Lake Erie Steelhead
The lake or ocean type of the rainbow trout, steelhead are heavily stocked in the Pennsylvania streams that empty into Lake Erie. Released into the stream as juveniles, steelhead migrate into the big lake, feed on bait fish for two to four years and return to their native stream to spawn. Steelhead returning to the streams of Pennsylvania typically begin to arrive around Labor Day and continue to run the streams right through May. All forms of stream fishing tactics will work for steelhead, but be sure to use small bait or flies when the streams are low and clear. There is no closed season for steelhead in Pennsylvania, but be sure to reference the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission website for public access points on all the streams.
West Branch of the Delaware River
Located in Wayne County, the West Branch of the Delaware River has long been famous for its trophy brown trout fishery. Anglers are allowed to keep two trout a day from the opening day of trout season until Sept. 30. During the rest of the year, the river is open to fishing, but anglers cannot kill any trout and are relegated to using artificial lures only. While there are a few rainbow trout in this section of the Delaware, brown trout are the primary species. Anglers catch trophy fish up to 30 inches long each season.
Hickory Run Lake
Located in Carbon County, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission stocks this 4.5-acre lake with brook trout each spring. Hickory Run Lake has plenty of public access and there are opportunities to catch trout below the outlet of Saylorsville Dam, which is the beginning of Hickory Run and is also stocked with Brook Trout each spring. Because this is a supplemented fishery, the best fishing occurs in the spring after the fish are planted and tends to taper off when the water warms up.
