Pennsylvania Fish & Boat commissioners OK changes to Muncy and Fishing creeks regulations

From the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission

Harrisburg — Pennsylvania  Fish & Boat commissioners, at their recent quarterly meeting,  voted to approve changes to fishing regulations on portions of Fishing Creek, Clinton County, and on a portion of Muncy Creek, Lycoming County.

Fishing Creek changes

Under these changes, Fishing Creek, sections 07 and 09, which are part of the popular section of the stream referred to as the “Narrows,” would be removed from the Trophy Trout Artificial Lures Only program and added to the Catch and Release Artificial Lures only program.

Fishing Creek is one of the most popular Class A wild trout streams in Pennsylvania, supporting robust populations of wild brook trout and wild brown trout.

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From March through September 2023, the Fish & Boat Commission conducted angler surveys on the Narrows to obtain updated information on angler use, harvest and opinions.  A total of 927 anglers were interviewed during the 2023 survey, and all anglers interviewed practiced catch-and-release angling with no trout being harvested.

Anglers indicated a strong preference to manage the entire reach of the Narrows under Catch and Release Artificial Lures Only regulations rather than a combination of Trophy Trout Artificial Lures Only and Catch and Release Artificial Lures Only regulations.

Staff solicited feedback from landowners in sections 07 and 09 and respondents indicated support for the regulation change.

Whenever possible, the commission attempts to simplify regulations where biological objectives and angler and landowner preferences align. To facilitate transition of sections 07 and 09 to the Catch and Release Artificial Lures Only program, these sections must first be removed from the Trophy Trout Artificial Lures Only program.  These changes will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2025.

Muncy Creek changes

On Muncy Creek, commissioners voted to add Section 06, to the Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only program. Muncy Creek is currently managed as six different sections for fisheries management purposes.

Sections 02-05 are included in the Stocked Trout Waters program. Sections 02, 03, and 05 are managed under Commonwealth Inland Waters angling regulations, while Section 04 is managed under Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only regulations.

Section 05 is stocked during the preseason and in-season stocking periods; however, there is a 1.1-mile-long reach located within Section 05 that is posted, resulting in approximately 12% of the section being closed to public angling. The landowner of the 1.1-mile-long reach that is currently closed to angling contacted the commission regarding establishing a special regulation area on this section and open it to public angling.

To accommodate this change, Section 05 will be re-sectioned into three sections, with sections 05 and 07 being included in the Stocked Trout Waters program and Section 06 included in the Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only program.

These changes will go into effect Jan. 1, 2025.