Times Observer file photo Trout stocking kicks off next week in advance of the Saturday, April 13 opening day.

You can’t go catch them for a few weeks, but stocked trout will start hitting Warren County waterways next week.

Opening day is slated for Saturday, April 13 at 8 a.m.

According to the Fish and Boat Commission, roughly 3.2 million trout will be stocked in a total of 707 streams and 127 lakes across the Commonwealth.

Broken down by species, that includes 2.1 million rainbow trout, 640,000 brown trout and 440,000 brook trout.

“As with past practice, the average size of the trout produced for sticking is 11 inches in length,” according to the PFBC. “The PFBC also plans to stock about 9,600 trophy golden rainbow trout that weight an average of 15 pounds and measure at least 14 inches long. Thousands of trophy size brood trout are also stocked throughout Pa. waters.”

The 2019 numbers remain “consistent” with previous years, the commission said.

“Our hatcheries are bustling with activity every day of the year, but especially in those last few weeks leading up to trout season,” Brian Wisner, director of the PFBC Bureau of Hatcheries, said in a statement. “We know how important opening days are to Pennsylvanians, especially for families who will be making lifelong memories. As we grow these trout from eggs to adults, we not only aim to produce the quantity that anglers expect, but we take great pride in stocking high quality fish.”

For anglers looking for larger fish, the PFBC detailed the Keystone Select Stocked Trout Waters, “a programs where sections of 21 streams across the state are stocked with large 14” (to) 20” trout.”

A total of 6,500 fish that size will be stocked statewide “at a rate of 175 to 225 per mile of stream, which is comparable to the numbers of similarly sized fish in Pennsylvania’s best wild trout waters.”

None of the streams in Warren County are under this designation but Pine Creek in Venango County and Kinzua Creek in McKean County are.

The PFBC said that stocking will be reinstated at Chapman Dam this season.

According to the stocking schedule, stockings – brown and rainbow trout – were scheduled for April 4, May 20 and Dec. 10.

But the schedule notes that the April 4 stocking has been canceled “due to the ongoing drawdown and dam repairs….”

Prior to the opening day, a Mentored Youth Day is slated for April 6.

Here’s a look at this season’s stocking schedule. Information on the meeting place and time can be found on the trout stocking schedule at https://fbweb.pa.gov/stocking/TroutStockingDetails_GIS.aspx.

¯ Akeley Run: March 12; brown trout.

¯ Blue Eye Run: April 1, May 7; brown and rainbow trout.

¯ Brokenstraw Creek (at Garland): April 10, April 29; brown and rainbow trout.

¯ Brokenstraw Creek (confluence of Matthews Run): April 10, April 29; brown and rainbow trout.

¯ Brown Run: April 9, May 8: Rainbow trout.

¯ Caldwell Creek, March 14: Brown trout. An additional May 1 stocking is planned at two locations along Caldwell Creek.

¯ Chapman Dam Reservoir: May 20, Dec. 10; brown and rainbow trout.

¯ East branch Spring Creek: March 13; brown and rainbow trout.

¯ East Branch Tionesta Creek: April 4 with rainbow trout; May 15 with brown trout and rainbow trout. Additional stockings are planned on this creek for March 11 and May 15 with both brown and rainbow trout.

¯ East Hickory Creek: April 10, May 13; brook and brown trout.

¯ Farnsworth Branch: April 5, April 19; brook trout.

¯ Fourmile Run: April 9, May 8; rainbow trout.

¯ Hemlock Run: March 12; rainbow trout.

¯ Jackson Run: March 12 and May 10 at two locations; brown and rainbow trout.

¯ Little Brokenstraw Creek: March 15, April 30; brown and rainbow trout.

¯ Perry Magee Run: March 15, April 30; brown and rainbow trout.

¯ Pine Creek: March 19, May 6; brown trout.

¯ Queen Creek: April 9; brook trout.

¯ Sixmile Run: April 9; rainbow trout.

¯ South Branch Tionesta Creek: March 20, May 16; brook trout.

¯ Spring Creek: March 13, May 7; brown and rainbow trout.

¯ Thompson Run: March 13; brook and brown trout.

¯ Tidioute Creek: March 13, May 13; brown and rainbow trout.

¯ Tionesta Creek: March 27, May 14; brown and rainbow trout. March 13, April 15 at a second location.

¯ Twomile Run: March 19, week of May 20; rainbow trout.

¯ West Branch Caldwell Creek: March 13, May 1; rainbow trout.

¯ West Branch Tionesta Creek: This creek will be stocked at five locations on varying dates including March 29, April 18 and May 9; brook and brown trout.

¯ West Hickory Creek: April 9, May 13; brook and brown trout.