Lehigh River Stocking Association

Mission Statement
The Lehigh River Stocking Association is a nonprofit, 501C-3 public organization dedicated to the restoration, revitalization and restocking of the Lehigh River. Our goal is the continuous improvement of this waterway and its tributaries. Our objectives are to insure clean water, a healthy and balanced ecosystem, an abundant fishery and access points for all citizens to enjoy. This will be to the benefit of all interests; including the businesses located throughout this region, the sportsmen and the people of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. This project has been ongoing for two decades with great success. We need and ask for your support for this outstanding program to continue.

FYI - PA Outdoor Life Program that is airing on July 13th at 6:30 on Channel 16, WNEP, features drift boat fishing on the Lehigh River. Please mark it on your calendars and watch the program! Don Jacobs host of the TV program floated the river with Paul Davidson (Skinner Guide Service) and Vince Spaits (LRSA Board) while Tom Gyory (LRSA treasurer) floated his trout scout along side. On Tom's boat were the TV camera man, Matt MacConnell (LRSA President) and Tom at the oars. Some nice fish were caught so we are looking forward to seeing how the show came out!

There were 17 tags retrieved from the Lunkerfest extended contests. Awards will be mailed to these people. One prize per contestant. Thanks to everyone for participating.

2014 Lehigh River Tributary Survey Completed June 8th, 2014. Download Report.

2014 Spring Drawing Winners below. Thanks everyone for participating.

#1 ($100) Jackie Crocus, Orwigsburg

#2 ($25) Joe Bnosky, Tamaqua

#3 ($25) Kathy Houck, Whitehall

#4 ($25) Paul Davidson, Lehighton

#5 ($25) Len Benek, Lansford

#6 (25) Ron Macaulay, New Tripoli

#7 ($25) William Beers, Palmerton

#8 ($25) Wes Mills, Chalfonte

#9 ($50) Margaret Kalnas, Whitehall

#10 ($25) Jeff Balsai, Bethlehem

#11 ($50) Carl Reichl, Catasauqua

#12 ($25) Eileen Mriss, Lehighton

#13 ($25) Frank Hendershot, Pen Argyl

#14 ($25) Tim Powell, Bethlehem

#15 ($25) Joe Schulter, Allentown

#16 ($25) Keith Schaffer, Perkasie

#17 ($25) Tim Smith, 215 area

#18 ($25) Steve Gombocz, Orefield

#19 ($100) Joe Gocek, Weatherly

#20 ($25) Heyt, ???

Lunkerfest 2014 a Success -

The event was held May 31st at Bowmanstown East Penn boat ramp area. Over 175 people registered. The Muskie pool was stocked with 600 lbs of trout ranging from 14 to 28". About 50 prizes were awarded to contestants in order of the size fish caught. Tagged fish continue to be eligible for prizes to be drawn at random at the June meeting (send any tags you catch in to our PO Box or bring to the June meeting (Wegmans in Allentown, Tilghman St. 7pm, last Tuesday of each month). The winners are listed below (we limited one prize per contestant). Many fish were released so we dont have a record of total fish caught but well over 100 fish. For photo collection click here.

Fred Foster	21"	Palamino
Ryan Scott	20 5/8	Brown
Chris Collings	19 1/2	Rainbow
Jason Moser	18 3/4	Brown
Paul Davidson	18 3/4	rainbow
Kenny Sutton	18 1/2	rainbow
Tim Hummel	18 1/2	brown
Colin Wescoe	18 1/4	brown
Melissa Morgan	18	Tiger
Josh Eichler	17 1/2	brown
Matt Burns	17 3/8	brown
Josiahs Cooper	17	rainbow
Jeremy Sala	17	rainbow
Sean Mccollum	16 3/4	rainbow
Martin Williams	16 3/4	rainbow
Chris Hill	16 3/4	brown
Jeff Strauf	16 3/4	brown
Bill Marlow	15 3/4	brown
Matt Gibais	15 5/8	rainbow
Kevin Reed	15 3/8	rainbow
Paul Troutman	15 5/8	brown
Joe Mucka Jr	15 1/4	rainbow
John Ermlick	15 1/4	brown
Andrew Sutphin	15	brown
Chris Collings	15	rainbow
Mark Bollinger	15	rainbow
Kenny Bretz	15	brown
Geoff Gallagher	15	brown
Charles Decker	14 3/4	brown
Skip Rothermel	14 5/8	brown
Joshua Disanto	14 1/2	rainbow
Cheryl Krystopa	14 1/2	brown
Chris Krystopa	14 3/8	brown
Daniel Comisac	14 3/8	brown
Chris Fox	14	rainbow
Jonathan Chevalier	14	rainbow
Larry Davis	14	brown
Chase Deluca	14	rainbow
Kevin Hoffmn	13 3/4	brown
Quinn Horn	13 3/4	brown
Chris Smith	13 1/2	rainbow
Austin Hunsicker	13 3/8	brown
Austin Rogers	13	brown
Faron Frable	13	rainbow
Matt Lear	12 3/4	rainbow
Tom Mattis	12 1/2	brown

Stocking completed May 11th - 1800 lbs of 12-15" colorful rainbow and brown (50/50 mix) were released between Jim Thorpe and Northampton on Sunday May 11th. Fishing reports in the river have been phenonmenal.

Thanks everyone for coming out to help stock 1800 lbs of 12-15" rainbow and brown trout (50/50 mix) on April 12, 2014. We started at the Glen Onoko pool, Nesquehoning bridge, Jim Thorpe train station area, Lehighton at Packerton Dip (strait back and then pump house and then the Kovatch hole), then Dunbar's beach. Then Parryville at the turnpike overpass and Pohopoco creek confluence. Then Bowmanstown 895 bridge, Lizard Creek confluence, East Penn boat ramp area, a few spots along the D&L trail near Bowmans Island, then finished up at the Palmerton horseshoe (Delaware Ave area). Great colors on these fish.

This compliments the 1800 lbs of 12-15" rainbow/brown 50/50 mix stocked March 29th in the lower section. This started at Northampton Canal road below the cementon dam, at the dam, then Laurys Station, then Triechlers (145 bridge and old dam location), then Walnutport (main st bridge, pavilion, and pillars) and finished at Slatington (Szokes and 873 bridge).

23" tagged brown in memory of Zach Paules. If you catch, remove tag and contact us for prize.

Rainbow colors are intense!

The LRSA successfully stocked the Lehigh River between Northampton below Cementon Dam, through Laurys Station, Triechlers, Walnutport and finishing in Slatington. 1800 lbs of 50/50 rainbow/brown mix in 12-15" class. Clip from Walnutport Poughkeepsie bridge (pillars). A 23" brown was released in memory of Zachary Paules, an avid Lehigh River angler who passed at the age of 23 in December 2013. The trout was tagged with orange #25, if the tag is retrieved please contact the LRSA for a prize. Video clip of the release below.

LUNKERFEST 2014

Pre-Register for Lunkerfest

(#LUNKERFEST) Lunkerfest 2014 Preregistration. Event to be held May 17, 2014 at the Bowmanstown East Penn Boat ramp. Event runs from 9 to 3. Lots of prizes. Total: $15.00
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Time to Renew

Please send in your sponsorship dues. We need the cash now to purchase trout for spring stocking. Thank you.

LRSA Basic Sponsorship: (#lrsa011) Our most popular... Makes a great gift, for a great cause or renew your sponsorship now. Includes one year sponsorship, semi-annual newsletter, decal , badge (pin), card and S&H. $20.00 + $2.00 S&H. Total: $22.00
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For more water quality parameters please log on with instructions below and select the parametes of interest (additional parameters include % saturation dissolved O2, ppm Nitrate, ORP mV)

Log on at: http://dms.telog.com/TelogE/DesktopLoginPage.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fteloge%2f
ShowData1.aspx

User Name: Lehigh River
Password: LRSA
(note, case sensitive)
Expand the subdirectories by clicking the + until the measurements are listed. Click on the parameter of interest and the time range then the trend will be charted and data values tabulated. Click on the "properties" tab to select the time window and/or to add multiple parameters to your charts.

We are working to clearly establishe Trout Stocked Fishery (TSF) and/or High Quality Cold Water Fisheries (HQ-CWF) conditions in the Lehigh between Carbon and Lehigh Counties. The Palmerton location is the mid-point in our trout stocking range between Jim Thorpe and Northampton and we hope to establish that Palmerton water conditions are also consistent with trout stocked fishery parameters. Given this, we will be in good position to continue lobbying the PA Fish and Boat Commission for assistance in stocking the Lehigh mainstem with adult trout. Probe data is historized so you can still view data from years ago in Jim Thorpe up till present time in Palmerton.

NOTE

ALL CONSERVATION WORK FUNDING IS PROVIDED THROUGH GRANTS AND SPECIAL SPONSORSHIP ALLOCATIONS TO CONSERVATION. STOCKING PROGRAM FUNDING IS NOT AFFECTED AT ALL BY OUR CONSERVATION WORK GIVEN THE GRANTS RECEIVED EACH YEAR

August 8, 2013 - TRIBUTARY SURVEY REPORT

Memberships now being taken for 2014! New merchandise available - tees, sweats, hats

October 24, 2013 - Presentation to Lehigh Gap Nature Center of LRSA Conservation Work

New LRSA Meeting Location Time and Place (starting April 2013) -

When: Last Tuesday of each month, 7pm-8:30pm

Where: Market Cafe, Wegmans at 3900 West Tilghman St. in Allentown

March 2014 Newsletter

PA Rep Doyle Heffley at podium with owner Kirt Kressley (left) at press conference at the Firefly facility. He was introducing a bill for shorter term limits for PFBC commissioners. The hatchery remains devoid of trout despite operation for over 100 years, all because trout stocked from the hatchery have been spawning in the adjoining creek, so now it is designated class A and the hatchery is not allowed to operate due to the associated "degradation". What a shame. Five 100 ft long 10 ft wide raceways could raise 30,000 trout + each year but now raises zero because of the DEP rule.

LRSA is working to get a cooperative trout nursery started at the former Kriss Pines trout hatchery in Lehighton. The current owners have renamed the facility Firefly Trout Hatchery. The PFBC has reported sufficient wild brown trout in the adjacent stream (Sawmill Run) to seek to classify the water as Class A. If this designation goes through, the hatchery can only operate if it does not degrate the receiving waters. LRSA is working on a plan to monitor water quality at the site. If the plan is approved, LRSA will work with the owners and with PFBC to raise trout at the location for 5 years to supplement trout stocking in the Lehigh. See article in Times News. Also see Morning Call article.

Thank you to Air Products and Chemicals for their generous 2011 contribution of $2,000 to support the LRSA water qaulity program. LRSA submitted grant application ($186,000) to US Fish and Wildlife for fishway at Parryville Dam. Unfortunately, the Growing Greener grant application ($50,000) we made was not successful, this was to study to improve performance of the Lausanne Tunnel AMD passive wetland treatment system and to address the untreated bypass flow in Nesquehoning Borrough (north of Jim Thorpe). This study will use flow data obtained from the flow devices LRSA installed last year with grant funds from Sierra Club. A third grant was also submitted ($21,000) to the US Fish and Wildlife for a Lehigh River water quality monitoring system to be installed in the Palmerton Area (intended to be on-line, like the one we have in Jim Thorpe) - but unfortunately the Palmerton water quality grant request was not accepted.

March 2013 Newsletter

JUNE25, 2011 - TRIBUTARY SURVEY REPORT

Photo below of Paul Davidson (owner of Skinner Lehigh River guided float service) with 25" 7 or 8 lb rainbow trout caught on a silver/black rapala two days after Lunkerfest2012. Paul was a sponsor of one of our grand prizes, a float trip for two, and we are glad to see he landed this trophy trout.

LRSA Collaborates with Lehigh Valley Sierra Club and Wildlands Conservancy to install passive aerators at the Lausanne Tunnel abandoned mine drainage (AMD) site in Jim Thorpe. See report which shows how dissolved oxygen levels were increased from 10% to 15%. This increased aeration in the aerobic wetland treatment system will increase the amount of heavy metals (iron and manganese) that is settled and trapped in the wetland before entering the river.

JUNE25, 2011 - TRIBUTARY SURVEY REPORT

Four days after Lunkerfest Joe Gocek (above left) caught this 26" 7lb 3 oz rainbow and his dad, Tom Gocek, caught the 27.5in 12 lb rainbow 12 days later. Bowmanstown has provided some trophy fishing this year, thanks to all who supported the LRSA Lunkerfest.

Contact LRSA - We want to know if you have questions, would like to comment on our programs or please also let us know if you have any complaints, we want to keep improving the organization. Our email is Lehigh.River.Stocking.Association@gmail.com

New: A four year profile of Lehigh River water temperatures - 2006,2007,2008 and 2009

Lehigh River Fisheries Management Plan
May 1, 2007
Prepared by:
David A. Arnold and Daryl J. Pierce
Fisheries Management Area 5
Division of Fisheries Management
Bureau of Fisheries
Pennsylvania Fish

DCNR Secretary Michael DiBerardinis this week named the Lehigh River as the commonwealth’s River of the Year for 2007.

The designation recognizes the watershed’s role in eastern Pennsylvania history and its promising recreational future. The Lehigh River drains portions of 10 counties and stretches more than 100 miles.

“The Lehigh River is alive and thriving, with water quality better now than it has been the last 150 years,” DiBerardinis said. “There are scores of partners working to preserve, protect and enhance this great state resource, and its resurgence has pumped new life into the communities surrounding it.

“Once a historic transportation corridor for coal bound from Carbon and Luzerne counties to Philadelphia, New York and beyond, the Lehigh River helped fuel America’s Industrial Revolution,” DiBerardinis said. “Now, mountain bikers, hikers and hunters are seen where mules and canal barges hauled coal and other cargo. Where dams once contained the mighty river, anglers in great number now seek trout, American shad and other species found in a healthy waterway.”

DCNR annually designates a “River of the Year” to applaud local residents, governments, non-profit and conservation organizations working to improve waterways and the quality of life in their watersheds across the state.

The Lehigh River winds 104 miles from its headwaters near Gouldsboro, Wayne County, to its junction with the Delaware River in Easton, Northampton County. Its watershed drains Berks, Bucks, Carbon, Lackawanna, Lehigh, Luzerne, Monroe, Northampton, Schuylkill and Wayne counties. The Lehigh is the Delaware’s second largest tributary.

Photo below of Paul Davidson (owner of Skinner Lehigh River guided float service) with 25" 7 or 8 lb rainbow trout caught on a silver/black rapala two days after Lunkerfest2012. Paul was a sponsor of one of our grand prizes, a float trip for two, and we are glad to see he landed this trophy trout.

FEW Flow Management Plan for 2012

FEW Flow Management Plan for 2009

FEW Flow Management Plan for 2008

FEW Flow Management Plan for 2007