The Pennsylvania steelhead spawning run, which usually begins near the end of October, started Thursday night when significant rain fell into unseasonably cool Lake Erie tributaries.

Fish that had been staging at the mouths of the larger creeks but had been relatively inactive began moving upstream with the rain. By late Thursday, fresh fish were entering the streams.

Poor Richard's Bait and Tackle and the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission confirm the run but say high, muddy waters had hampered the fishing Friday. The mud was expected to drop by Sunday.

Just in time for the run, the Fish and Boat Commission has launched a new feature on its Web site (www.fish.state.pa.us). Interactive downloadable maps detail directions to Erie tributaries, stream-side properties where access to steelhead fishing is guaranteed, parking places, regulations and more.

A number of trout stockings slated for western Pennsylvania this month have been postponed because the North Carolina fish supplier is late in furnishing a routine health report to the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.

Tom Cochran, a hatchery manager for the commission, said he doesn't suspect any problems with the 40,000 trout Tellico Fish Hatchery is supposed to provide, but, he said, "Until I get a final, routine testing report in my hands, I'm not willing to put out a makeup schedule."

Canonsburg and Virgin Run dams and Dunlap Creek Lake did not receive fish Friday and delivery in some waters slated for later this month have been postponed until further notice.

Some creeks scheduled to receive trout from state-run hatcheries will be stocked as scheduled. Among them are Youghiogheny Reservoir, Laurel Hill Creek and Dunbar Creek. For updates, visit www.fishandboat.com.

-- Deborah Weisberg