Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 57

CURRENTS
photo-courtesy of Robert Ferraro

New State-Record Brown Trout Recorded
The Pennsylvania Fish
and Boat Commission
(PFBC) announced a
new state-record Brown
Trout. On the morning
of August 8, 2020,
Robert Ferraro, 68, of
Erie, departed Walnut
Creek Marina along with
three friends aboard his
boat to enjoy a day of
fishing. The group was
targeting steelhead as
they began trolling in 74
feet of water.
At approximately 8:30
a.m., Ferraro said his
group was trolling when
they got a "big hit" on a
downrigger fitted to a 9-foot fishing rod that was trolling
a small spoon lure on 14-pound copolymer fishing line
at a depth of 56 feet. The fish immediately began to run,
taking 50 feet of line with it, and swirled to the surface
of the lake but never jumped out of the water. After a

stressful 10-minute fight, his friends were able to net the
massive fish.
Upon returning to Walnut Creek Marina, the fish was
positively identified as a Brown Trout by PFBC Fisheries
Biologist Mark Haffley.
In the presence of PFBC Waterways Conservation Officer
Tyler Soety and Deputy Waterways Conservation Officer
Brad Donor, the Brown Trout was weighed on a certified
scale, where it was officially recorded at 20 pounds, 9
ounces, exceeding the previous record set in 2000, also by
an angler from Erie, by 11 ounces. Ferraro's fish measured
33.75 inches in length with a girth of 21.125 inches.
As is required for state-record consideration, in addition to
a witnessed weigh-in and PFBC in-person inspection, Ferraro
completed an official state-record fish application including
color photographs, which was reviewed by PFBC officials and
confirmed. State-record fish are judged only by weight and
must exceed the previous record by at least 2 ounces.
Since 2009, the PFBC has stocked approximately 100,000
fingerling Brown Trout annually into Lake Erie tributaries and
Presque Isle Bay. These Brown Trout add diversity for anglers
enjoying the annual fall steelhead run in the tributaries.
A list of current Pennsylvania State-Record Fish, official
rules, and application can be found at www.fishandboat.com.

Anglers can purchase a license for three years,
five years, or ten years with just one purchase.
Upon purchase of a fishing license, a .pdf file
containing an image of your license is provided
and can be saved to a mobile device or computer.

www.fishandboat.com
2021 FISHING DATES

Commonwealth Inland Waters

Regional Opening Day of Trout*: April 3, 2021
Statewide Opening Day of Trout: April 17, 2021
Opening Day of Walleye/Sauger: May 1, 2021
Opening Day of Bass: June 12, 2021
Extended Trout Season: September 7, 2021
www.fishandboat.com 		

*18 southeastern
counties

Pennsylvania Angler & Boater * November/December 2020

57
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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020

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