Photo: PA Trout

Two newly-released Fish and Boat Commission/Penn State University studies found that the state’s trout anglers have high catch rates and high release rates as well. In fact, most trout caught in Pennsylvania’s waters are released, in turn extending and improving recreational fishing opportunities.

The studies examined separately angler use patterns and economic values associated with Pennsylvania’s trout-stocked streams in the spring of the year and wild trout streams mid-April through Labor Day weekend.

While there were differences in the two fisheries, there were distinct similarities as well – the high rates of anglers practicing catch and release chief among them.

Anglers fishing stocked trout streams in the spring caught, on average, slightly more than one trout per hour fished; 63.1 percent of those fish were subsequently released.

During the course of the legal fishing season on wild trout waters, average catch rates varied from around one fish every two hours for brook and brown trout on large streams to nearly two brook trout per hour on small streams.

An amazing 92.7 percent of wild trout were released.

“In evaluating fisheries, we consider average catch rates of one trout for two hours of fishing time as ‘good.’ The fact that both wild trout fisheries and stocked waters averaged, and in many cases far surpassed, this measure is exciting. Perhaps even more intriguing is the fact that so many trout are being released once caught. Logic suggests that there is a strong connection between these two findings,” said Fish and Boat Commission Executive Director Doug Austen.

“For instance, during the spring study period for stocked streams, the study data indicates anglers caught 6.7 million trout. This catch figure is 1.5 times the number of trout stocked in these same waters. A portion of the additional catch rate can be attributed to the presence of some wild or ‘holdover’ stocked trout. The fact that nearly two-thirds of caught fish were ‘recycled’ by being returned to the water is an even more significant contributor to the high catch rates we documented.”

An estimated total of 80,098 angler trips were made on Pennsylvania’s wild trout streams during the regular trout season in 2004. By stream size, 57.5 percent of the angler trips were made on large streams and 42.5 percent of the angler trips were made on small streams. Over the course of the survey period angler effort averaged 239 angler hours per mile on large streams and 44 hours per mile on small streams.

PFBC sampling work indicates there are approximately 600,000 legal-size wild trout in Pennsylvania waters. Anglers caught an estimated total of 343,240 trout on wild trout streams and released 92.7 percent.

Only about 25,000 trout were harvested on all wild trout streams during the 2004 survey period. Anglers harvested a very small number (9 per mile) of the legal size trout available on wild trout streams (221 per mile).

An estimated 2,124,821 angler trips were made on Pennsylvania’s stocked trout streams during the first eight weeks of the regular trout season (April 16 – June 12, 2005). Approximately 21.3 percent of the angler trips (452,220 trips) to stocked trout streams were made during the opening weekend of regular trout season.

Concentrated angler pressure, not surprisingly, dropped precipitously after the opening weekend. Angler effort was calculated at 171.9 angler hours per day per mile of stream on opening weekend and 16.8 angler hours per day per mile of stream for the remainder of the survey period after opening weekend.

Angling on stocked trout streams contributed over $65.7 million to Pennsylvania’s economy during the first eight weeks of the regular trout season in 2005. Angling on stocked trout streams also supported 1,119 jobs in Pennsylvania.

Angling on wild trout streams contributed over $7.16 million to Pennsylvania’s economy during the regular trout season in 2004. Angling on wild trout streams also supported 105 jobs in Pennsylvania.

NewsClip: Pennsylvania Trout Anglers Big on Recycling, Fish That Is

9/1/2006