<%@LANGUAGE="JAVASCRIPT" CODEPAGE="1252"%> Brandywine Trout Club - History

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    BTCC History

1955-1962

    In 1955, a dedicated group of concerned Chester County sportsmen united their efforts to improve and preserve the quality of Trout fishing on the East Branch of the Brandywine Creek.  In addition they assure access to the stream for all fisherman.

    Together they formed the Brandywine Trout Club. During the ensuing 8 years, the Brandywine Trout Club remained a private fishing club, raising Trout for stocking in the 3 ponds in Downingtown's Kerr Park.

    Membership dues ($2 dollars at that time) along with donations from local businesses and individuals enabled the club to purchase, raise, and stock 2500-3000 Trout each year.  Along with these fish, the club also tagged and released 75-100 "Trophy Trout" into the East Branch of the Brandywine Creek.

 1963-1979

    In 1963, the Brandywine Trout Club became a member of the "Cooperative Nursery Program" of the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission.  This program became the focus of the club's activities.

    Annually in July, the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission delivered an allocation of Trout fingerlings for the club to raise for the upcoming Trout season.  There is no cost to the club for receiving the fingerlings. The Fish & Boat Commission also provides technical aid related to water quality, routine inspections of the approved nursery facilities, emergency inspections related to sickness and mortality, as well as regional seminars on various topics.

    In return the club must not only bear the expense of raising the fingerlings as well as any nursery maintenance, but also release/stock the fish in approved trout water as designated by the State.  These waters are open to fishing for the general public.  The club must also maintain and furnish various records relating to fish mortality and stocking.

1980-2000

    From these early beginnings, our club had grown in membership and responsibility.  In 1980 the club incorporated and acquired a non-profit tax status.  With this reorganization we accepted conservation as part of our role, recognizing the importance of maintaining and improving water quality of the East Branch of the Brandywine Creek.  Our name became Brandywine Trout and Conservation Club and we officially adopted 10 miles of the East Branch of the Brandywine Creek from Glenmoore to Downingtown. The club also acquired 3 miles of nearby Beaver Creek from the Lloyd Avenue bridge downstream to where it meets East Branch of the Brandywine Creek in Kerr Park.

    In 1999 the club played a vital role in acquiring a "Delayed Harvest/Artificial Lures" status for a 1.2 mile length spanning from the bridge at Dorlan's Mill downstream to the bridge at Dowlin's Forge.  This stretch of water is stocked by the state and none of the club's fish are stocked in these waters.

2000-2008

    We are proud of the improvements in our adopted streams and work hard to maintain open relationships with all stream bank landowners, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, and various community groups.  General club meetings are held to educate the public on the benefits off our local natural resources as well as annual kid's clinics on the basics of fishing.

    In 2007 the Brandywine Trout and Conservation Club was asked to be part of a larger group of southern Pennsylvania clubs joining together to form the "South Eastern Pennsylvania Angler's Coalition" or SEPAC.

 


Brandywine Trout & Conservation Club - BrandywineTrout@comcast.net
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