I am a Lancaster County resident and native. I have been fly-fishing in Trout Run for over a decade. I have fished it hundreds of times and know it intimately. This stream system is not doing well. The brook trout population numbers and size have declined pretty astonishingly over recent years. I myself have been holding off on bringing the rod on most trips for the last two years, especially during the summer.
These systems are dying. Brook trout only survive in secret this close to people. This place should be, at the very least, designated solely for fly fishing. It was first publicly exposed as a native brook trout fishery by an LNP | LancasterOnline article years back — quite irresponsibly, in my opinion. That is when the worm cans and litter started showing up on the banks.
I grind my teeth when I see people dragging treble hooks through this system. During the summer, the water is way too hot for fish to be caught and released safely. Most fly fishermen will be aware of this and let it rest. But most others will not, so the point is moot.
This spot is some of the last good brook trout habitat left in the county. This is a call to action. What can I do to help here? Can we save ourselves from our human nature and actually rest a resource to preserve it? Short-term pain for long-term gain? Chew on it.
Joshua Morgan
Manor Township
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