No joke: Trout season opens Saturday, April 2

April's uncharacteristic start weather-wise might have trout fishing far from people’s minds.

Yet, it was the unusual forecast that prompted the Cedarbrook Sportsmen Club (CSC) to head over to on Thursday, March 31 to stock the waters for “opening day” of trout season, which is Saturday, April 2.

The group typically stocks the dam the evening before trout season opens, but all the talk of today's inclement weather caused them to rethink their normal timeline. As a result, Fred Mussel, treasurer of the CSC, got together with club president Roy Redline to stock the dam one day earlier than usual in an effort to beat the approaching snowstorm.

After placing 200 rainbow trout into Furnace Dam, Mussel and Redline continued their efforts at Laubach Park Pond located in Salisbury Township.

The fish box on the back of their truck holds up to 500 fish at one time.

CSC was first organized in 1971 when Mussel and several other fishing enthusiasts decided they wanted to provide fishing recreation for the public in Lehigh County.

It currently consists of five members, with Mussel being the only original member. He said that’s just enough people to feed the fish and stock the waters when it’s time to come out.

“Years ago the county used to pick up the cost for everything,” Mussel said. “They’d pay for the fish food, the cost of the gas for the truck used to deliver the fish and several people who were responsible for the maintenance of the nursery throughout the year.”

According to Mussel, cut backs caused the county to minimize those efforts, which led him and a few other fishermen to take action.

“They were going to cut out the hatchery program entirely, so we met with the county and came to a compromise that we could still use the facilities. They would provide a person to feed and a truck, but the sportsmen’s club had to pay for the fish food,” he explained. 

“Lehigh County Parks and Rec Commission offers someone each day to feed the fish (at the nursery). When it comes time to stock them, the county supplies two employees,” Mussel added.

The agreement seemed feasible, but still required additional funding to fully sustain the effort.

As a result, several local boroughs, including Emmaus and Salisbury Township, committed to contributing several hundred dollars to the cause each year.

Emmaus Borough Manager Craig Neely said the Borough of Emmaus has contributed $300 each year to the CSC for the past five years.

In return, the CSC agrees to stock local waters, such as Furnace Dam, with rainbow trout for opening day of fishing season.

“Between the boroughs, the clubs, and the county itself helping with the fish food bill, it keeps us going,” Mussel explained.

Every July, the CSC obtains approximately 4,500 fingerling trout from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. They are obligated to raise them at the Cedarbrook Co-Op Trout Nursery in South Whitehall Township, which is a cooperative among the CSC, the County of Lehigh and the PA Fish and Boat Commission.

The trout are tended to at the nursery for approximately one year until they are adult-sized. At that point, the CSC is able to distribute them to local county waters.

“The county is smart enough to know they supply fields for baseball, football and basketball for others, so it’s just as well as they provide recreation in the form of fishing. They have a lot of properties with creeks, which is just perfect,” Mussel said.

When asked if the CSC could use any help to support their efforts, Mussel joked by saying, “We need volunteers to catch the fish!”

Mussel’s fishing advice for opening day:

“The ideal temperature is high 40s to low 50s, which is prime. The snow may not affect them, just cold weather. PA fisherman always feel they have to fill that tradition on the first day at the first hour, but wait until it warms up four to five degrees. By Saturday afternoon, it should be perfect temps. Fish with bait rather than lures if it’s colder in the morning, preferably slow moving bait.”