Ready, Set, Fish!
Inside the Outdoors, April 16, 2010

Even though no gun will go off at 8 a.m. tomorrow morning marking the beginning of the 2010 Trout Season for the new year in this section of the state, men, women and children of all ages will be lined up along streams, lakes and water compounds trying to catch one of their favorite aquatic species.

Mathematically speaking, anglers may have a better than average chance succeeding.

When you consider that the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission stocks 3,959,700 brook, brown and rainbow trout in 744 streams and 124 lakes statewide from March 1 to February 28, 2011, that gives 791,940 fishermen or women a good chance to bring home their limit of five fish.

Of course, in most cases, a lot of times, people don’t always get the full take they go after, but that, of course is the fun of it.

I have watched skilled gentlemen fish off the damn at Keystone State Park and do very well there not only limiting out, but also catching the larger 1.5 pound golden rainbows that the PFBC puts in that usually averaging around 14-inchers.

With that said, every year I get requests as to the stocking schedule. So, I thought I’d highlight some of the lakes and streams in Westmoreland County. Keep this schedule so you know when and where to meet the trucks especially if you want to help. I did not list stockings for tomorrow’s opening day trout season, just future ones. Here goes:.

  • Donegal Lake – rainbow trout; meeting place – Lake parking lot, 12:30 p.m. 4/24, 5/4, 10/5/ 2/15/11;
  • Fourmile Run – browns and rainbows; meeting place – Loyalhanna Watershed office, Route 30 West, Ligonier, 12:15 p.m., 4/29, Donegal Rd. to Kline Rd.
  • Fourmile Run – browns and rainbows; meeting place – Loyalhanna Watershed office, 12:15 p.m., 5/6, Kline Rd to mouth;
  • Keystone Lake – rainbows; meeting place – Park office, 1 p.m., 4/24,5/4/10/06, 12 p.m. 02/01/2011;
  • Linn Run – brook trout; meeting place – Loyalhanna Watershed office, 12:15 p.m., 4/29, 5/06;
  • Loyalhanna Creek – browns and rainbows – Loyalhanna Watershed office, 5/12, 12:45 p.m., 10/06, rainbows, Keystone Lake Park Office, 1 p.m., SR 711 BRG. to SR 2045 BRG.;
  • Loyalhanna Creek – browns and rainbows, 4/26, 5/10, SR 2045 BRG. to Kingston Dam;
  • Loyalhanna Creek – browns and rainbows, 4/26, 5/10, Kingston Dam near Rt.217 BRG to area of what used to be referred to as 5th Ward, Latrobe
  • Mammoth Lake – rainbows – meeting place - Mammoth Dam, 5/01, 5/12, 10/04, 02/15/2011 - Donegal Lake parking lot
  • Mill Creek – rainbows; meeting place – Conemaugh Twp. Bldg – SR 286 – West of Clarksburg, 12 p.m., Confluence of Right Fork Mill Creek and Left Fork to mouth
  • Northmreland Lake – rainbows, 4/24 5/04,10/06, meeting place – Keystone Lake Park Office, 1 p.m., 02/01/11, 12 p.m., also Keystone Park Office;
  • Tubmill Creek – browns and rainbows, 5/10, Tubmill RS to Private Lane connected to T470 (Keiper Rd.);
  • Twin Lakes – Lower – rainbows, 4/22, 5/10, 11:45 a.m., 02/16/2011;
  • Twin Lakes – Upper – rainbows, 4/22, 11:45, meeting place – Lower Twin Lakes, 10/06, 11:45 a.m., 02/16/2011, 11:45 a.m., meeting place, also Lower Twin Lakes.

Before I wrap this up, there are a number of questions I’ve been asked. This is a good time to answer them.

First, according to a representative of the PFBC, stocking is not done down to the confluence of Monastery Run on Loyalhanna Creek as has been the practice in the past.

And second, does the state own the water, of streams, for example? The Waterways Conservation Officers control the waters, I am told. The Commonwealth does not own these waters. Property owners have the right to fence in waterways or post their properties. Cattle owners, for example, can stretch barbwire across streams to keep their animals within restricted areas. This is their right. If damns are built across streams, permits must be obtained.

- Paul J. Volkmann
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