Column: Excitement, dedication, big trout on display at recent stocking

2/26/2021

Gavin Landis, a 13-year-old from rural Sunbury, dumps a bucket of trout into the Little Shamokin Creek on Feb. 24, 2021.

Hauling a bucket brimming with large, squirming trout fresh from the Tylersville Hatchery, 13-year-old Gavin Landis carefully edged his way through melting snow and ice to the banks of the Little Shamokin Creek near Sunbury.

As he released the contents of his bucket into the clear water below, Gavin noticed a medium-sized Rainbow trout wedged between two rocks near the shore. He quickly slid down the bank and nudged the trout to the center of the creek.

“I started (helping with stockings) when I was like five (years old) at least,” he said moments after the Rainbow rescue. He glanced back at the creek to watch the fish, adding: “We live like a mile away from here. I always ride my bike down here when the season opens and I fish as long as I am allowed to.”

The exchange with Gavin was just one of many highlights of a trip tagging along with the Fish and Boat Commission and a small team of volunteers they pre-approved to help. The sun was shining, the temperatures broke 50 degrees and it felt amazing to be out on our waterways after a snow-saturated winter.

Dressed in chest waders, masks and gloves, a small army of volunteers carried numerous bucket-loads of trout to various sections of the Little Shamokin Creek – an estimated 4,000 trout were released into creek – a tributary of the Susquehanna River.

Brown trout, Rainbow trout and a few Golden Rainbows darted to various nooks and crannies along the creek floor – a good many of the fish were massive in length, and would provide a nice wall-hanger for any angler lucky enough to snag one.

“I work with a great hatchery. They always seem to give good size and quality of fish,” said Waterway Conservation Officer Jacob Bennett during a quick interview on a small wooden bridge over a deep hole of the creek. We do have an initiative where we’re trying to put more large brood fish into the system every year.”

As the COVID pandemic hit in early 2020, it impacted the way the Fish and Boat Commission stocked its trout.

“Last year, we stocked with our on-staff employees and didn’t allow volunteers to reduce the odds of spreading the virus,” said Bennett. “This year, we are allowing certain volunteers to help. These are people we know, who are approved ahead of time and we are trying to keep our groups as small as possible. We encourage distancing and obviously everyone wears masks and gloves.”

The 2021 trout opener dates have also been adjusted in an attempt to reduce larger crowds at various angling hotspots and additional traveling, Bennett added. The statewide youth mentored fishing day is set for Saturday March 27, followed a week later by a universal Commonwealth opener of April 3.

Gavin couldn’t contain his excitement for the impending opportunities to try to catch the trout he stocked.

“It’s great to just enjoy the outdoors and what God gave you,” he said. “Enjoy it as much as you can and long as you can until you can’t anymore.”

A few stops later, I caught up with a 74-year-old volunteer who epitomized Gavin’s sentiment.

“I’ve been doing this for like 20 years,” he said as he fumbled his way through a snowy ditch with his bucket of trout. “A buddy and I used to stock this all ourselves. That was a lot of work. But you know what? It’s worth it, and I’ll keep doing this as long as I can carry a bucket.”

I don't blame him. The excitement of the stocking experience was definitely contagious. In the past two days, I have purchased new chest waders, my 2021 fishing license (with trout stamp, of course), a few new lures and mentored licenses for my younger daughter and two nephews.

For more details about the upcoming trout season, along with the full preseason and in-season stocking schedule, visit www.fishandboat.com.

For a video overview of the stocking adventure, visit the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper YouTube channel.