Class A Wild Trout Waters facts for kids
Class A Wild Trout Waters are special streams in Pennsylvania that have the best populations of naturally reproducing trout. The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission gives them this top rating. These streams are known for having healthy trout populations that can support themselves without needing fish from hatcheries.
The first streams got this special Class A rating in 1983. Now, there are hundreds of these streams, adding up to almost 1,500 miles (2,400 km) of waterways. Being a Class A Wild Trout Water also gives these streams important legal protections. This helps keep them clean and healthy for the trout and other wildlife. Most of these streams follow the usual fishing rules for Pennsylvania.
The official way to describe Class A Wild Trout Waters is: "streams that support a population of naturally produced trout of sufficient size and abundance to support a long-term and rewarding sport fishery". This means they have enough wild trout for people to enjoy fishing for a long time. They are considered the best places to fish for trout in Pennsylvania. Most of Pennsylvania's 67 counties have at least one of these special streams. These streams are almost never stocked with trout, meaning new fish are not added from hatcheries. This is because the wild trout populations are strong enough on their own.
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How Did Class A Wild Trout Waters Start?
The system for classifying streams, including Class A Wild Trout Waters, began in 1983. It was part of a plan called Operation Future. This plan changed how the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission managed fish. Instead of just focusing on recreation, they started focusing on protecting the natural resources.
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, surveys were done on streams all over Pennsylvania. Based on these surveys, the Commission created rules for how many trout a stream needed to have to get a special rating.
The first streams were named Class A Wild Trout Waters in 1983. At that time, 138 stream sections, about 400 miles (640 km) long, met the requirements. As more streams were checked, the number of Class A Wild Trout Waters grew quickly. By 2005, there were 436 of them. By 2014, there were 510 Class A Wild Trout Waters, covering about 1,490.6 miles (2,398.9 km) of streams.
Around 2010, the Commission thought about adding some streams in cities to the Class A list. This caused some debate among anglers. Some worried it would affect fishing in popular streams like Monocacy Creek and Little Lehigh Creek. However, others supported the idea because it would give the streams more protection. In the end, the Commission decided to classify them as Class A Wild Trout Waters but still stock them in the spring. This helped satisfy both sides.
What Are Class A Wild Trout Waters Like?
These streams are considered the "best of the best" for trout fishing in Pennsylvania. You can find them all over the state. However, most are in north-central and northeastern Pennsylvania. There are very few in the western part of the state. Some Class A Wild Trout Waters are in popular areas like The Poconos or the Lehigh Valley.
As of 2009, 49 of Pennsylvania's 67 counties had at least one Class A Wild Trout stream. But only nine counties had more than 30 miles (48 km) of these special streams.
Class A Wild Trout Waters are almost never stocked with trout. This is because they are managed to help wild trout grow and thrive on their own. Many of these streams were stocked in the past, before they received their special classification. Sometimes, these streams are also connected to larger streams that are stocked with trout.
In 2014, there were 274 Class A Wild Trout Waters mainly for brook trout. These covered about 743.6 miles (1,196.7 km) of streams. There were 163 streams for brown trout, totaling 507.3 miles (816.4 km). Sixty-two streams had both brook trout and brown trout, adding up to 211.0 miles (339.6 km). Only 11 streams were Class A for rainbow trout, covering 28.7 miles (46.2 km).
How Does a Stream Qualify?
To become a Class A Wild Trout Water, a stream must be studied by biologists from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. They use special methods to make sure the stream meets the right standards. The Board of Commissioners then officially gives the stream its designation.
The rules for becoming a Class A Wild Trout Water are different for each type of trout.
- For brook trout, there must be at least 30 kilograms per hectare (27 lb/acre) of trout in the stream. At least 0.1 kilograms per hectare (0.089 lb/acre) of these must be young brook trout less than 15 centimeters (5.9 in) long. Also, brook trout must make up at least 75 percent of all the wild trout in the stream.
- For brown trout, the rules are similar. The minimum amount of brown trout is 40 kilograms per hectare (36 lb/acre).
- If a stream is Class A for both brook trout and brown trout, their combined weight must be at least 40 kilograms per hectare (36 lb/acre). Each species must also have at least 0.1 kilograms per hectare (0.089 lb/acre) of young trout less than 15 centimeters (5.9 in) long. Neither species can make up more than 75 percent of the total wild trout.
- For rainbow trout, the rules are simpler. There just needs to be at least 2 kilograms per hectare (1.8 lb/acre) of wild rainbow trout less than 15 centimeters (5.9 in) long. Only one stream in Pennsylvania, Roaring Run, is Class A for both brook trout and rainbow trout.
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission also has other stream rankings with lower requirements, like Class B Wild Trout Waters, Class C Wild Trout Waters, Class D Wild Trout Waters, and Class E Wild Trout Waters.
Why Are These Streams Important Legally?
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection often calls Class A Wild Trout Waters "High-Quality Coldwater Fisheries." This gives them extra legal protection under the federal Clean Water Act. This means that any activity that might put pollution into a Class A Wild Trout Stream has to follow very strict rules. Some streams even get an "Exceptional Value" status because they are Class A Wild Trout Waters.
Under Pennsylvania law, the Fish and Boat Commission must manage the trout in Class A Wild Trout Waters as renewable natural resources. This means they protect the trout populations so anglers can enjoy them for many years.
The Susquehanna River Basin Commission also uses these stream classifications to decide how much water can be taken from a stream. For Class A Wild Trout Waters, only a small amount of habitat can be lost, usually 5 percent.
There are also special angling rules for Class A Wild Trout Waters. Most of these streams (92 percent) have a minimum length of 7 inches (18 cm) for fish you can keep. The maximum number of fish you can keep is five. About half of the Class A Wild Trout Waters with special rules are "Catch and Release" streams. This means you must put the fish back after catching them. Other streams might have "Trophy Trout" or "Wild Brook Trout Enhancement" rules. A total of 31 Class A Wild Trout Waters are called "Wilderness Trout Streams."
You can fish in Class A Wild Trout Waters all year round. However, you are not allowed to kill fish from Labor Day until the start of the next year's trout season.
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