Hats off to my friends at the Lycoming Creek Anglers. I give them a lot of credit. These guys and gals make our fishing experiences much more splendid. This spring has been fantastic. Yes. We battled some rain and high waters, but I am still ecstatic. I snuck out for several casts the past few days and landed many beauties. The bugs are hatching. I reached out to my chums and gave them some thank yous.
“We started stocking April 27th,” Secretary Walt Winters explained. “Then we gathered every Saturday morning, with May 25th being our last. I’m thinking 4,000 trout were put into Lycoming. Rock Run, Pleasant Stream, and Roaring Branch got an additional 2,500. We also helped the state with many of their local stockings.”
I still can’t believe the quality and size of the fish my friends are growing. Beautiful trout. Awesome coloring. Many of the holdovers are absolutely stunning. A new feed has changed the game completely. This year’s crop is rather impressive. I have caught many fish this spring, and they look like they came from the mountains of Montana.
“We are a small group,” Walt added. “A nonprofit organization. We are always looking for help and new members. I am extremely thankful for those who lend a hand. Raising and stocking trout is not an easy task. It takes time, money, and lots of commitments. We truly appreciate our club and thank the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat for their support as well.”
One of their biggest events is approaching. The Annual Lycoming Creek Children’s Fishing Derby attracts hundreds of kids from all over the region. Jensen and I look forward to this special day every season. It is an all-day fishing extravaganza. Tons of wonderful prizes for every youngster. This year’s derby is slated for Saturday, June 8th, at the Squarewood Acres Campground. It is located just seven miles north of Trout Run on Route 14. Look for signs by the Marsh Hill Bridge — same spot as previous years.
Boys and girls aged 3 to 13 are invited. Again, everyone is a winner. Registration starts at 8:30 a.m. for the 3-4-year-olds, 10:00 a.m. for the 5-6-year-olds, 11:30 a.m. for the 7 through 9s, and 1:00 p.m. for the 10-13-year-olds. Each grouping will fish for an hour after their registration.
“We are hoping for another big turnout,” Walt concluded. “The Fishing Derby is always a blast. We plan to stock 500 fish first thing that morning. Then we put in another 400 trout in the creek around lunch. This is our way of giving back to our great community. Seeing the faces and smiles of these youngsters when they catch a trout is my absolute favorite.”
I agree. Hopefully, you all can make it to the derby. Cheers.
