The Wild Native Brook Trout of Big Spring in Pennsylvania: Surviving Against All Odds...
The wild native brook trout Big Spring Creek in central Pennsylvania have suffered just about every indignity a fish population can. From the introduction of highly piscivorous nonnative brown trout that grew to well over 20 inches, to the construction of an ill-advised polluting and oxygen depleting hatchery in the headwaters, to heavy angler exploitation, it is amazing that these fish have managed to persist at all, but they have…
PA NFC board member Avery Walters recently went to Big Spring Creek to see if he could find some wild native brook trout. He was rewarded with a beautiful fish that eclipsed 12 inches, large by PA brook trout standards. The best part is he caught the fish downstream of the habitat restoration section, showing that the entire stream deserves attention. It’s time to do everything we can to preserve these unique wild native brook trout.
