Fall trout stocking has commenced in PA. The Fish and Boat Commission has published the schedule on their website and can be found here. I had the opportunity to volunteer some time to carry a couple of buckets of trout and release them into Oil Creek. We met at the Rynd Farm Station in Oil Creek State Park, from there we drove upstream to the bridge at Petroleum Center.
Stocking started at the bridge and continued about a quarter mile downstream. Approximately 600 trout were released into the creek during this stocking. Both brown and rainbow trout were released. There were approximately 20 volunteers on hand to help with the fall Oil Creek stocking. The fish commission relies on volunteers to effectively stock the streams. Without volunteers it would be very difficult to get these fish into our streams and waterways each year.
One of the cool things about volunteering my time to help with the stocking was the opportunity to meet new people. One of those I met was Dr. Lawrence Blake of Erie, PA. His passion for fishing is evident when you talk with him. Not only does he volunteer his time helping to stock our streams, but he is also President of the Erie Casting Club.
The stretch of Oil Creek that was stocked is under special fishing regulations. From the Petroleum Center bridge downstream to the railroad bridge at Columbia Farm the stream is designated Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only. I was able to speak with fisherman who frequent the stream and they indicated good numbers of trout were being caught at the mouths of tributaries where the water is colder prior to the stocking. As we move into fall and the water temperature continues to drop the fishing should heat up and these newly stocked fish will only improve your odds.
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