Hats off to my friends at the Lycoming Creek Anglers. I give them lots of credit. These guys and gals make our fishing experiences much more splendid. Yes. We have battled some rain and high waters, but this spring has been fantastic. We are so spoiled. I finally snuck out for a few casts. I landed a handful of trout near Reeder’s Rapids. The bugs were starting to hatch. I replaced my Peeping Caddis with a Gray Adams. I love catching fish on a dry fly. There is nothing better. I gave my man Colby a shout. He was slaying them down below. I don’t know his last name, but I often see him. We both spend a lot of time on Lycoming.
“We are having a great year,” Walt Winters explained. “Memberships are up. The club is raising some of the nicest rainbows I’ve ever seen. We started stocking towards the end of April. We then gather every Saturday through May. 4,000 or so trout have been released into Lycoming Creek. Rock Run, Pleasant Stream, and Roaring Branch received an additional 2,500 of our fish. The club also helped with several of the local state stockings. We are busy in the spring.”
I still can’t believe the quality and size of the fish my friends grow. Awesome colors. Beautiful trout. Many of the holdovers are stunning. A new feed has changed the game completely. This year’s crop is quite impressive. The fish I caught the other day were gorgeous and healthy.
“We are a very small group,” Walt continued. “A nonprofit organization. We are always looking for help and a few new members. I am extremely thankful to 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 and our donors for their support.”
One of our biggest events is soon 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. It is an all-day fishing extravaganza. Tons of wonderful prizes for every youngster. This year’s Derby is scheduled for Saturday, June 7th, at the Squarewood Acres Campgrounds located seven miles north of Trout Run on Route 14. Look for signs by the Marsh Hill Bridge, which is the same location as previous years.
Boys and girls aged 3 to 13 are invited to attend. Again. Everyone is a winner. No experience is needed. 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. Jensen graduated. Each group will fish for an hour after their registration. Food is available for purchase. Bait and tackle will be provided for a small donation.
“We are hoping for another great turnout,” Walt added. “The Fishing Derby is always a blast. We plan to stock 500 trout first thing that morning, then add another 400 around lunch. This is our way of giving back to our great community. This will be our 23rd year. Swing by for some great food, merchandise, and all-day fun with the kids. Seeing the faces and smiles of these youngsters is my absolute favorite.”
I agree. Bravo to the Lycoming Creek Anglers on a job well done. Hopefully, you can join us for the Derby this year. Cheers.
