The 2021 trout season is off to a great start, minus the weather. But the fishing has been grand. My friends and I are having a blast. I have stayed mostly local, but several have ventured out. A lot of credit goes to the STATE and other local organizations. There is one, in particular, that does a lot here locally. I can’t say enough about the folks of the Lycoming Creek Anglers. They continue to help make Lycoming Creek a great fishery.

“We have been doing this for a very long time,” Sam Caldwell explained. “The Lycoming Creek Anglers Club is a small group of volunteers from the area that do a lot of good. We raise close to 11,000 trout each year. The Anglers then stock Lycoming Creek and her wonderful tributaries around the opener and every Saturday in May.”

I can’t believe the quality and size of the fish we are currently seeing. Most of them are coming from the Lycoming Creek Anglers. I get up to their facility to help when I can. Many hands report every Saturday along Slack’s Run Road. It is an impressive farm outside of Bodines. Folks are always invited to take a look and learn more about the process.

Each tank is filled with some amazing specimens. Most of the trout are only a year old. Several are already getting close to a healthy 14 inches. Another tank had some absolute monsters. They have several 20 inch Browns and a few massive Rainbows. There is even a 25-inch giant Golden that stands out like a sore thumb. A new formula of feed has increased production immensely. It has changed the game completely.

“We have been using this BIO-OREGAN feed for three years,” Sam continued. “This year’s crop is the nicest fish that we have ever raised. This stuff is amazing. It helps the fish grow and adds some additional color. You can really tell a huge difference with these Rainbows and Browns. Some of our trophies are only two years old.”

This news feed is rather expensive. The Lycoming Creek Anglers spend close to $9,000 on it each summer. This is a hefty fee for the non-profit organization. The Anglers solely rely on their memberships and kind donations. They do not receive any state or local funding. Nothing from the County. Not even a little love from the Chamber. Seriously?

The entire nursery experienced some flooding in the fall of 2019. Four inches of rain in one hour caused some strife. The freakish storm played havoc with little Slacks Run. My friends had a serious problem. The farm was washed away, and the Anglers lost 2,500 fish. Sam estimated it cost the Club another $10,000 just to get the nursery back in shape.

“We need help,” Caldwell continued. “Our memberships are down, and our expenses continue to grow like our fish. We are currently holding serve, but we aren’t getting any younger. We are in need of that younger generation. It is only $10 a year. $8 for kids. Right now, I’d say we have 600 or so members. But we could always use more.”

One of their biggest events is back on the schedule. It was unfortunately cancelled in 2020 because of COVID. The annual Lycoming Creek Children’s Fishing Derby brings in hundreds of kiddos from all over the area. Jensen and I look forward to this special day every season. It is an all-day fishing extravaganza with tons of wonderful prizes for each youngster. The derby is slated for Saturday, June 5th, at the Sheshequin Campground. It is located seven miles north of Trout Run on Route 14. Look for the signs by the Marsh Hill Bridge. Boys and girls aged 3 to 13 are welcome rain or shine. Every youngster wins. Registration starts at 8:30 for the 3-4-year-olds. 10:00 a.m. for the 5-6-year-olds. 11:30 a.m. for the 7 through 9. And 1:00 p.m. for the 10-13-year-olds. The one-hour fishing times are right after your individual registrations.

“We are hoping for a big turnout,” Sam mentioned. “Unfortunately, we had to skip last year. The plan is to drop 500 or so fish first thing in the morning: mostly rainbows and some browns. Then we put in another load around lunch. We really enjoy the annual derby. The smiles from the kids makes it all worth it.”

Special thanks to Sam and the rest of the Lycoming Creek Anglers. I am extremely proud to be associated with this great organization. Volunteers are tough to find these days. Please consider becoming a member or making a donation. Your funds can definitely make an impact on our local fishing. Give me a call if you would like to join. Tight lines. Cheers.