Fishing Creek Sportsmen's Association

The Fishing Creek Sportsmen's Association consists of a group of sportsmen and conservationists concerted with the preservation of trout water and public fishing primarily in Fishingcreek and its tributaries, along with other streams in the area. Fishing Creek Sportsmen's Association first organized in the 1930's around the common interests of the area hunters and fishermen. This loosely organized group met occasionally as needs arose, but became quiet in the 1950's only to reorganize in the early 1960's. They became chartered in 1968 and have remained a vital and dynamic group of volunteers dedicated to preserving and improving recreational use of waters and lands for regional residents. Finally, the organization filed for nonprofit status with the IRS and received 501 (C) (4) status on January 7, 1993.

The club is also involved with area hunting and other outdoor sports. Assets include the nursery where 25,000 brown, brook and rainbow trout donated by the Pennsylvania Fish Commission are raised each year from fingerlings to 10" to 12," then stocked in local fishing waters and provided for various area fishing derbies. In addition to their own annual derby, they will stock trout for any local fishing derby as long as the derby is free to the participants. Fishing derbies stocked include the Mill Race, Benton; North Berwick club; Ashley; Bloomsburg; Millville, PP&L; and First Church of Christ, Bloomsburg. Absolutely no trout are sold to anyone. Volunteers operate the trout nursery, and all volunteers also perform all stocking activities. All funds raised by the organization are dedicated to preserving or improving recreational fishing or hunting in the area.

Their largest event of the year is the annual Fishing Derby held on the first Sunday in June. The derby is for children 5 to 12 years of age, begins at 1 PM. This past derby, held on June 3, 2001, in the Mill Race above Benton, gave 360 youngsters under the age of twelve the opportunity to catch two trout. All of the children are assured of catching lots of trout. Prizes were given to the youngster with the largest fish overall (26"); the largest Rainbow; Brook; and Palomino. In addition, every child was given a prize just for attending. About 100 of the prizes were of value significant enough to conduct a drawing for the winners. Then, all the remaining youngsters were given a bag with at least two prizes such as a bobber and a package of hooks. All prizes were either donated by regional businesses or purchased by the Fishing Creek Sportsmen. Youngsters and their families came from as far away as 100 miles. The Fishing Derby has been an annual event for more than 30 years. Another annual event includes the Sportsmen's Banquet held on the last Saturday in January.

The largest fund-raising for the organization comes from visitors to the mill race and trout nursery. The Sportsmen bag small quantities of fish food and place it in covered boxes where the visiting public can buy a bag for fifty cents ($.25) entirely on the honor system. This is how the organization purchases feed and pays for the Fishing Derby. Another major fund-raiser comes from memberships sold. At least one member of the family entering the fishing derby is asked to purchase a $5.00 membership. The yearly cost for the fish food is in the neighborhood of $2,000.

The club also owns 39 acres along Fishingcreek which is open to public fishing, and they maintain a rifle and trap range. The Fishing Creek Sportsmen's Association maintains a membership of 500 to 700 members open to any individual. Club activities are open to the public. The Association is a member of the Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen's clubs and represent Columbia Country Sportsmen at their meetings. The Fishing Creek Sportsmen's Association is currently involved in the Pennsylvania Landowners and Sportsmen (PALS) program which is dedicated to keeping streams open to fishing by cooperating with landowners who experience littering and other problems with fishermen. Along with distributing literature to fishermen, the club also provides garbage bags to fishermen, providing and posting "Fishing Permitted" signs to landowners who may prohibit hunting but permit fishing.

The other major activity of the Fishing Creek Sportsmen is to purchase or lease land along Fishing Creek in order to keep it open for public fishing. To date they have acquired more than three miles of stream frontage. This activity is very significant in light of the fact that much stream frontage in the area is being leased by private organizations for the expressed purpose of keeping the general public out.

The club is also involved in the Fish Commission's "Adopt a Stream" program. Bodies of water normally stocked by the Fishing Creek Sportsmen's Association are Fishing Creek, East Branch, West Branch, West Creek, Green Creek, Raven Creek, Huntington Creek, Pine Creek, Kitchen Creek, Little Fishing Creek and Briar Creek.

Monthly meetings are held at the VFW building one mile north of Benton on the second Tuesday of each month at 7 PM. Current dues are $5 pr year.