Cheer up, trout stocking trucks are starting to roll
One thing that always seems to get outdoorsmen out of the winter doldrums is the realization that opening day of trout season is rapidly approaching. To many, a real harbinger of spring was seeing the Fish and Boat Commission’s stocking trucks making their appointed rounds.
Well, it’s that time again, and those stocking trucks begin rolling again on Tuesday.
The lone stocking in Fayette County Tuesday will take place at 10:45 a.m. on Meadow Run. Sections 3, 5 and 6 of the creek will be stocked.
Section 5 from Beaver Creek to the bridge on Dinner Bell Rd. will receive 1,470 brook trout and 630 brown trout.
Section 3 from the bridge on State Route 2015 downstream to the bridge on State Route 381 will receive 210 brook and 90 brown trout, and Section 6 from the bridge on Dinner Bell road to the mouth at the Youghiogheny River will receive 390 brown and 1,300 rainbow trout.
Three sections of Pike Run in Washington County will be stocked, beginning at 1:45 p.m. Wednesday.
Section 1 will receive the largest allotment with 510 brown and 1,190 rainbow trout stocked. Section 3 will get 90 browns and 210 rainbows, and Section 4 is scheduled to receive 300 browns and 700 rainbows.
Somerset County will see the most stocking activity this week.
At 9:15 a.m. Tuesday, Sections 3 and 4 of Clear Shade Creek will receive 300 and 700 brook trout respectively.
Friday Kooser Lake will be stocked at 10 a.m. The planting includes 100 brown and 900 rainbow trout. Kooser Run will receive 1,300 brooks at the same time. From there the trucks will proceed to the Casselman River, which will be stocked with 1,680 brook and 1,120 brown trout and Tub Mill Run, which will receive 400 brooks.
Two Westmoreland County streams round out the list of area stockings for this week. Hannas Run and Section 3 of Loyalhanna Creek will be stocked on Tuesday.
Hannas Run will receive 300 rainbow trout, and Loyalhanna Creek 420 browns and 980 rainbows.
Regular stockings will continue each week right up until Friday, April 15, opening day eve.
Sportsmen like to show up and check out the trout, and in many cases, pitch in by carrying buckets to the lake or stream when necessary.
Your help is always welcome, but safety of all parties is the number-one priority.
Remember, the Waterway’s Conservation Officer or his deputy is in charge. Follow his/her instructions as to what procedure will be used to stock the trout.
The Fish and Boat Commission has a list of suggestions for those who plan to attend the trout stockings.
The suggestions are as follow:
l Arrive in time to hear the WCO’s briefing of safety and stocking instructions.
l Don’t carry fish if you have any health problems.
l Do not park ahead of the stocking procession’s lead vehicle or behind the designed safety vehicle.
l Keep your vehicle at least 40 feet behind the stocking truck at all times.
l Do not jump ahead of the stocking truck and park in off-road spots that will be used by the stocking truck. Doing so can cause the truck to bypass that stocking location.
l Do not park your vehicle so that it obstructs traffic. Park safely and legally off the road.
l Carpool with other participants if possible.
l If you’re going to help carry buckets, always off-load the buckets from the back of the truck.
l Fish don’t survive long in a bucket, so carry your bucket as quickly as possible from the truck to the water. Bring the bucket back to the truck promptly so that the stocking can continue without delay.
l Don’t pour buckets of fish into shallow, muddy or silted areas. Be sure the water is clear enough to prevent the fish from dying because of clogged gills.
l Always stay alert to moving traffic. Keep children immediate safe control and do not stand in traffic lanes while watching or helping to stock.
Stay alert and make the stockings safe, efficient and enjoyable.
Future stocking updates will appear as part of the Outdoor Calendar, which appears weekly on this page.
Get out and enjoy the great outdoors!
Rod Schoener is the Herald-Standard outdoor writer.