Brown Trout in Pennsylvania
Where brown trout live in Pennsylvania, with the rules.
- 5 (combined species)limit
- 20 lb 9 ozrecord
Pick for brown troutPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo of the species, not a Pennsylvania water: Eric Engbretson for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Public domain
Pennsylvania brown trout: the basics
Brown trout (Salmo trutta) counts as game fish in Pennsylvania, and its limits appear under 5 water classes. commonwealth inland waters (all waters not under lake erie, pymatuning, conowing: 5 (combined species), streams, lakes and ponds; minimum 7 inches, open regular season: april 4 at 8 a.m. through sept. 7 (statewide opening day).
Pennsylvania record: 20 lb 9 oz, Lake Erie, by Robert J. Ferraro in 2020. For 2026 the plan calls for 697,180 adult brown trout; the schedule shows 1,831 stocking dates that include it.
For the brown trout herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 Catching brown trout, per the Fish and Boat Commission
- Cold clear lakes and streams, and some riversTypical cover
- Minnows, worms, salmon eggs, corn, cheese, prepared baits fished on light wire hook drifted on the bottomBaits
- Spinners and small crankbaitsTackle box picks
- 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.
Every Summary row naming brown trout
| 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.
The biggest Pennsylvania brown trout on file
| Entry | Weight | Angler | Water | County | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trout, Brown | 20 lb 9 oz | Robert J. Ferraro | Lake Erie | Erie | 2020 |
PFBC State Record Fish page, retrieved October 23, 2026; records are kept by weight only.
2026 brown trout stockings by water
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.
Pages that list brown trout
Pennsylvania lakes for brown trout
- Shenango River Lake3,559 acres
- Youghiogheny River Lake2,840 acres
- East Branch Clarion River Lake1,161 acres
- Yellow Creek Lake720 acres
- Harveys Lake658 acres
- Middle Creek Reservoir361 acres
- Beaverdam Run Reservoir360 acres
- Woodcock Creek Lake325 acres
- Duck Harbor Pond228 acres
- Tobyhanna Lake170 acres
- Fairview Lake169 acres
- Lake Luxembourg166 acres
- Kettle Creek Lake160 acres
- Canoe Creek Lake155 acres
- Hinckston Run Reservoir104 acres
- Main Lake101 acres
- Francis E. Walter Reservoir100 acres
- Laurel Run Reservoir92 acres
- Dutch Fork Lake91 acres
- City Reservoir82 acres
- Chapman Dam Reservoir68 acres
- Briar Creek Lake50 acres
- Dunlap Creek Lake50 acres
- Sheppard-myers Reservoir49 acres
Pennsylvania streams for brown trout
- Allegheny RiverPotter County
- West Branch Susquehanna RiverCambria County
- Schuylkill RiverSchuylkill County
- Youghiogheny RiverSomerset County
- Lehigh RiverMonroe County
- Clarion RiverJefferson County
- Loyalhanna CreekWestmoreland County
- French Creek, Crawford CountyCrawford County
- Pine Creek, Tioga CountyTioga County
- Swatara CreekDauphin County
- Lackawaxen RiverPike County
- Slippery Rock CreekLawrence County
- Tenmile CreekWashington County
- Connoquenessing CreekButler County
- Conococheague CreekFranklin County
- Yellow Breeches CreekCumberland County
- Shenango RiverMercer County
- Redbank CreekArmstrong County
PFBC species listings, Class A and stocked trout layers, the 2026 stocking schedule and state records; largest waters first.
Guide services naming brown 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
Neighbors of brown trout on the PFBC list
- Brook 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
Pennsylvania scenery within reach of Brown Trout
Photo: Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
_on_the_border_of_Ewing_Township,_Mercer_County,_New_Jersey_and_Lower_Makefield_Township,_Bucks_County,_Pennsylvania.jpg){kind=link}
Photo: Cards84664, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Dough4872, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: George Neat, CC BY-SA 4.0
Pennsylvania brown trout, answered briefly
How many brown trout can I keep in Pennsylvania?
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.
Where was the Pennsylvania record brown trout caught?
20 lb 9 oz from Lake Erie in Erie County, caught by Robert J. Ferraro in 2020.
Which Keystone water is a good bet for brown trout?
940 water pages here list it, led by Shenango River Lake, Youghiogheny River Lake and East Branch Clarion River Lake.
Where are brown trout stocked?
Yes; the 2026 plan calls for 697,180 adult fish and the schedule lists 1,831 stocking rows.
How is brown trout listed by the PFBC?
Salmo trutta; listed as game fish.
When is brown trout season open in Pennsylvania?
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.
Do I need a permit to fish for brown trout?
Fishing for trout here needs a trout permit ($14.97) on top of the license ($27.97 resident, $60.97 nonresident).
Which guides target brown trout?
8 listings mention it, among them Spookintrout, Llc.
Find brown trout close to home
Every listed lake and stream has a page here.