LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. — As the opening day of fishing season approaches, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and volunteers from across the state have begun the annual effort of preseason trout stocking operations in rivers, creeks and lakes statewide.
In Lancaster County, volunteers helped stock thousands of Rainbow, golden Rainbow, and Brown trout into areas of Conoy Creek and Donegal Creek Tuesday afternoon.
"You know it's spring when you dump your first bucket of fish in the creek," said volunteer Andy Gladfelter of Elizabethtown. "I've helped on and off with different organizations for about 30 or 40 years, and I just like to get out that first time, late winter, early spring and see the woods and the creeks and be at one with nature and throw some fish in the water.
"So there seems to be plenty of them and they seem a little bigger size than previous years," he continued.
This year, the PFBC said it will stock approximately 3.2 million trout into hundreds of public waterways, and volunteer sportsman's groups will stock another million trout for anglers to enjoy.
Mentored Youth Trout Fishing Day is Saturday, March 25. Opening Day of Trout Season is set for Saturday, April 1st.
There is still time to volunteer to assist with stocking efforts, the PFBC said. To view the trout stocking schedule, find places to fish for trout, and to buy your fishing license, visit the PFBC website, Fishandboat.com.
"It's not just turning the page, it's also a good chance for the family to be out fishing, you'll see a lot of anglers taking the children out for the first time. And it's also catching that first big trout," said Joseph Underhook, a Waterways Conservation Officer with the PFBC. "Today we had Rainbows, Browns, and some golden ones. And they're all nice trout because our hatcheries do an excellent job with the sizes."