Fish and Game Committees
In the past the Chambersburg Rod and Gun Club had small game and hunting dog committees in which Pheasant, Quail, and rabbits were raised and distributed throughout Franklin County. Hunting dog committees trained the dogs of members in the martial arts. These were established to assist the Pennsylvania Fish and Game commissions with their respective stocking programs and is listed as a primary objective of the Club. While the only committee of this type still in existence is the Trout Committee, the Club would not be averse to entertaining the idea of Small Game committees, if there were volunteers willing to commit their time and efforts.
- Trout Committee: Chair: Bill Strayer Phone: (717) 377-9626
The trout committee, formerly known as the Fish committee, has been stocking fish in local streams since April of 1941. In 1964, in conjunction with both Franklin County Officials and the PA Fish Commission, the committee moved from the Shelly meadows nursery to our current trout nursery located on Franklin Farm Lane, on property owned by the county. This cooperative nursery program has grown into the fifth largest nursery in the state.
We annually raise approximately 23,000 trout, of which about 3,500 are held over an extra year to reach a size of 16” to 22” when stocked. We raise species made available to us through the Fish Commission: which currently include Brown, Rainbow, Golden and occasionally Tiger trout.
All fish raised are stocked in Franklin County waters that are open to public fishing.
Current waters stocked include the following: East Branch Conococheague Creek, Falling Spring, Dennis Creek, Pond Bank, and Conodoguinet. There are also special regulation areas for children or disabled people located on Rocky Mountain Stream at Caledonia State Park or the Loop Road area south of Chambersburg. Please read signage carefully as these areas are different to what rules apply.
The trout committee meets the second Tuesday each month except for December at 7pm in the directors meeting room at the clubhouse. All funding for the trout operation is derived from fund raising efforts by the committee.
Stocking for 2024
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) staff have reviewed the stocking locations for the Chambersburg Rod and Gun Club and have completed a Risk assessment to evaluate the potential for unintendedly spreading New Zealand (NZM) from the Falling Spring nursery into the waters of the Commonwealth. As a result, the PFBC has approved the stocking of the Falling Spring and the Conococheague only from our Cooperative Nursery for this year. See the calendar for the dates for each stream and section to be stocked.
The stocking sections of the Conococheague are as follows;
Section 1 - Mount Pleasant Road to Scotland ballfield bridge
Section 2 - Scotland ballfield bridge to Cornertown Road
Section 3 - Northwood Park to King Street
Section 4 - Texas Lunch to Mill Road
Section 5 - Boyer Mill Road to Guitner Road