Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2021 - 57

CURRENTS
purchased last season remain valid and will be honored during
the 2021 season.
To prepare for the consolidated statewide trout season
schedule, the PFBC began pre-season trout stocking operations
on February 15, 2021, approximately 2 weeks earlier than
in previous seasons. This change allowed hatchery staff to
deliver trout to many waters ahead of the Statewide Mentored
Youth Trout Day and, weather permitting, all waters prior to
the Statewide Opening Day. To provide for additional fishing
opportunities during this time, trout which are stocked in
lakes, reservoirs, and ponds during the pre-season will be open
to catch-and-release fishing but may not be harvested until
Statewide Mentored Youth Day and Statewide Opening Day.
In addition, fishing will be closed on the Lake Erie
tributaries and Presque Isle Bay from 12:01 a.m. on April 2 until
8:00 a.m. on April 3. This temporary modification to the trout
season, size, and creel limits will mirror regulation changes
that occur annually in the Lake Erie region prior to the regular
Statewide Opening Day and are designed to protect against the
overharvest of steelhead.
To achieve the highest quality stocking operations, the
PFBC will be reintroducing limited volunteer opportunities
in 2021. However, to protect the safety of PFBC staff and the
public, volunteer opportunities will not be available to the
general public. Instead, volunteers will be recruited from an
existing pool of individuals who have traditionally assisted
with float stocking and bucket carrying organized through
local conservation organizations, schools, and other groups. All
volunteers selected will be required to wear personal protective
gear, including masks and gloves, and practice social distancing
while participating in stocking operations.
To inform anglers of trout stocking dates and locations,
a stocking schedule can be found on the PFBC website and
FishBoatPA mobile app. While anglers are encouraged to
reference the schedule to prepare for their fishing adventures
throughout the trout season, any unsolicited " walk on " stocking
volunteers will not be permitted to assist with stocking. Anglers
are reminded that all stocking dates are subject to change due to
weather conditions and other factors, and they should check the
stocking schedule throughout the season.
In other action:
* Commissioners voted to amend fishing regulations
at Opossum Lake, Cumberland County. The lake was
removed from Miscellaneous Special Regulations,
which allowed for the harvest of trout under
Commonwealth Inland Waters fishing regulations
but allowed only catch and release fishing for all other
fish species. Opossum Lake was also added to the Big
Bass program and Panfish Enhancement program for
crappies. All other fish species will be managed under
Commonwealth Inland Waters fishing regulations.
These designations will go into effect upon publication
of a second notice in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.
* In Huntingdon County, the Board voted to amend
fishing regulations at Lake Perez. The lake was removed
from Miscellaneous Special Regulations, which allowed
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for the harvest of trout under Commonwealth Inland
Waters fishing regulations but allowed only catch and
release fishing for all other fish species. Lake Perez
was also added to the Panfish Enhancement program
for sunfish and crappies. All other fish species will
be managed under Commonwealth Inland Waters
fishing regulations. These designations will go into
effect upon publication of a second notice in the
Pennsylvania Bulletin.
* Commissioners voted to adopt new fishing
regulations at Whipple Lake, located within Whipple
Dam State Park, Huntingdon County. The lake,
which has recently been refilled following a dam
rehabilitation and sediment removal project, will
be added to waters managed under Miscellaneous
Special Regulations that will allow for the harvest of
trout under Commonwealth Inland Waters fishing
regulations but allow only catch and release fishing
for all other fish species. As the lake is restocked
with fish under a multi-year restocking plan, this
approach will allow for the most rapid development of
a balanced warmwater and coolwater fish community
while offering acceptable levels of recreational
fishing opportunities. Once the warmwater fishery
is re-established, the lake will be recommended for
removal from the Miscellaneous Special Regulation
and inclusion in one of the Commission's existing
warmwater regulation programs. This designation
will go into effect upon publication of a second notice
in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.
* Commissioners adopted an amendment to regulations
pertaining to trout stocking in Class A Wild Trout
Streams (58 Pa. Code § 57.8a). While stocking is not
permitted or advisable in most Class A wild trout
streams across Pennsylvania, there are 13 stream
sections currently stocked by the PFBC that meet
internal decision-making criteria to qualify for
continued stocking. These stream sections are in
proximity to high-density human population centers
and are heavily fished streams of a size and character
that can support a fishery featuring both stocked
and wild trout. Additional criteria will allow for
consideration of continued stocking of stream sections
that have historically played host to special activities
such as youth fishing derbies that benefit communities
socially and economically, prior to being designated
as Class A wild trout streams. Under the amendment,
prior to seeking Board approval for any exemptions that
would allow for continued stocking of newly designated
Class A wild trout streams, the Executive Director
would consult the PFBC's decision-making criteria set
forth in the Operational Guidelines for the Management
of Trout Fisheries in Pennsylvania Waters scheduled
for update in the first quarter of 2021. Consideration
will only be given to requests for continued stocking in

Pennsylvania Angler & Boater * March/April 2021

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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2021

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