Brook Trout in Pennsylvania
Seasons, the record and stocking for brook trout.
- 5 (combined species)limit
- 7 lbrecord
Pick for brook troutPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo of the species, not a Pennsylvania water: Photo by and (C)2007 Derek Ramsey (Ram-Man), CC BY-SA 2.5
Where brook trout fit in Pennsylvania fishing
Pennsylvania lists Brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) as game fish, regulated in 5 water classes. For commonwealth inland waters (all waters not under lake erie, pymatuning, conowing the PFBC sets 5 (combined species), streams, lakes and ponds; minimum 7 inches and a season of regular season: april 4 at 8 a.m. through sept. 7 (statewide opening day).
The record entry lists 7 lb from Fishing Creek, Vonada Ranck, 1996. The PFBC plans to stock 124,875 adult brook trout in 2026, with 151 dated stockings on the schedule.
For the brook trout herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 Tackle notes on brook trout from the PFBC
- Cold clear lakes and streams, and some riversHome water
- Minnows, worms, salmon eggs, corn, cheese, prepared baits fished on light wire hook drifted on the bottomBait that works
- Spinners and small crankbaitsLure choices
- 2-8 lb. testLine
- 6-14Hook size
- 1/32 to 1/8 oz.Lure size
- Mid-daySpring
- Early morning, Early eveningSummer
From the PFBC Catch PA Fish page for this species, retrieved October 23, 2026.
Keeping brook trout under PFBC rules
| Water class | Where | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commonwealth inland waters | Commonwealth inland waters (all waters not under Lake Erie, Pymatuning, Conowingo or Delaware River and Estuary rules or | 5 (combined species), streams, lakes and ponds; minimum 7 inches | Regular season: April 4 at 8 a.m. through Sept. 7 (statewide opening day) |
| Commonwealth inland waters | Stocked trout waters (extended season) | 3 (combined species); minimum 7 inches | Jan. 1 through Feb. 15 and Sept. 8 through Dec. 31 |
| Commonwealth inland waters | Waters not managed as stocked trout waters (extended season) | NO HARVEST – catch and immediate release only | Jan. 1 through Feb. 15 and Sept. 8 through Dec. 31 |
| Conowingo Reservoir (Susquehanna River boundary) | Conowingo Reservoir up to Holtwood Dam | 2 (combined species) | Open year-round |
| Delaware River and estuary | Delaware River, West Branch Delaware River, Delaware River tributaries to the limit of tidal influence, and the Lehigh R | 1 (combined species); minimum 14 inches | April 4 at 8 a.m. through Oct. 15 |
| Delaware River and estuary | Delaware River, West Branch Delaware River, Delaware River tributaries to the limit of tidal influence, and the Lehigh R | 5 (combined species) | April 4 at 8 a.m. through Oct. 15 |
| Delaware River and estuary | West Branch Delaware River | 2 (combined species); minimum 12 inches | April 4 at 8 a.m. through Oct. 15 |
| Lake Erie | Lake Erie, Presque Isle Bay and peninsular waters and tributaries | 5 (combined trout and salmon); minimum 9 inches | 8 a.m. opening day of the regular trout season until midnight Labor Day |
| Lake Erie | Lake Erie, Presque Isle Bay and peninsular waters and tributaries | 3 (combined trout and salmon); minimum 15 inches | 12:01 a.m. the day after Labor Day until 12:01 a.m. the Friday before the opening day of the regular trout season |
| Lake Erie tributaries | All Lake Erie tributary streams | No daily limit | Closed to fishing or possessing trout from 12:01 a.m. April 3 until 8 a.m. April 4 (32 hours) |
2026 Pennsylvania Fishing Summary (PA Fish and Boat Commission; in effect or proposed as of October 1, 2025, PDF revised February 27, 2026), page 10 to 14. Retrieved October 23, 2026.
PFBC record entries for brook trout
| Entry | Weight | Angler | Water | County | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trout, Brook | 7 lb | Vonada Ranck | Fishing Creek, Clinton County | Clinton | 1996 |
PFBC State Record Fish page, retrieved October 23, 2026; records are kept by weight only.
Hatchery brook trout by water, 2026
PFBC adult and fingerling trout stocking schedules and warmwater/coolwater current year stockings, retrieved October 23, 2026; PFBC prints dates but no per-event numbers.
Where brook trout live in the Commonwealth
Still water holding brook trout
- Lackawanna Lake198 acres
- Lower Lake173 acres
- Tobyhanna Lake170 acres
- Francis E. Walter Reservoir100 acres
- Laurel Run Reservoir92 acres
- Little Buffalo Lake88 acres
- Ridgway Reservoir75 acres
- Letterkenny Reservoir54 acres
- Cowans Gap Lake42 acres
- Sunfish Pond35 acres
- Lake Minisink34 acres
- Merli-Sarnoski Park Lake30 acres
- Little Mud Pond26 acres
- Laurel Lake25 acres
- Waynesboro Reservoir23 acres
- Bradford City Number Three Reservoir20 acres
- Lake Irena20 acres
- Aylesworth Creek Lake10 acres
- Twin Lakes7 acres
- Greenwood Lake6 acres
- Whipoorwill Dam5 acres
- Hickory Run Lake4 acres
- Doubling Gap Lake4 acres
- Snow Hill Dam4 acres
Rivers holding brook trout
- Lehigh RiverMonroe County
- Redbank CreekArmstrong County
- Moshannon CreekCentre County
- Sherman CreekPerry County
- Kettle Creek, Clinton CountyClinton County
- Fishing Creek, Clinton CountyClinton County
- Wiconisco CreekDauphin County
- Little Mahoning CreekIndiana County
- Nescopeck CreekLuzerne County
- Bush Kill, Monroe CountyMonroe County
- Fishing Creek, Columbia CountyColumbia County
- Huntington CreekColumbia County
- Tobyhanna CreekMonroe County
- Mehoopany CreekWyoming County
- Little Fishing Creek, Columbia CountyColumbia County
- Shohola CreekPike County
- Piney Creek, Clarion CountyClarion County
- North Fork Redbank CreekJefferson County
PFBC species listings, Class A and stocked trout layers, the 2026 stocking schedule and state records; largest waters first.
Permitted guides who mention brook trout
- Spookintrout, Llcfishing guide, Gettysburg, (717) 752-0600
- Trout Yeah Llcfishing guide, Gibsonia, (412) 805-5970
- Trout Yeahfishing guide, Pittsburgh, (412) 620-3443
- Trout Boomerfishing guide, Altoona, (814) 569-8843
- Juniata Troutfittersfishing guide, Juniata River, Tyrone, (814) 574-9152
- Troutbitten, Llcfishing guide, Lemont, (814) 574-1773
- Trout Hippie Guide Servicefishing guide, Camp Hill, (717) 421-3411
- Brown Trout Addictionfishing guide, Kersey, (814) 512-7891
Fish listed alongside brook trout
- Brown Troutgame fish
- Rainbow Troutgame fish
- Lake Troutgame fish
- Largemouth Bassgame fish
- Smallmouth Bassgame fish
- Spotted Bassgame fish
- Rock Bassgame fish
- Striped Bassgame fish
- White Bassgame fish
- Bluegillgame fish
- Pumpkinseedgame fish
- Redbreast Sunfishgame fish
Photographs of lakes and creeks by Brook Trout
Photo: Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Michael A. Orlando, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Matt Saunders, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Roy Luck, CC BY 2.0
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Keystone brook trout: the questions that come up
What is the Pennsylvania creel limit for brook trout?
5 (combined species), streams, lakes and ponds; minimum 7 inches on commonwealth inland waters (all waters not under lake erie, pymatuning, conowing, season regular season: april 4 at 8 a.m. through sept. 7 (statewide opening day); other water classes have their own rows.
What is the state record brook trout in Pennsylvania?
7 lb from Fishing Creek in Clinton County, caught by Vonada Ranck in 1996.
Which waters list brook trout?
167 water pages here list it, led by Lackawanna Lake, Lower Lake and Tobyhanna Lake.
Do Pennsylvania hatcheries raise brook trout?
Yes; the 2026 plan calls for 124,875 adult fish and the schedule lists 151 stocking rows.
What family name do biologists use for brook trout?
Salvelinus fontinalis; listed as game fish.
What dates cover brook trout?
Regular season: April 4 at 8 a.m. through Sept. 7 (statewide opening day) on commonwealth inland waters (all waters not under lake erie, pymatuning, conowing.
Which Pennsylvania license and permit cover brook trout?
Fishing for trout here needs a trout permit ($14.97) on top of the license ($27.97 resident, $60.97 nonresident).
Is a permitted Pennsylvania guide available for brook trout?
8 listings mention it, among them Spookintrout, Llc.
Plan a brook trout trip
Open any listed water for ramps and seasons.