The number of trophy trout, each 14-20 inches or longer, on the stocking trucks of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission will be doubled next year.

Brood trout – those that have been kept at commission hatcheries an extra year or two as the source of eggs for the commission’s ongoing trout rearing and stocking program – will jump from about 27,000 this year to about 60,000 next year.

Trophy golden rainbow trout, each also 2-3 years old, will increase from 9,500 this year to 13,000 next year.

The commission’s Bureau of Hatcheries told commissioners at a recent meeting that the hatcheries can manage the increased number of trophy-sized trout without reducing the standard-sized allocation because of improved management in trout feed used at the hatcheries, biomass handled and water flow through the hatcheries.

The commission annually stocks about 3.2 million adult trout, averaging 11 inches each, in 707 streams and 127 lakes across the state.

The additional trophy trout will cost about $1.20 per fish or $44,000 total per year.

The new trophy-trout plan also will spread the larger fish out across more waters and more of the trout fishing season.

The commission this year stocked 17,500 brood trout before the opening days of trout fishing season and 9,500 during the season. About 24,000 of those fish were stocked in 985 stream sections across the state, while 3,000 were stocked in 118 lakes.

For 2020, about 44,000 brood trout will be stocked in the preseason and 16,000 will be stocked in-season. Most of those fish – 54,000 – will be stocked into 984 stream sections, while 6,000 will be stocked into 120 lakes.

About 82 percent of the brood trout – 49,000 – will be stocked in waters that are not managed under special regulations.

About 9,500 trophy golden rainbows were stocked this year, all in the preseason. About 8,200 of them were released in 449 stream sections, while the other 1,300 were stocked into 59 lakes.

The commission in 2020 will stock 10,600 trophy golden rainbows in the preseason and the other 2,400 in season. Most – 11,300 – will be stocked into 496 stream sections, while the other 1,700 will be dropped into 68 lakes.

About 95 percent – 12,400 – will be stocked in waters that are not managed under special regulations.

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