With all the snow, ice and frigid weather lately, it seems a little out of place to be announcing the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is set to begin its annual trout-stocking efforts next week, but that is indeed the situation.

The statewide trout season for 2025 will begin on Saturday, April 5 with the Mentored Youth Trout Day on Saturday, March 29. All designated stocked trout waters will be closed to all fishing from midnight on Monday, Feb. 17 until 8 a.m. on the opening of trout season.

During 2025, the PFBC will release about 3.2 million adult trout into 691 streams and 120 lakes around the state. These figures include approximately 2.4 million rainbow trout; 693,000 brown trout; and 125,000 brook trout. The average size of trout stocked by the PFBC is expected to be 11 inches and weighing slightly more than a half-pound. In addition to trout raised at state fish hatcheries, PFBC cooperative nurseries operated by sportsmen’s clubs across the state will add another 1.2 million trout to waters open to public angling.

Seven streams in Blair County are scheduled to receive their preseason stocking during February. Volunteers are welcome to come along and to help carry fish to the streams during any scheduled stocking.

Blair Gap Run is scheduled to be stocked Friday, Feb. 21; the meeting place is the Rutter’s at 234 Kuhn Lane, Duncansville, at 10:30 a.m. Beaverdam Creek and the Frankstown Branch of the Juniata River will be stocked on Monday, Feb. 24 starting at 10:30 from the Sheetz at 12604 Dunning Highway in Claysburg. Poplar Run and South Poplar Run will be stocked on Tuesday, Feb. 25; the meeting place is the Rutter’s at 234 Kuhn Lane, Duncansville, at 10:30 a.m. Bald Eagle Creek will be stocked on Wednesday, Feb. 26; meeting place is the Snappy’s in the village of Bald Eagle at 9:45 a.m. Clover Creek will be stocked Thursday, Feb. 27;

the meeting place is the Henrietta Sportsman’s Club, 1448 Henrietta Road, Martinsburg at 10:30 a.m.

Other preseason trout stockings scheduled in Blair County include Canoe Creek on March 4; meeting place is the Canoe Creek State Park office at 10:15 a.m. Bells Gap Run and Vanscoyoc Run will be stocked on March 24; meeting place is the Sheetz off the Bellwood exit off I-99 at 10:15 a.m. Canoe Creek Lake will be stocked on March 31; meeting place is the Canoe Creek State Park office at 10:15 a.m. Riggles Gap Run will not be stocked this year due to declining stream access.

Most stocked trout waters also receive at least one in-season stocking some time from the opening week of the season until late May. Bad weather or high water may cause last-minute postponements of some stockings, so scheduled stockings are subject to change.

For complete information on the preseason and in-season stocking schedules for other counties, check the PFBC website at www.fishandboat.com. Anglers with smartphones can find the stocking schedules and other information about fishing in Pennsylvania through the FishBoatPA app, which is available free from the Apple App Store and Google Play.

Wild Game Feast

It’s always my pleasure to announce the popular Wild Game Feast hosted by the Altoona Alliance Church. This year marks its 18th annual Wild Game Feast, which will be held on Saturday, March 15 at the church, located at 3220 Pleasant Valley Boulevard next to Planet Fitness.

The featured speaker for the evening will Jim “The Bearman” Vansteenhouse from Michigan. Vansteenhouse’s nickname came as the result of a near-fatal grizzly bear attack he endured while moose hunting in the remote wilderness of Canada’s Northwest Territories in 2015. He and his wife, Elizabeth, will be also speaking at the Sunday morning service at the Altoona Alliance church on March 16 about “Navigating the Rough Waters of Marriage” — all are welcome to attend that service.

The buffet style meal will include a variety of delicious wild-game dishes that typically includes deer, elk, moose, rabbit, pheasant and fish. The exact makeup of the game dishes included on the buffet depend on the generous donations from hunters and anglers sharing their harvest from the past season.

Pastor Tim McGarvey has told me in recognition of this year’s speaker, several dishes are featuring bear meat. And there are always some “regular” foods like store-bought turkey and hot dogs, along with sides, desserts and drinks.

Doors for the Altoona Alliance Church Wild Game Feast will open at 4 p.m. for access to displays from various outdoors-related vendors. Dinner will be served at 5 p.m., followed by Vansteenhouse’s presentation, a special recognition of veterans, a chance to sample and identify the “mystery meat” and the awarding of a generous selection of door prizes.

A new addition this year will be opportunities for guests to enter special drawings for a guided coyote hunt, a guided rabbit hunt for two with award-winning beagles and a drawing for an amazing homemade “bear” cake.

Space is limited, however, and tickets are required for admission. A suggested donation of $20 per ticket is requested to help cover the costs of the event. Getting your tickets early is encouraged to avoid disappointment because they tend to go rather quickly once the word gets out.

Tickets will be available starting Monday, Feb. 17 at 10 a.m. at the church office (don’t call the church this weekend). Tickets are limited to ages 10 and older. To obtain tickets or for more information, call the church office at 814-944-0171 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.