The streams in Happy Valley are legendary for their pristine water, and it doesn’t happen by accident. Clearwater Conservancy is dedicated to conserving and restoring our natural resources through land conservation, water resources stewardship, and environmental outreach across central Pennsylvania.

Happy Valley, Pennsylvania, offers a wealth of fishing opportunities. In the trout department, choices are numerous and the fishing quality – well, it is almost heaven. Trout angling is so good that it caused one visiting southeastern Pennsylvania fly fisherman to tell this writer, “When I die, I hope that I am reincarnated in Centre County.”

Stocked Trout

There are 14 stocked trout streams in the county, along with two trout-stocked impoundments – Poe Lake and Cold Stream Dam. In 2024, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission will stock nearly 3.2 million trout, and Centre County gets more than its fair share. Cooperative Trout Nurseries statewide will add another 1.2 million trout. At least two of those co-ops, the Bald Eagle Sportsmen Club and Three Point Sportsmen, add trout to county waters.

The vast majority of the trout stocked are rainbows, with brown trout, brook trout, and trophy golden rainbows making up a smaller portion. For the past several years, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission has been reducing the number of brook trout that they raise. This year, approximately 131,000 will be stocked.

Stocked trout streams include big waters, such as Bald Eagle Creek below Milesburg and a long section of Penns Creek upstream from Coburn. Small streams, such as White Deer Creek, Wallace Run, Little Fishing Creek, and Pine Creek make up the majority

Stocked trout waters are closed to fishing from mid-February (Feb. 19, in 2024) until the first Saturday in April – the opening day of stocked trout season (April 6 in 2024). During this 6-week closure, the streams and lakes are stocked.

Most of these waters are managed under normal statewide regulations. Under these rules, anglers can keep five trout of 7 inches or more in length each day from opening day until the first weekend in September. The creel limit is then reduced to three trout per day.

Several area trout streams or stream sections are managed by special regulations. Sixteen miles of Spring Creek, probably the most famous water in the county, is Catch-and-Release – All Tackle; Fisherman’s Paradise (on Spring Creek) is Catch-and-Release – Fly Fishing Only; and a 1.3-mile section of Black Moshannon Creek is Delayed Harvest – Artificial Lures Only. Lick Run, a small stream near Howard, is Trophy Trout – Artificial Lures Only.

New this year – Bald Eagle Creek from Milesburg to the headwaters of Sayers Dam is a Class A Wild Trout Stream – supporting a great population of wild brown trout. However, it is also stocked with rainbow and golden rainbow trout. The change is that beginning this year, all brown trout must be released, but rainbow trout may be harvested.

Another section of Bald Eagle Creek 0.8-mile long, north of Port Matilda, is the area’s only Keystone Select Stocked Trout Stream, and it is the only one of the 24 Keystone Select streams that allows the use of any type of terminal tackle. The stream section contains fully accessible parking and a trail back to a fishing platform. Keystone Select streams are open to year-round angling, although no harvest is permitted from Labor Day through June 15.

Keystone Select Trout waters are stocked with large numbers of big trout. This section of Bald Eagle Creek receives two spring stockings – typically one in March and one in April. This year stockings will occur on March 21 and April 22. According to PFBC, these stockings include over 150 trophy trout measuring 14 to 20 inches. The address for parking and access for the Keystone Select area of Bald Eagle Creek is 6543 S. Eagle Valley Road, Julian, PA 16844