainbows hold on longer if the hook is tipped with a Berkley’s Gulp artificial maggot.
What were we doing on North Park Lake before trout season? Legally fishing under the catch-and-release regulations of the Stocked Trout Waters Open to Year-Round Fishing program.
Under those rules, slightly complicated as they are, regulations remain unchanged during the regular and extended trout seasons. But on those waters from March 1 through 7:59 a.m. on the statewide trout opener, all trout must be immediately released. In addition to a current Pennsylvania fishing license, a trout permit is required at all times when fishing streams or rivers in the program. On impoundments a trout stamp is needed only if the angler takes, kills or possesses a trout.
The program has been around for years, but a lot of anglers still don’t get it. If you’re crappie fishing on moving water in the program without a trout stamp, it’s a violation. Keeping a trout while in possession of a trout stamp is a violation. On impoundments, targeting and releasing a trout while in possession of a trout stamp is OK.
“The biggest thing is to provide fishing opportunities during a time when a lot of stocked trout waters are closed,” said Gary Smith, recently installed as the state Fish and Boat Commission’s new southwest region fisheries manager. “If you’re out to target crappies on stocked trout waters that are not in the program, [the lake is] closed to any type of fishing [in the weeks preceding the opening of trout season]. But if you’re targeting crappies at Twin Lakes or North Park Lake, you’re able to fish.”
In addition to those waters, located in Westmoreland and Allegheny counties, respectively, Western Pennsylvania waters enrolled in the Stocked Trout Waters Open to Year-Round Fishing program include Bradys Run Lake and Raccoon Lake (Beaver County), Dunlap Creek Lake and the Youghiogheny River from the dam outflow to Casselman River (Fayette, Somerset), Blue Spruce Lake (Indiana), Shenango River from Hamburg Road Bridge to a pipeline upstream from Big Bend Access Area (Mercer), Blue Hole Creek, Fall Creek and Laurel Hill Lake (Somerset), Justus Lake (Venango), Canonsburg Lake (Washington), and Keystone Lake and Northmoreland Lake (Westmoreland).
Spring trout stockings for most waters enrolled in the program are intentionally scheduled for very near to opening day.
“[Anglers] aren’t allowed to keep them, but we don’t want people who are waiting for opening day to say ‘their’ fish were caught by somebody before opening day,” said Mr. Smith, who spoke with anglers during the Allegheny Outdoor, Sport and Travel Show in Monroeville last month.
No doubt some trout released during the special early season die from angler mishandling or hooking mortality. Mr. Smith said the number of fish that die is low compared with the number of anglers statewide who take advantage of the special fishing opportunity.
“Of the three types of fishing — fly, lure and bait — bait fishing does have a higher hooking mortality than the others. It depends on what study you look at,” he said. “Mortality matters a lot to an individual fish, but from a management perspective the small number of trout that are lost in this way is usually acceptable. We feel that the fishing opportunity we’re providing generally outweighs those losses.”
Preseason hooking mortality has a greater impact on smaller waters. Mr. Smith said the program’s continual re-evaluation includes consultation about local issues with regional waterways conservation officers. Some small lakes have been removed from the program when preseason hooking losses seemed too high. Among them are Upper, Middle and Lower Deer Lakes in Allegheny County.
For regulation details visit www.fishandboat.com.