BIOLOGIST REPORT

Spring Creek

With the recent removal of the “Polluted Zone” designation for Spring Creek, Centre County, there has been renewed interest in the status of the stream’s wild trout population. The stream was inventoried in July 2000 by staff from the PFBC’s Fisheries Management Division and the Pennsylvania Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit.

A total of 12 stations, between 300 and 450 yards long, were evaluated to represent the varying characteristics of the stream and the results are summarized in the table below. In short: Spring Creek continues to support an outstanding population of wild brown trout and is considered by many to be the best wild brown trout fishery Pennsylvania has to offer.

Electrofishing

Brown trout

Trout fishing on Spring Creek is managed on a catch and immediate release only basis.

Length frequency distribution of total number of fish captured at Spring Creek, July 2000

Size (inches) Lemont Station Sheep Farm Station Trout Run Station The Rock Station Shad Ponds Station Upst Paradise Station Paradise Station Hartles Bridge Station 550 Bridge Station Sutton Industry Station Bellefonte Sewage Plant Station Milesburg Power Plant Station
1 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
2 78 75 3 13 42 39 50 16 151 111 110 30
3 245 17 14 52 111 127 117 28 168 34 137 53
4 59 0 1 12 17 29 32 6 21 0 9 4
5 2 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 1 1 2
6 8 8 4 1 1 0 2 0 4 11 3 9
7 31 30 12 25 14 15 17 17 41 32 36 38
8 40 14 13 43 24 47 44 22 59 28 68 85
9 35 28 21 38 46 93 52 33 26 82 78 132
10 50 36 26 55 105 184 186 90 107 180 207 247
11 50 10 15 54 89 157 231 225 199 201 167 122
12 19 5 8 31 43 88 115 207 122 97 40 56
13 6 2 6 8 21 46 37 88 28 31 14 19
14 1 3 4 3 5 17 22 28 8 12 7 8
15 0 0 1 1 0 5 8 13 4 7 1 0
16 0 0 3 1 6 4 0 7 3 3   3
17 0 0 1 1 2 2 2 2       2
18 1 1 2 1 1   1 2       2
19   1 1 0       1        
20     0 1                
21     1                  
22     1                  
Totals 625 233 137 340 534 853 918 785 942 830 879 812

-- Coldwater Unit

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