2003 Biologist Report - Little Lehigh Creek

Little Lehigh Creek is a limestone stream that begins in Longswamp Township, Berks County, and flows through Lower Macungie and Salisbury Townships and the City of Allentown, Lehigh County, into the Lehigh River. Section 8 extends from the bridge on Fish Hatchery Road (SR 2010) downstream 1.0 mile to near Bogarts Bridge. This section is not stocked by the PFBC and is managed under Heritage Trout special regulations (no-kill fly-fishing-only). Sections both upstream and downstream of section 8 are stocked waters.

Fisheries Technician Bob Weber, Fisheries Biologist Aide Justin Lorson, and Fisheries Technician Joe Minnichbach electrofishing

Area 5 Fisheries Management staff, assisted by Area 6 Fisheries Management personnel, the Coldwater Unit from Pleasant Gap, and WCO Creyer electrofished two sites on the Little Lehigh on July 30-31, 2003 to assess the abundance of wild and hatchery trout. The two sites covered 1,971 ft. of stream. One encompassed the stretch of stream immediately adjacent to the Queen City Hatchery and the second was located near the downstream end of the Heritage Trout special regulations area.

The field crew handled 1,365 individual trout during the survey. External characteristics were used to distinguish wild from hatchery trout. Wild trout comprised 68 percent of the total catch and brown trout accounted for 96 percent of all trout captured. Wild brown trout greater than or equal to 7 inches accounted for 64 percent of all wild browns taken. Wild rainbow and brook trout were found in low numbers.

Fisheries Biologist Aide Dave Nihart and Fisheries Technician Bob Weber processing fish

Hatchery trout were more common in the vicinity of the Queen City cooperative trout hatchery than at the downstream site. Composition of 434 hatchery trout was 48 percent brown trout, 44 percent rainbow trout, 8 percent brook trout and 1 percent golden trout. Less than 5 percent of the hatchery trout were less than seven inches in length. Anglers intending to fish the Heritage Trout Angling special regulations reach of the Little Lehigh Creek would do well to remember the fly-fishing-only regulations and that no trout may be killed or had in possession. Check page 21 of the 2003 summary of fishing regulations.

Little Lehigh Creek
Size Range (inches)	Section 8 – Heritage Trout Special Regulations Area
	Wild Trout			Hatchery Trout
	Brown	Rainbow	Brook	Brown	Rainbow	Golden	Brook
1
2	18
3	157
4	98	1	1
5	8	4	5		3
6	38	8			5
7	88	1		2			2
8	95		1	15	6		4
9	109	2	2	17	19		7
10	163	4		30	25	1	5
11	88		1	34	20	1	11
12	31	2		52	18		3
13	2	1		29	16	1
14		1		8	20
15		1		8	27		1
16	2			5	15
17				2	5
18				3	6
19					3
20					1
21				1		1
22				2
Total	897	25	9	208	189	4	33
# >= 7 inches	578	11	4	208	181	4	33
% >= 7 inches	64	44	44	100	96	100	100
% trout 7 inches and longer also equal to or greater than 14 inches	<1	5	0	14	43	25	3