In July 2010 personnel from the PA F&BC surveyed Section 7 of the river. As of today, Section 7 extends from Route 347 bridge to the confluence of Roaring Brook, but a change may be coming. We have recently received the Lackawanna Management Report and Comments and Recommendations document prepared by the biologists who conducted the survey. Here are some of the recommendations and some surprising facts about the trout population in this section.
Recommendations:
- Redefine Section 7 from Route 347 to Green Ridge St in Scranton.
- Add Section 7 to the PA Class A wild trout waters list.
- Petition the PA DEP to “…upgrade Chapter 93 water quality classification … from Coldwater, Migratory Fishes to High-Quality Coldwater, Migratory Fishes.“
- Continue to manage Section 7 under the Commonwealth Inland Waters Regulations.
- Improve riparian planting to provide shade to the stream.
Noteworthy findings:
- Annual mortality was similar to unexploited populations.
- Mortality for age 3 and older was extremely low.
- Angler harvest has no impact on population density or size. “Thus, more conservative regulations would not benefit the wild trout population.”
- Predominately a wild brown trout fishery although one wild rainbow was recovered – a documented first for the drainage.
- Growth rates for the brown trout “… far exceeded statewide averages at all ages.”
Some of us are extremely surprised at the last finding as we don’t see much in the way of insect hatches and wonder what the trout eat. Comments anyone?
