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John Arway has been the executive director of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission for eight years and he’s been involved with fishing all of his life.

Yet Arway still has a hard time sleeping the night before the opening day of trout season.

The agency estimates that more than 600,000 licensed adult anglers — plus thousands more people under the age of 16 — will flock to streams and lakes stocked with trout for the April 14 statewide opener. That estimate also includes those from the early regional opening day that took place on March 31.

Many of those anglers will show up at dawn to claim their spot along the bank in preparation for the 8 a.m. start time.

“We’re still a trout state and opening day is huge,” Arway said. “It’s a rite of spring.”

Anglers can expect to find plenty of fish at stocked locations this year as production at the state trout hatcheries was close to the goal of 3.2 million fish. Arway said the actual production this year was 3.15 million trout, a figure he said he’s comfortable with because the agency can’t exceed the 3.2 million limit due to effluent restrictions at hatcheries.

According to Brian Wisner, director of the PFBC’s Bureau of Hatcheries, the average size of this year’s trout is over 11 inches and more than one-half pound.

“We strive to stock our best trout before the season starts so they are available to anglers on opening day and during the rest of the season,” Wisner said. “Trout stocked in-season are sometimes a little smaller and stocked later so they have more time to grow.”

Fishing license sales peak during the weeks leading up to trout season and so does the work for the PFBC which is tasked with stocking several million fish in 841 streams and lakes across the state. Arway said a quarter of the agency’s $52 million budget is spent on hatchery operations. When combined with expenditures on law enforcement to coordinate stockings and protect stocked fish prior to the season, Arway said about half of the PFBC budget is spent on trout.

Still, preparation for the season opener actually begins well in advance.

According to Eric Levis, communications director for the PFBC, this year’s stocked trout were spawned in hatcheries 18 months ago. Not long after, area fisheries managers determine the species, number and timing of stocking for each location, and then waterways conservation officers finalize stocking schedules with hatchery staff.

“The buildup to the opening days of trout season requires a tremendous amount of planning and work from every aspect of the agency and the employees are very proud of this effort,” Levis said.

One change that anglers will notice this year is the coloration of the fish, Arway said.

State hatchery staff utilized different feed formulas designed to enhance the external coloration of stocked trout and give them a pinkish-colored flesh, similar to a wild trout.

Even the golden rainbow trout are more colorful this year, according to Arway.

“They are a brilliant gold with a bright red stripe on the side,” he said. “For all our trout species, the closer we can get to what a wild trout looks like, the better.”

While the trout are colorful, many anglers prefer to catch-and-release as opposed to taking the fish home to eat. Arway estimated more than half of all trout anglers practice catch-and-release, although there is no problem with keeping a daily limit of five.

Arway surmised that catch-and-release is popular because trout fishing is as much a social activity as it is one done for consumption.

“Fishing really has become a family sport and for many people it’s not about taking home a limit,” he said. “Harvesting trout is the third or fourth reason why people fish. More are doing it to unplug, connect with nature and socialize.”

Brook trout are stocked into Bowmans Creek on Friday in preparation of the opening day of trout season on April 14. The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission will stock nearly 3.2 million trout this season.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/web1_TTL040618fishstocking5.jpgBrook trout are stocked into Bowmans Creek on Friday in preparation of the opening day of trout season on April 14. The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission will stock nearly 3.2 million trout this season. Aimee Dilger | Times Leader

Tommy Shone 6, and his father Tom check out the trout before stocking them in Bowmans Creek. Trout season opens statewide on April 14.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/web1_TTL040618fishstocking4.jpgTommy Shone 6, and his father Tom check out the trout before stocking them in Bowmans Creek. Trout season opens statewide on April 14. Aimee Dilger | Times Leader

Mack Moyer and his grandchildren Ruby, 9, and Shane, 12, prepare to stock Bowman’s Creek in Vernon on Friday.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/web1_TTL040618fishstocking1.jpgMack Moyer and his grandchildren Ruby, 9, and Shane, 12, prepare to stock Bowman’s Creek in Vernon on Friday. Aimee Dilger | Times Leader

Mike Moyer dumps a bucket of fish into Bowman’s Creek on Friday afternoon.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/web1_TTL040618fishstocking2.jpgMike Moyer dumps a bucket of fish into Bowman’s Creek on Friday afternoon. Aimee Dilger | Times Leader

Joe Simcik and Bryan Gorman fill buckets of fish from the Tylersville Fishery.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/web1_TTL040618fishstocking6.jpgJoe Simcik and Bryan Gorman fill buckets of fish from the Tylersville Fishery. Aimee Dilger | Times Leader

Jack Matinas, 4, and his dad TJ stock trout in Bowman’s Creek on Friday. The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission estimates more than 600,000 anglers will participate in the upcoming trout season, which opens statewide on April 14.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/web1_TTL040618fishstocking3.jpgJack Matinas, 4, and his dad TJ stock trout in Bowman’s Creek on Friday. The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission estimates more than 600,000 anglers will participate in the upcoming trout season, which opens statewide on April 14. Aimee Dilger | Times Leader
Statewide opening day of trout season is April 14

By Tom Venesky

tvenesky@www.timesleader.com

Trout season fast facts

Statewide opening day: April 14 at 8 a.m.

Minimum size: Seven inches

Creel limit: Five (opening day through Labor Day)

License: In addition to a fishing license, trout anglers 16 and older must posses a Trout/Salmon Permit (or Combination Trout-Salmon/Lake Erie Permit) to fish for trout. Licenses must be signed in ink and displayed on an outer garment. Anglers must also be able to provide positive proof of identification (other than the fishing license) upon request of a Waterways Conservation Officer.

Reach Tom Venesky at 570-991-6395 or on Twitter @TomVenesky