Trending
For anyone who has driven around our area during the past week, you couldn't help but notice that the foliage was reaching its colorful peak and included almost all of the colors in unison.
While weather-related factors, such as rainfall, sunlight and temperature, can have some effect on the intensity and duration of fall foliage colors, photoperiod is the primary determining factor of when leaves make their fall transition. Photoperiod is the scientific term for the relative length of daylight and darkness for each day throughout the year.
The shorter days of autumn start the biochemical processes in a leaf that ultimately cause the seasonal color changes. For outdoor or landscape photographers or anyone who simply enjoys the sight of natural beauty, this year's display of autumn splendor is shaping up to be one of the best in recent years.
Last week, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission gave final approval to an interesting new special regulation that will affect sections of nine popular trout streams around the state. Several years ago, fisheries managers realized that sections of each of these streams supported high populations of wild brown trout but were being stocked by the PFBC.
As part of its strategic management plan for trout fisheries, PFBC policy is not to stock stream sections that are designated as a Class A wild trout stream. From 2011 to 2015, biologists surveyed those stream sections and found that they supported brown trout populations that qualified for the designation of a Class A wild trout stream.
Because these streams are subjected to high angler use, especially in the early season, the PFBC adjusted its policy to allow stocking on a few Class A wild trout waters. This policy produced a special regulation that began in 2015 for those handful of streams now designated as both Class A wild trout streams and stocked trout waters.
The only difference between these waters and all other stocked trout waters is during the extended trout season from the day after Labor Day until the end of February fishing is permitted but no trout can be harvested.
To assess the effectiveness of this special regulation, biologists resurveyed the stream sections to determine if their populations of wild trout had changed significantly. PFBC staff also conducted angler surveys of angler counts and interviews on the opening day of trout season on all sections and a season-long survey on Bald Eagle Creek in Centre County from its junction with Spring Creek near Milesburg downstream to the inlet of Sayers Lake.
During the interviews when presented with possible new management options for the special sections, 57 percent of the anglers surveyed were opposed to stocking being discontinued. That result was not unexpected and a significant reason for the policy change to continue stocking over a wild trout population.
In general, stocked trout waters attract more anglers desiring to harvest trout than wild trout waters do. During 2004 and 2005, statewide angler surveys revealed that harvest rates on stocked trout waters were about five times higher than the harvest rates on waters managed for wild trout with no stocking.
The in-depth surveys on Bald Eagle Creek during 2021 showed that anglers caught and harvested more stocked rainbow trout than wild brown trout, as would be expected. Angler harvest of wild brown trout, however, was also significant, including numbers of brown trout 14 inches or longer. Fisheries managers were concerned that angler harvests could be substantially affecting wild brown trout population.
To allow the wild brown trout populations that currently coexist with stocked rainbows to reach their full potential, a new miscellaneous special regulation was drafted and received final approval last week.
For the stream sections under this regulation, all types of tackle are permitted; all brown trout must be released, no harvest at any time; all other trout species have a 7-inch size limit and a five fish daily limit from the opening of trout season until Labor Day; from the day after Labor Day until the third Sunday in February, fishing permitted but no trout can be harvested; from the third Monday in February until the opening day of trout season, no fishing permitted.
The streams with sections subject to this new regulations are: Bald Eagle Creek in Centre County; Yellow Creek in Bedford County; Penns Creek in Centre County' Kishacoquillas Creek in Mifflin County; Fishing Creek in Clinton County; Pohopoco Creek in Carbon County; Little Lehigh Creek in Lehigh County; Monocacy Creek in Lehigh and Northampton counties; and Martins Creek in Northampton County.
This regulation will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2024, so the details and information on the specific stream sections will be included in the Pennsylvania Fishing Summary booklet that comes with your new fishing license.
With the beginning of November just a few days away, a timely reminder is in order. From Nov. 1 until April 30, all boaters are required by law to wear an approved life jacket while aboard any boat less than 16 feet and any canoe, kayak or paddleboard.