Volunteers needed for Bull Creek and Deer Creek trout stockings

The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is looking for more volunteers to help stock trout next month in Bull Creek and Deer Creek.

“I am one person, and when I have two truckloads of fish, it’s hard to get them all into the water myself,” said Sgt. Mike Walsh of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.

Traditionally, volunteers from the Tri-County Trout Club have helped, but new volunteers are needed to replace some older club members, Walsh said.

The more volunteers, the better dispersed the trout will be, Walsh said.

Volunteers will use 5-gallon buckets and floats to stock rainbow and golden trout.

Volunteers can show up at these times and locations:

• Bull Creek stocking: 12:10 p.m. March 5 at the Tarentum Park-and-Ride just off Bull Creek Road next to the Exit 14 interchange of Route 28. Fish and Boat Commission trucks are expected to arrive about 12:30 p.m.

• Deer Creek stocking: 12:10 p.m. March 6 at the Emmerling Community Park parking lot on Cove Run Road in Indiana Township. Fish and Boat Commission trucks are expected to arrive about 12:30 p.m.

Trout season opens at 8 a.m. April 18.

The Fish and Boat Commission stocks 3.2 million adult trout in 707 streams and 130 lakes open to public angling annually. That includes 2.2 million rainbow trout, 660,000 brown trout and 360,000 brook trout.

The average size of the trout produced for stocking is 11 inches long, according to the commission.

To learn more about fish stocking locations and dates, consult the Fish and Boat Commission’s website at fishandboat.com.