A Stream Runs Through It

The trees act as a canopy of shade above the water, and in the early morning mist, you realize Mother Nature has provided air conditioning. Your line tightens, tugs, and moves your concentration to reeling in your catch—summer has arrived.

A chef who bases his menus on seasonal and local ingredients, Douglass Dick, chef of Bona Terra restaurant in Sharpsburg, has been trout fishing in local streams since he was a child. A hidden stream known only to locals near Franklin, PA provided Chef Douglass with his first learning experiences.

Chef Douglass explains that a good stream should have a cool temperature not exceeding 60 degrees, which is one of the many components that contribute to the life of a stream and the vitality of the fish that inhabit the water. The cool temperature is provided by the shade of trees that grow over and around the stream. The trees also act in stabilizing the stream banks—keeping the mud and silt in check along the waterway. Whenever trees are removed, rainstorms wash debris into the water, destroying the fragile ecosystem.

State authorities and Trout Unlimited are cleaning up fishing areas so trout population can flourish. Some stocked trout have been able to hold over from one year to the next, living off the bugs and worms that populate a healthy ecosystem. These trout will begin to develop wild characteristics in flavor and appearance.

Some corporations are taking a conservational stand—Duquesne light is one of them. They are utilizing a polishing pond, a pond where treated mine discharge water is collected, as a nursery for rainbow trout fingerlings. 16-18" fish and trout up to 24" long now populate this pond, known as Warwick Mountain Fisheries. These trout are then sold to stock local streams, and the treated water is sent to Whiteley Creek, a branch of the Monongahela River.

The Tyes That Bind

Youth programs such as Family Tyes are taking advantage of the efforts of Duquesne Light, and other conservationists in PA. This is the first program of its kind in the country, and began in 1979 at Baldwin High School. It was first a fishing club in attempts for children to get involved in a positive activity and outlet through fly-fishing. All the kids were paired with mentors, and soon buses began to fill with kids from all over the area.

Founder Charles McKinney says that most weekends during trout season, the group heads to a fishing spot to learn about everything from environmental conservation to fly tying.

Although most of the fish caught are released, a few are kept to enjoy during cookouts. This program has grown to be the model for programs all over the state and in other parts of the country.

Quite a Catch

Chef Douglass explains that there is a distinct difference in flavor and meat texture between farm raised trout and wild trout. Wild trout have a richer flavor, a subtle difference from fish to fish, and a pink flesh that farm raised will not.

At West Virginia University, a flavorful farm raised product is under development, by using flax seed oil to increase the trout's omega-3 fatty acid profile. The goal of the group is to give diners an added health benefit, and enhance the flavor and texture. Chef Douglass is impressed with what he has tasted and hopes for a marketable, regional product.

Catch + Release

If you are going out on the water this season, here a few things to remember:

• Under PA state law, fish need to be at least 7 inches long to keep, with a limit of five fish per day.
• While the brook trout is the Pennsylvania state fish and the only trout native to the state, there are four other varieties of trout found in PA waters due to stocking: rainbow, brown, tiger and golden trout.
• The state used to only announce stocking for the first day of the season. Now the state announces when and where they stock PA waters throughout the season on their website.
• SWPA's trout season began officially on April 12, 2008 and will go through summer until Labor Day. As regulations and licensing are exacting, please refer to and follow state guidelines set forth on the PA fish and boat commission websitefor details.
• To identify types of trout, check out this page on the PA Fish + Boat Commission website.
• For more information on Family Tyes, visit their website.