HARRISBURG, Pa. (January 29) – Beginning today, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) is pleased to make its 2026 adult trout stocking schedule available online at FishandBoat.com!

“With spring fishing opportunities right around the corner, every angler can benefit from knowing when their favorite stream or lake will be stocked with trout, starting in just a few weeks,” said Brian Niewinski, Director of the PFBC’s Bureau of Hatcheries.  “Reviewing the stocking schedule now can help you plan a day of volunteering to help stock trout or simply plan ahead for a successful Mentored Youth Trout Day, Opening Day, or some early trout fishing along a special regulation water.”

The trout stocking schedule is searchable by county, lists the waterways in alphabetical order, and indicates stocking dates, meeting locations for volunteers, and the species of trout that are planned to be stocked at each location.  In 2026, Pennsylvania’s statewide Opening Day of Trout Season will be held on Saturday, April 4.  A single, statewide Mentored Youth Trout Day will take place on Saturday, March 28.

To prepare for the start of the season, stocking operations are set to begin during the week of February 16.  Anglers should note that fishing is not permitted on lakes and streams designated as Stocked Trout Waters from February 16 to 8 a.m. on the opening day of trout season (April 4), with the exception of the Mentored Youth Trout Fishing Day (March 28), unless waters are included in the Stocked Trout Waters Open to Year-Round Fishing program.

3.2 Million Trout

In 2026, the PFBC will stock approximately 3.2 million adult trout in 684 streams, and 130 lakes open to public angling.  These figures, which are consistent with the number of trout stocked over the past decade, include approximately 2.3 million Rainbow Trout; 698,000 Brown Trout; and 128,000 Brook Trout.  As with past practice, the average size of the trout produced for stocking is 11 inches in length with an average weight of .58 pounds.

Once again, this year, anglers will have an excellent chance to catch large, trophy-sized trout.  During 2026, the PFBC will stock approximately 72,000 trophy-sized brood fish, which are 2 ½ year-old and 3 ½ year-old hatchery-raised Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, and Brook Trout measuring 14-20 inches.  Roughly 75% of these large fish will be stocked into streams and lakes during the preseason prior to opening day of trout season, and 25% will be stocked during in-season replenishment stockings.

The PFBC will stock approximately 18,000 golden Rainbow Trout during 2026.  In addition to being stocked during the preseason period before opening day, these highly prized fish featuring vibrant golden-orange pigmentation and weighing an average of 1.5 pounds will be stocked during in-season replenishment stockings.  Approximately 75% of golden Rainbow Trout will be stocked during the preseason, and approximately 25% will be stocked in-season.

In addition to trout raised at state fish hatcheries, PFBC cooperative nurseries operated by sportsmen’s clubs and other groups across the state will add another 1.1 million trout to waters open to public angling throughout the year.

Anglers looking for stocked trout fishing opportunities ahead of the opening day should explore Keystone Select Stocked Trout Waters, a program where sections of 24 streams across the state are stocked with large trout measuring 14-20 inches and managed under Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only or Miscellaneous Special regulations.  Under the program, approximately 10,000 large trout will be distributed among the streams.  The trout will be stocked at a rate of 175 to 225 per mile of stream, which is comparable to the numbers of similarly sized fish in Pennsylvania’s best wild trout waters.

Volunteers

The PFBC will be welcoming volunteers to help distribute approximately 3.2 million hatchery-raised adult trout to hundreds of waterways statewide throughout the 2026 season.  The PFBC is proud to partner with conservation groups, schools, and walk-up volunteers to help spread out the trout in local waterways.  Volunteers are asked to keep the safety of PFBC staff and other volunteers in mind and obey traffic laws while following stocking vehicles.  Individuals or small groups of volunteers (1-4 people) do not need to register to help stock trout, but larger groups should coordinate stocking plans in advance by contacting their regional PFBC law enforcement office to ensure they can be accommodated.

Licenses and Permits

To participate in trout fishing and keep trout, anglers ages 16 and older are required to possess both a fishing license and a trout permit.  Anglers and boaters can start preparing for opening day of trout season right now by purchasing their 2026 Pennsylvania fishing licenses, launch permits, and boat registration renewals using the HuntFish.pa.gov online portal or by visiting one of approximately 700 retail license issuing agents.  By purchasing licenses and permits online, customers can save time and avoid long lines in stores when waiting to purchase a license closer to the start of trout season.  Anglers may store an image of their license digitally on their phones as proof of possession.

The PFBC thanks anglers for supporting aquatic resource conservation and recreation programs through the purchase of their fishing licenses.  The PFBC is a user-funded agency that receives no Pennsylvania General Fund tax revenue.  Funding generated through the sale of fishing licenses supports hatchery operations, fisheries management, law enforcement, and infrastructure improvements to provide high-quality and convenient public access to fishing and boating opportunities.

2026 Adult Trout Stocking Program Changes

Each year, the PFBC adjusts its adult trout stocking program based on several factors.  A waterway may be added, extended, reinstated, or removed depending on existing or pending changes to angler access, changes to designations on streams managed for wild trout populations, water quality issues that may threaten the survival of stocked trout, and maintenance being performed to dams and other infrastructure that result in the drawdown of impoundments or decreased water flow.

Waters Added:

Brush Creek, Beaver County: Located near the town of Hazen, a 2.2-mile section of stream extending from State Route 588 downstream to the lower end of Brush Creek Park has been added into the trout stocking program.  Trout will be stocked during the preseason and in-season stocking periods.

Freeman Run, Potter County: A 2.9-mile section of this stream has been reinstated into the trout stocking program.  The stocking limits will extend from West Branch Freeman Run downstream to the mouth.  Trout will be stocked during the preseason and in-season stocking periods.

Kettle Creek, Clinton County: Located near the town of Westport, a 5.6-mile section of stream extending from Slide Hollow downstream to the mouth has been added into the trout stocking program.  Trout will be stocked during the preseason and in-season stocking periods.

Lions Lake, Lebanon County: This 7.0-acre impoundment has been reinstated into the trout stocking program.  Stocking was cancelled in 2025 due to maintenance and repairs to the dam.  Trout will be stocked during the preseason and in-season stocking periods.

Seven Mountains Boy Scout Pond, Centre County: This 2.5-acre impoundment has been reinstated into the trout stocking program.  Stocking was cancelled from 2023 through 2025 due to maintenance and repairs to the dam.  Trout will be stocked on a preseason only basis.

Waters Revised:

Brokenstraw Creek, Warren County: Due to an increase in landowner posting, the stocking limits have been revised.  The revised stocking limits will extend 4.64 miles from the Davey Hill Road bridge downstream to the confluence of Matthews Run.  Trout will be stocked during the preseason and in-season stocking periods.

Bull Creek, Allegheny County: The stocking limits were revised to provide additional angling opportunities for warm-water and cool-water species in the downstream section of Bull Creek.  The revised stocking limits will extend 6.23 miles from the Thompson Road bridge in Millerstown downstream to the West 4th Avenue bridge in Tarentum.  Trout will be stocked during the preseason and in-season stocking periods.

East Branch Clarion River, Elk County: Located near the town of Glen Hazel, a 1.2-mile section of stream extending from 100 meters downstream of East Branch Lake downstream to the State Game Lands boundary 1.15 miles downstream of East Branch Lake will now receive a fall season stocking.

Little Fishing Creek, Columbia County: The stocking limits were extended 0.71 miles downstream.  The revised stocking limits will extend 13.21 miles from Talmar Road downstream to the State Route 42 bridge.  Trout will be stocked during the preseason and in-season stocking periods.

Mahoning Creek, Montour County: The stocking limits were extended 0.40 miles upstream.  The revised stocking limits will extend 3.53 miles from the intersection of State Route 642 and Bogart Road downstream to the mouth.  Trout will be stocked during the preseason and in-season stocking periods.

Manada Creek, Dauphin County: Due to an increase in landowner posting, the stocking limits have been revised.  The revised stocking limits will extend 1.73 miles from the Unnamed Tributary to Manada Creek (river mile [RM] 11.50) downstream to Furnace Road.  Trout will be stocked during the preseason and in-season stocking periods.

Meshoppen Creek, Wyoming County: Due to an increase in landowner posting, the stocking limits have been revised.  The revised stocking limits will extend 2.63 miles from the Jennings Road bridge downstream to Route 29.  Trout will be stocked during the preseason and in-season stocking periods.

North Deer Creek, Mercer County: The stocking limits were revised and will now extend 6.06 miles from the Bortz/Lower Road bridge downstream to the mouth.  Trout will be stocked during the preseason and in-season stocking periods.

Waters Removed:

Big Run, Jefferson County: An increase in the amount of landowner posting has led to the removal of trout stocking from a 2.6-mile section extending from the T-506 bridge downstream to the T-519 bridge.  Formerly, this water had been stocked on a preseason only basis.

Blue Hole Creek, Somerset County: Due to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection listing Blue Hole Creek as impaired by high levels of lead, a 1.40-mile section extending from the confluence of Garys Run downstream to the mouth has been removed from the trout stocking program.  Formerly, this water had been stocked on an in-season only basis.

Byrnes Run, Elk County: Access limitations have led to the removal of the 4.0-mile section of stream from the Unnamed Tributary one-thousand meters upstream of Auman Hollow downstream to the mouth, from the trout stocking program.  Formerly, this water had been stocked during the preseason and in-season stocking periods.

Clear Run, Jefferson County: An increase in the amount of landowner posting has led to the removal of trout stocking from a 3.0-mile section extending from the T-486 bridge downstream to the mouth.  Formerly, this water had been stocked on an in-season only basis.

Cornplanter Run, Armstrong County: An increase in the amount of landowner posting has led to the removal of trout stocking from a 1.76-mile section extending from the Moorehead Road bridge downstream to the mouth.  Formerly, this water had been stocked on a preseason only basis.

Lake Frances, Luzerne County: This 10.9-acre impoundment has been removed from the trout stocking program due to a drawdown of the lake to allow for maintenance and repairs to the dam.  Maintenance and repairs are scheduled to be completed in 2026, and the lake will be reinstated to the trout stocking program once conditions allow following refill.

Left Branch Young Womans Creek, Clinton County: Access limitations have led to the removal of the 8.4-mile section of stream from the Forest Road bridge downstream to the mouth from the trout stocking program.  Formerly, this water had been stocked during the preseason and in-season stocking periods.

Rattlesnake Run, Jefferson County: An increase in the amount of landowner posting has led to the removal of trout stocking from a 2.9-mile section extending from the Beechtree Road bridge downstream to the mouth.  Formerly, this water had been stocked on a preseason only basis.

Walburn Run, Jefferson County: An increase in the amount of landowner posting has led to the removal of trout stocking from a 2.2-mile section extending from the confluence of the East Branch and West Branch Walburn Run downstream to the mouth.  Formerly, this water had been stocked on a preseason only basis.