Trout season will start about two weeks earlier in York County and other southern regions of Pennsylvania next year, under a change approved Tuesday by the state Fish and Boat Commission.
The commission made the change because of differences in the state’s climate. Warmer weather comes earlier to the 18 counties affected by the change, meaning ideal fishing conditions start and end earlier.
The potential for fish to move from where they are stocked and the fact that some fish die between stocking and opening day were also reasons for the change.
The change establishes opening day as the first Saturday after March 28. For 2007, that makes opening day March 31 in York County.
The other 17 counties with the earlier start are: Adams, Berks, Bucks, Chester, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Franklin, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton, Perry, Philadelphia and Schuylkill.
Opening day for the rest of the state will remain the first Saturday after April 11. That will be April 14 next year.
“Starting the trout season earlier in parts of Pennsylvania expands fishing opportunities and improves our stocking and management efforts,� said Doug Austen, the commission’s executive director. “Opening day has long been a time of great anticipation for anglers. This change, along with stocking trout statewide that are 30 percent larger on average, promises to add more excitement in 2007.�
Although the state is stocking larger trout in response to angler interest, it will be stocking about 20 percent fewer fish. The state produces about 1.9 million pounds of trout annually.
More on this story from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
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The average fish stocked next year will weigh around 10 ounces and be about 11 inches in length — up from about 7 ounces and 10 inches length.
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