Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2013 - 21

greater Laurel Highlands
“corridor.”
The result is the trail, which
highlights opportunities
to fish stocked waters like
Loyalhanna Creek, wild
trout streams like Camp
Run and Quebec Run, the
Youghiogheny River’s trophy
fishery and a commercial
fishery with its own hatchery.
Visitors to the trail’s website,
www.lhtrouttrail.com,
will find a whole host of
information. There’s a top ten
list of the best trout streams
in the Laurel Highlands,
complete with a map and GPS
coordinates for each, and there
Dale Katowski, Wilderness
are also recommendations on
Voyaguers Guide Service, casts a
line into the Youghiogheny River in what equipment and flies to
Ohiopyle. The Youghiogheny River use and what hatches come
off and when. There’s even
is one of the Laurel Highlands
information on events held
Trout Trail’s top ten waters.
in connection with the trail.
Last year, those included a kickoff “rendezvous,” library exhibits
of fishing artifacts, casting and fishing clinics and a children’s
fishing festival, among other things.
“The trail most specifically targets fly anglers because
of the demographic they represent,” said Murty. Research
done by the Recreational Fishing and Boating Foundation
and the Outdoor Foundation revealed freshwater anglers
most commonly earn between $25,000 and $49,999 per year.
When you look at fly anglers in particular, though, they earn
$100,000 annually, on average.
A United States Fish and Wildlife Service study additionally
found that trout anglers tend to be more educated and
spend more on things like transportation, guide services and
equipment annually than other anglers.
“Once people start to see the demographics of fly fishing,
they start to think wow, these are the people we should be
marketing to,” said Murty.
According to Olga Herbert, executive director of the Lincoln
Highway Heritage Corridor, trail organizers have been showing
local businesses that, with success. They’ve convinced many
that if the trail can reach more than just the anglers in families,
tourism and economic development will result.
That’s why places like Fort Ligonier, Compass Inn Museum
and the Ligonier Theater last year offered promotions and
events in connection with the trail. A number of hotels, motels,
bed and breakfasts and restaurants offer special discounts to
trail visitors, too.
“We already have a lot of fellas who come here to fish. We’re
trying to get moms and children to come in, to stay overnight
and to see what the area is all about,” said Herbert.
“We’re hoping that this is going to be well received. It’s
something new. I’m pretty excited,” said Herbert.
The idea of the trail has been copied already. This summer,
PFBC website: www.fishandboat.com

Fly anglers are one of the main targets of the Laurel Highlands Trout
Trail, given that statistics show them to be more affluent and willing to
spend money than the average angler.

the Alabama Bass Trail made its debut. Like the Laurel
Highlands and Western North Carolina trout trails, it’s
an effort to take good fishing and package it. It highlights
opportunities to fish for largemouth bass, smallmouth bass
and striped bass in 11 lakes across that state, where bass are
king and professional bass angling got its start.
“Anglers from around the nation will be encouraged to
come and fish where the pros fish,” said Alabama Governor
Robert Bentley. “I firmly believe the bass trail will grow into a
successful model that neighboring states will want to emulate.”
“A side benefit to all of the trails is that they will teach those
who live around the water why it’s important to care for it. Too
often, people take those natural resources for granted or worry
that protecting them will be a drain on local finances,” said
Murty. In fact, just the opposite is true.
“We’re going to show the value of cold clean water, that it
pays, it doesn’t cost,” said Murty.
As for the Youghiogheny River in particular, DiBiase believes
it’s been overlooked in past decades. That’s changing, though.
“It has a lot of potential. We have a lot of hopes for that
river,” said DiBiase.

Brown trout like this one pulled from Loyalhanna Creek,
Westmoreland County, can be caught at a number of sites along the
trout trail.

Pennsylvania Angler & Boater • March/April 2013

21
http://www.lhtrouttrail.com http://www.fishandboat.com
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2013

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