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Waterways Conservation Officer John Cummings experienced something different when he helped stock two truckloads of trout into Frances Slocum Lake on Wednesday.
For the first time in a couple of years, the task was relatively easy, thanks to the mild winter.
Last year, Cummings and many other WCOs had to chop holes in ice or carry buckets through deep snow to stock trout during the preseason.
Not this year.
“I’ve stocked Little Fishing Creek and Frances Slocum, and so far it’s been a breeze,” Cummings said. “Not having to bust holes in ice is definitely a step forward.”
WCO Aaron Lupacchini echoed that sentiment as he stocked Lily Lake on Wednesday. Last year, when the lake was stocked, Lupacchini not only had to chop holes in the ice, but he had to deal with a blinding snowstorm as well.
“No postponements this year,” Lupacchini said as trout poured into the lake through a tube attached to the stocking truck.
With the April 16 opener of trout season just three weeks away, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission will remain busy stocking more than 720 streams and 123 lakes across the state. It represents a busy time for WCOs, who combine trout stocking with increased patrols to make sure no one is getting a jump on opening day.
Cummings said the duties are on top of tasks such as routine patrols, serving warrants, filing paperwork and other daily jobs of a WCO.
“I’ve been looking for a time to get my state truck inspected over the next three weeks, and the schedule is just crazy,” he said. “It’s a taxing time, but also exciting. All of my anglers are looking forward to this and I’m excited for them.”
Another benefit of an easy winter is better water conditions to stock trout. At Lily Lake, the water temperature was 52 degrees, right in the prime range of 50 to 65 degrees that trout prefer. Lupacchini said the trout released in Lily Lake, which included numerous trophy golden rainbows, looked healthy.
At Frances Slocum, where the water temperature was 48 degrees, Cummings said the trout, which included 60 brood fish, were impressive.
Leigh Bonczewski was among the approximately 20 people at Lily Lake who gathered to watch the stocking. He said seeing the trout represents a sign of spring.
“They’re beautiful fish this year and seeing all these people here shows that this tradition keeps going year after year,” Bonczewski said. “Once you see the trout stocking trucks pull in, you know spring is here.”
White the trout look good and water temperatures are fine, there may be issues down the road. Both Lupacchini and Cummings said the lack of ice meant water temperatures were a bit higher than normal, and they could become too warm later in the spring after the season opens.
“The water wasn’t kept as cool because of a lack of ice, so we’ll see what it’s going to be like later in the season once May rolls around,” Cummings said.
While the ice makes preseason trout stockings easier, at many locations the work would be much harder if it wasn’t for the help of volunteers. That holds true especially for streams where trout have to be carried to the water in buckets.
Cummings said volunteer turnout has been strong this year.
“I can’t overstate how much we depend on it,” he said. “It can be unpredictable depending on the weather. Sometimes I’ll roll up to a place like the lower end of Fishing Creek and there’s too many people. Other days there will only be three volunteers there. The weather doesn’t impact the turnout.”
One scene playing out at many stocking locations this year is anglers fishing for trout soon after they are released. A regulation change allowing year-round fishing on certain stocked trout waters. The move was made to allow anglers to take advantage of the early bite for crappie and yellow perch. From March 1 to opening day, trout may be caught but must be released.
Lupacchini said he hasn’t seen many problems with anglers keeping trout before the season, but cautioned that if a trout is injured and dies, it is considered a violation.
“That’s why we encourage anglers to use barbless hooks or lures and avoid using bait that they could swallow,” Lupacchini said.