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Apr 20, 2025 By Ben Moyer 4 min read

Fishing conditions were poor for the April 5 opening day of trout season on area streams. Heavy rain for several days prior to the opener made creeks and streams high and muddy. Anglers have everything going against them on creeks near flood stage. Trout don’t feed. Instead, they hug the bottom or tuck behind obstructions where the current is less strong. In muddy water fish can’t see a bait, lure, or fly.

Some streams were simply unfishable. That’s doubly unfortunate since many families make an event of the trout season’s opening day, camping out at traditional campsites, cooking a big outdoor meal, or just sharing the annual excitement of a new season. Lakes were less affected by the rain because dams impound their water.

Even as streams began to recede, several days of unseasonable cold followed the floods, which kept most anglers home.

But that meteorological tandem-punch of flood and cold has an up-side if you’re a trout angler with opportunities to get out on the water in coming weeks.

Very few trout were caught and removed from streams during the season’s initial days, always the period of greatest fishing participation. That means there will be lots of trout left to provide good fishing well into the spring, with less competition from other anglers and more room along the creeks.

Fishing might also be improved by the high flow moving some fish away from where they were stocked. When the fish are “spread out” in this way, fishing for them can be more enjoyable than when they are concentrated in a few popular pools. Anglers can move up or downstream, fishing all likely looking spots. There could be trout anywhere, and after the long period of poor feeding conditions, they’ll be hungry. Experienced trout anglers know that a good time to fish is when streams are dropping and clearing after a period of high, muddy flow. A flashy lure or streamer fly should entice strikes as water levels drop.

Those leftover trout will be augmented by in-season stockings planned by the PA Fish and Boat Commission on the same streams through the end of May. In-season stockings are planned for Dunbar Creek, Meadow Run, Dunlap Creek, Georges Creek, Mountain Creek, and the Youghiogheny Reservoir tailrace in Fayette County.

Greene County streams to be restocked in-season are Browns Creek, Enlow Fork, Whiteley Creek, North Fork of Dunkard Fork of Wheeling Creek, South Fork of Dunkard Fork of Wheeling Creek, and Dunkard Fork of Wheeling Creek.

Mingo Creek, Aunt Clara Fork, Tenmile Creek, Pike Run, Dutch Fork, Miller’s Run, Templeton Fork, and Little Chartiers Creek will be restocked in Washington County during mid-April to late-May.

The daily creel limit on most streams is five trout of 7-inch minimum size. Most stocked trout are significantly larger, averaging nearly two-thirds of a pound, and about 11 inches in length.

Portions of Meadow Run and Dunbar Creek in Fayette County, and Pike Run in Washington County are managed under “Special Regulation” with different rules. The 4-mile span of Dunbar Creek from the stone quarry along Dunbar-Ohiopyle Road upstream to Glade Run confluence is “Fly-Fishing-Only, Catch-and-Release.” No trout may be creeled at any time, and only fly tackle is permitted. Other portions of Dunbar Creek are under general regulation and open to all tackle options.

A portion of Meadow Run within Ohiopyle State Park, from Dinnerbell Road downstream to the Youghiogheny River confluence is under “Delayed Harvest, Artificial Lures Only” regulation. Anglers may use rods and reels of any type, but no bait is permitted. Only artificial lures or flies may be used. No trout may be killed except between June 15 and Labor Day, when three trout may be creeled. A portion of Pike Run in Washington County is managed under the same regulation. Both Delayed Harvest and Fly-Fishing-Only waters are open to year-round trout fishing.

Any angler over age 16 fishing in approved trout waters must possess both a valid fishing license and a current trout permit.