Partnership leads to stocked trout in Pennsylvania’s Venango County

Franklin, Pa. — The Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission on May 2 partnered with the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission to stock 1,500 trout into Oil Creek around the Drake Well Museum and Park historical site in Venango County.

The leaders of each agency said they are looking for ways to serve their common audiences.

Along with attracting history buffs and school groups to northwestern Pennsylvania to learn about the region’s oil boom that began in the late 1850s, neighboring Oil Creek attracts anglers, fly-fishermen and kayakers from across the state.

Beyond combining to stock rainbow trout and brown trout, the two agencies are exploring plans to increase fishing access around the Drake Well site and develop a canoe and kayak launch nearby, according to Tim Schaeffer, executive director of the Fish & Boat Commission

“There’s so much to offer in northwest Pennsylvania, and one of those things is the Drake Well Museum and then also Oil Creek,” he said.

“Whether you’re a biker or a cyclist, an angler or a boater, or just a history buff, there’s really something for everybody here in Venango County.”

In addition to being a world-wide significant historic site, the Drake Well Museum is also a great place to fish and boat, Schaeffer pointed out.

“One of those shared priorities is engaging visitors there at the Drake Well,” he said.

“We want to figure out how we can draw more anglers and boaters to the facility so they could learn about the historical significance of it.”

Andrea Lowery, executive director of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, agreed, and noted that there is a real opportunity for synergy between those two audiences.

“We can draw on people who may not know about the history or know how fascinating it is, and similarly people who are using the site recreationally, we can help them to understand a little bit more about Pennsylvania history,” she said. “They can become engaged in part of what makes this area so special.”

Lowery suggested that Venango County and Drake Well Museum and adjacent Oil Creek is a great place for the agencies together to reach out to both museum and recreational visitors.

“The waterways of Pennsylvania are a phenomenal resource, and gorgeous and not only are they full of fantastic fish and beautiful wildlife and opportunities to explore nature, they also speak to the area’s industrial heritage,” she said.

“And so, it really is a great way to understand more about Pennsylvania history and the species that live here.”