Stocking
2025 Stocking Efforts:
Spawning is now over for 2025, no more fish are needed for the hatchery. Thank you to all who helped out.
2024 Stocking Efforts:
Striped bass had another poor spawning year along the East Coast. We are grateful to the PA Fish and Boat Commission that Raystown Lake did receive its full allotment of 100,000 fish, which the PSBA helped to acclimate and stock.
The PSBA stocked about 400,000 fry from the hatchery at Aitch, Runks, Broombaugh and the river below Weaver Falls. We also stocked our pond in Lancaster County with fry from the hatchery and those fish are about 1 1/2" long at present. They will eventually be stocked in the lake.
2023 Stocking Efforts:
August 30 - A new FIRST for Raystown stripers!
The PA Fish & Boat Commission took a new step in support of the striped bass fishery at Raystown lake. This year, PFBC dedicated a pond to try raising small striped bass fingerlings to a larger size before stocking them. Their effort was successful, and today another 8200 striped bass fingerlings, now 4-5 inches with a few larger, were stocked at Shy Beaver. PSBA members assisted with the acclimation and stocking.
The PSBA would like to commend biologist Bryan Chikotas and the PFBC for their willingness to try this and for the extra effort and additional expense to make this trial a success. Hopefully the success of this first step will lead to similar efforts in the future. Thank the PFBC personnel when you see them.
August 5 - A big shout out to Pamlico Aquaculture Field Lab in North Carolina for donating 4000 2.5” to 3.5” fish to the Pennsylvania Striped Bass Association.
Bobby Kaufman and Todd Reich went to North Carolina and picked up the young stripers. They took them to Lancaster, where half of them were put into a rearing pond to continue to grow. The other half were stocked at Seven Points.
Tanks at Pamlico
On the Road
Rearing pond in Lancaster
Stocking at Seven Points
June 22 - The Pa Fish & Boat Commission brought an additional 33,000 striped bass fingerling to Raystown Lake today, June 22. These fingerling were 2 to 2/12 inches in length with a few 3 inchers included. PSBA members met the truck and acclimated the fish before they were stocked. Thanks to everyone involved in the efforts to put more striped bass in the lake for everyone's enjoyment.
June 14 - The PA Fish & Boat Commission brought 100,000 striped bass fingerlings to Raystown Lake today. PSBA members met the truck, acclimated the fish, and helped to stock them at Tatman Run, Aitch, and Seven Points.
A huge thanks to the PA Fish & Boat Commision and those members of the PSBA that were able to help!
May 18 - Approximately 21,450 young stripers were stocked.
May 22 - Again, 21,450 young striper were released into the lake.
May 25 - Another 21,450 were put into Raystown.
PA Striped Bass Association striped bass stocking information.
Your donations at Work!
Fish Purchased and Stocked in 2022 -
3 Truckloads of 2nd year striped bass (6-9in) from Sawyer Farms in NC. - $44,640
Shipping costs - 3 loads 6/3/22, 6/9/22, 6/23/22 - $9,000
Donation to NC for 7000 4in. fingerlings we acquired and shipped - $1,500
Your Fish Fund donations (balance from 2021 plus donations in 2022), the income from the Gun Ticket sales, the proceeds from the Whitetails Unlimited Banquet fundraiser, and a $10,000 grant from Whitetails Unlimited all enabled us to purchase these fish.
PSBA Yearly Striper Stocking
We cannot do this without you! Thank you to all who have donated so far to help improve the fishery!