About the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission

Field Biologist with coat hood up on a boat holding Walleye

Activities/Crafts​

PA State Fish Hatcheries
Find all of PFBC State Fish Hatcheries in the word search.

PLAY Newsletters​

“Fishing is Reel Fun” booklet
This 18-page activity booklet is full of fishing and boating information to help anglers and boaters of all ability levels enjoy safe, fun, and year-round outdoor adventures in Pennsylvania. Enjoy!

"My Adventures" write-your-own story booklet
With this 12-page activity booklet you can write-your-own adventure about a trip on or near a PA waterway (e.g. stream, river, pond, lake). You can also share something you learn, share how you would teach someone else about what you learned, and share a memory that you will keep with you as you grow. Begin your story today!

PLAY: Careers With the PA Fish and Boat Commission
PLAY issue containing the following articles –
Careers with PFBC; Protect Our Aquatic Resources with Law Enforcement; Conserve and Manage Aquatic Resources with Fisheries; Enhance Recreational Fishing with Hatcheries & Other PFBC Jobs which Protect the Environment; Improve Fishing & Boating Opportunities with Engineering and Property Services; Provide Fishing and Boating Opportunities with Outreach, Education and Marketing; PFBC Career Opportunities (word search).

PLAY: PA FSI: Fish Scene Investigation
PLAY issue containing the following articles – PA FSI: Fish Scene Investigation; Collecting and Analyzing the Data; Tools of the trade: Electrofishing; Tools of the Trade: Nets and Surveys; Decisions, Decisions; FSI: Your Turn (word equations).​

Videos

Playlists

The following two links are to playlists that will take you through all of PFBC’s videos related to the agency operations, careers, fish management, stocking and more OR you can click on individual topics using the additional links below. 

Boating, Paddling and Water Safety

Below are several videos that introduce viewers to PFBC boating/paddling safety videos and announcements. Learn more about each video in the video description. Additional videos on the Boating & Water Safety section of the A&E Portal.​

PFBC Water Rescue Training Overview
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This video introduces the PFBC’s Water Rescue Training program.

Education and Law Enforcement 

Below are videos that introduce viewers to some of the work that PFBC Law Enforcement and Education staff conduct. Learn more about each video in the video description.

Do You Have What It Takes? Now Recruiting Waterways Conservation Officers
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The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) is recruiting a new class of Waterways Conservation Officer (WCO) Trainees at its H.R. Stackhouse School of Fishery Conservation and Watercraft Safety. WCOs protect, conserve, and enhance Pennsylvania’s aquatic resources through law enforcement, education, and community partnerships with anglers and boaters.

PA-HART Operation Hurricane (2019)
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The Pennsylvania Helicopter Aquatic Rescue Team (PA-HART) conducted a full-scale training exercise on the Susquehanna River in Harrisburg, PA on Thursday, August 15, 2019.

Fisheries

Below are several videos that introduce viewers to some of PFBC’s work that involves fish management and fish habitat improvement work, resource protection, hatcheries, how PFBC raise fish to stock and stocking events at PA streams/lakes. Learn more about each video in the video description.

Fish Management, Habitat Improvement & Resource Protection

Lake Erie Brown Trout Program
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Pennsylvania Musky Program (2019)
Yiew on YouTube
The stocking of fewer but larger yearling muskies represents a change in the way the PFBC manages muskies; whereas previously, a larger number of smaller fingerling muskies were stocked. Biologist research indicates that the new approach of introducing larger fish will greatly increase the survival rate of these fish.

Recovery of the Chesapeake Logperch
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This video describes efforts by researchers from several conservation agencies to study the life cycle of the Chesapeake Logperch and restore their numbers within their historical home range. (Project partners include the PFBC, USFWS, Penn State University, Pennsylvania Biological Survey, Susquehanna River Basin Commission, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Conservation Fisheries, Inc., and volunteers.)

Water Quality Lab- Virtual Field Trip
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Join PFBC staff Mindy McClenahan and Aimee Nungesser as they take you on a virtual tour of the Water Quality Lab located at the Benner Springs Fish Culture and Research Station in State College, PA. Through this virtual tour you will be introduced to the Water Quality Lab, you will learn about some of the water quality parameters PFBC tests for, and why the PFBC tests for them.

Wild Trout Survey: East Branch Standing Stone Creek
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The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission conducts a wild trout survey along the East Branch Standing Stone Creek, located within Greenwood Furnace State Park in Huntingdon County, PA.

Hatcheries and Cooperative Nurseries

The following videos introduces viewers to a few of PFBC’s hatcheries located around the state and our Cooperative Nursery Program. Learn more about each video in the video description.

Counting Trout at Reynoldsdale State Fish Hatchery
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In this video, staff at the Reynoldsdale State Fish Hatchery in Bedford County show us how they get an accurate count of fish before loading up the stocking trucks.

Huntsdale State Fish Hatchery Open House (2017)
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This open house by the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission celebrated 85 years of operation of the Huntsdale State Fish Hatchery at which the public was invited to attend.

PFBC’s Cooperative Nursery Program
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Reynoldsdale State Fish Hatchery Open House (2016)
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The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) hosted an Open House on October 30 at the Reynoldsdale State Fish Hatchery, located at 162 Fish Hatchery Rd, New Paris, PA 15554.

Tylersville State Fish Hatchery
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The Tylersville State Fish Hatchery in Clinton County raises Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Brown Trout and golden Rainbow Trout.

Stocking

The following videos introduce viewers to how fish are stocked in lakes and streams in PA. A few videos also introduce videos to the Keystone Select Waterway program. Learn more about each video in the video description.

2020 Trout Stocking: Pine Grove Furnace State Park
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Of the 3.2 million trout stocked annually by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, approximately 620,000 are stocked into waterways located within Pennsylvania State Parks and state forests.

Children’s Lake Trout Stocking
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Waterways Conservation Officer David Hurst had some young helpers this week when the hatchery trucks arrived at Children’s Lake in Boiling Springs, Cumberland County.

Fall Trout Stocking on Clarks Creek
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Waterways Conservation Officer Mark Sweppenhiser and volunteers stock hundreds of brown and brook trout into the Fly Fishing Only Catch and Release Section of Clarks Creek located in Dauphin County.

Fall Trout Stocking at Harveys Lake and Harveys Creek
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In Luzerne County, both Harveys Lake and the Keystone Select (Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only Catch and Release) section of Harveys Creek were stocked on October 3, 2019.

Fall Trout Stocking at Little Buffalo
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Fall Trout Stocking at R. B. Winter State Park
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While fewer fish are stocked in the fall, compared to the 3.2 million trout stocked in the spring, fall trout stockings feature larger trout on average, and are placed in high use areas across the state, providing a recreational opportunity late in the season and for the ice fishing season.

Keystone Select Trout: McMichael Creek
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Waterways Conservation Officer Scott Christman shows us around this section of McMichael Creek in Monroe County.

Keystone Select Trout Stocking: Quittapahilla Creek
View on YouTube
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission stocks 3.2 million adult trout annually into public waterways. In addition to trout averaging 11-inches in length, the Commission stocks 22 stream sections of Keystone Select Trout Waters across the state.

Steelhead Stocking in Full Swing at Lake Erie Tributaries
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Stocking Trout in Pennsylvania State Parks
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Looking for a great place to fish? Of the 3.2 million trout stocked annually by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, more than 525,000 will be stocked within state parks and state forests.

Trout Being Raised in PA for Fishing
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Trout Stocking in Pennypack Creek, Philadelphia
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Waterways Conservation Officer Erin Czech leads a group of volunteers to assist PFBC hatchery staff with stocking Pennypack Creek.