“It’s been an adjustment of a hundred fish here and there,” said Miko. “Some stream sections will actually receive an increase in fish due to minor adjustments in how streams are sectioned.”

Clark Creek, which is near Harrisburg, is a stream that Miko felt could stand additional angler attention. Clark Creek is managed in three separate sections.

“Despite being close to Harrisburg, it offers some nice scenery and fishing opportunities,” said Miko. “It’s a lengthy stream. Anglers can walk in to the upper end and get away from civilization.”

He also suggested that anglers check out opportunities afforded in the portion of the Raystown Branch Juniata River directly below Raystown Lake. Several tailrace areas around the state, Raystown included, are being stocked in-season to provide added trout-fishing opportunities.

The program is about three years old. Selected areas are stocked the first week of the season, conditions permitting. The Raystown area is about a mile long, and extends from the tailrace pool down to Corbett Island.

“It hasn’t received a lot of attention yet,” said Miko. “It could support more angler use. There’s good access, good parking below the dam.”

Fish Manager Bruce Hollender noted three significant changes in his district, all of them of a positive note.

In Centre County, a one-mile portion of Cold Stream has been added to the list of Approved Trout Waters. The portion of Cold Stream in question is near the town of Phillipsburg. Cold Stream Dam, also near Phillipsburg, is another addition to the list of waters receiving adult-stage trout.

In Lycoming County, a portion of Pine Creek downstream from the mouth of Slate Run has been added to the Delayed Harvest Special Regulations waters. This new area is about a mile long.

In the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission’s Area 4, Rob Wnuk, PFBC fish manager, has been conducting research on the movement patterns of stocked trout.

The study areas included Tunkhannock Creek in Susquehanna County and Wysox Creek in Bradford County. Radio telemetry equipment was used to monitor movements of brook, brown and rainbow trout during the pre-season period.

Interestingly, little movement of trout was seen during the first three days of stocking. Between the fourth and sixth day, however, the rainbows in each of the two stocked streams began to move. Three of four rainbows stocked in Wysox Creek were never located. On Day 16 of the study, a fourth marked trout was found in the West Branch Susquehanna River, 123 miles from its stocking point!

Rainbows in Tunkhannock Creek moved, but not to such an extent. Most of their movement was downstream, as much as 12.6 miles. Brown trout movement was more variable than rainbow movement, in that the fish began moving more quickly after being stocked. Brook trout showed the highest tendency to stay in the area where they were stocked.

Researchers felt that such factors as high water and water chemistry were not significant factors in stocked trout movement.

EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA
In the northeastern portion of the state, anglers from Carbon County can look put an additional stocked trout stream on their list. Nesquehoning Creek, near the town of the same name, has had a portion added to the state’s Approved Trout Waters. About 2.5 miles will be on the list.