Stream PA-1A

This post is for stream PA-1A. I won’t name streams on my site (sorry, don’t ask) to prevent them from being “spot burned” or unwanted attention drawn to them.

PA-1A is a Class A wild trout stream that supports a healthy population of wild browns and brookies. It has no special regulations and is stocked heavily throughout it’s lower section and even well up into the headwaters by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission as well as a local sportsman club.

The stream has excellent trout habitat throughout the upper 7 miles or so of it’s headwaters. There are large log jams, deep pools and enough gradient change to generate some oxygen. This stream could be a contender for housing a unicorn, however, it is stocked with very large brown trout along with brook trout. So, there is serious predation and the chance that the fish isn’t wild.

I still haven’t fished it’s upper most reaches, but it’s on the list for the spring, or possibly between now and Feb. 28th. I’ve caught sizeable browns very well into the upper most section though, so I don’t hold out a lot of hope that there are some unicorns up there.

The above photo is the largest brook trout I have documented from this stream. I have concerns that it’s a stocked fish. In Pa, the stocked brook trout often lack the blue halo with magenta center spots, or there are very few of them. This fish is borderline with regard to the halo spots. It does have them, but they’re pretty sparse. It’s otherwise in very good condition. While it wasn’t measured on the stream, it’s a solid 9″ fish.

In contrast, the above fish, from the same stream (PA-1A) carries a more typical large array of halo spots. The above fish is approximately 8″, which is in the larger class of typical for this stream. Compared to the larger female above, it should be pretty obvious that the larger fish is stocked. Possibly a holdover, but likely stocked nonetheless.

Stream PA-1A is a prime example of why I believe that stocking should be limited in Pennsylvania. There are 5 pound brown trout stocked well into the headwaters of the stream. The stream has such a large biomass of food, that it could potentially hold huge brook trout if they didn’t have to compete with all the browns and occasional rainbows. Without any regulations on brook trout, it’s likely that “meat fishermen” are harvesting large brood stock brook trout from the stream as well.

Philip Light

https://www.unicornbrookies.com/about/ Philip was born and raised in Bedford, Pennsylvania. After moving to the Pittsburgh region for school and work, he returned to Bedford, where he resides today. Philip is pursuing a bachelor of science in Environmental Policy and Management from Purdue University and currently works as a design consultant in the luxury fashion industry. As a young child, he spent countless hours fishing and exploring the small freestone streams near his home. Philip soon discovered fly fishing and has been an avid fly fisher for thirty years. His fascination with fish led to his involvement in water and fish conservation. Over the last several years, Philip has been involved in conservation projects, including at an international level, with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Conservation International. More recently, he served as national vice-chair of Native Fish Coalition, building relationships with state government agencies such as the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Department of Environmental Protection, Fish & Boat Commission, and conservation non-profits. His primary focus is informing and educating anglers, negotiating with stakeholders in the government and the private sector, and protecting and enhancing wild native brook trout habitats in Pennsylvania.

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