A hungry brown trout lurking beneath a sunken log has been selected as the winner of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission's 2002 Trout Stamp Art Competition. The winning scene was painted by Larry Tucci of Rochester Hills, Michigan.

The art will appear on the 2002 Pennsylvania Trout/Salmon stamps, which are required for all licensed anglers who fish for trout. The image will also appear on a patch and a series of limited edition fine art prints. Brown trout were last depicted on the stamp and prints in 1992.

This year's contest featured 73 paintings by 66 artists from across the nation. A total of 44 artists hailed from Pennsylvania, including six finalists. The works were judged by a seven-member panel. Judging took place in two rounds, with all paintings being evaluated in the first round and the 10 top paintings being ranked in the finals. The finalists are depicted on the left.

Tucci earned a $3,000 grand prize for his efforts, while the second- and third-place winners were awarded $1,000 and $500, respectively.

The 2002 stamps will be available December 1, 2001 from fishing license agents across the Commonwealth and at Commission offices. The 2002 prints will be available December 1, 2001 from Wilderness Editions, RR 3 Box 113A, Tyrone, PA 16686, telephone (814) 686-1965 or (800) 355-7645. The 2001 stamp and print, featuring an airborne rainbow trout by Ron Jenkins of Charlo, Montana, are currently available through the same outlets.

Executive Director Peter A. Colangelo and Commission President Ted Keir presented a special recognition award to Tim Klinger, Trout/Salmon Stamp Program Manager, of the Bureau of Administration. Klinger was recognized for his outstanding work in organizing and managing the Commission's annual trout/salmon stamp competition.