Fishing in the Laurel Highlands

2024 Trout Season Information

Season: Opens April 6, 2024

The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission will open the 2024 trout fishing season statewide at 8 a.m. on Saturday, April 6, 2024.

Order your fishing license completely online and store the .pdf and documentation on your phone.

Trout Fish the Scenic Laurel Highlands

It's no surprise why fishermen of all kinds flock to the Laurel Highlands. Pennsylvania has more miles of trout streams than any state in the contiguous United States, and Somerset County in the Laurel Highlands has more approved trout streams than any other county in the state. The local and state park's rivers and lakes are stocked in the spring, so plan your getaway to the region for incredible fishing opportunities accompanied by unforgettable memories and views.

Whether you prefer to cast your reel from a boat or you’d rather wade through deep water, you’ll find a peaceful spot where the fish are biting. Skilled experts and eager beginners have the opportunity to head out with seasoned guides that are ready to share their tips and tricks in order to make your fishing trip an enjoyable success. If you don't want to spend a day casting out, try a fee fishing trout farm where you're guaranteed to reel one in!

Interactive Fishing Trail Map

This interactive fishing map pinpoints some of the streams, lakes, reservoirs and rivers in the Laurel Highlands as well as general fishing regulations and fish species information for that body of water.

Map Key

 Rivers   Lakes   Streams and Runs   Boating Waters   Fee Fishing

Fishing Tips and Helpful Links

• Know the regulations where you fish! Fishing regulations and stocking information is subject to change. For the most recent information, be sure to check out the PA Fish and Boat Commission's interactive county map.
• Fishing licenses are required across the Laurel Highlands.
• Boating regulations vary. Obtain a boating license or a launch permit from PA Fish and Boat. 
• PA DCNR is a great resource for state park lake regulations and other information. 

Laurel Highlands Trout Trail

Trout Unlimited is America’s largest coldwater conservation organization, whose mission is to conserve, protect and restore trout streams — and advocate for native and wild trout. PA has more TU chapters than any other state and over 16,000 members. TU members volunteer their time for stream remediation projects, mentoring youth on fly fishing and fly tying, and assisting disabled military veterans in learning a soul-healing sport. Laurel Highlands Trout Trail .is a project of Trout Unlimited to assist fly fishers in finding premier trout streams in the Laurel Highlands

Opening day for trout in approved stocked waters is the first Saturday in April. Note that several streams listed below are under special regulation, open to fishing year-round. Special regulation streams may also present differing rules about when fish can be kept, creel and size limits, and what tackle may be used. Visit www.fishandboat.com for complete fishing regulations. To fish for trout in approved trout waters or special regulation streams, anglers must have both a PA fishing license and trout permit.

LAUREL HILL CREEK (40.00860 / -79.23249)
his is the Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only (DHALO) and Keystone Select Stream section upstream 1.5 miles to Jimtown Road (T364). Stream is heavily covered with old growth hemlock forest and is combination of riffles, runs and pools.

DUNBAR CREEK (39.94554 / -79.58082)
Appealing mountain freestone with 4.4 miles Fly-Fishing-Only, Catch-and-Release section on State Game Land 51, from stone quarry on Dunbar-Ohiopyle Road upstream to Glade Run confluence. Access via Dunbar- Ohiopyle Road (SR 1055) and the gravel Betty Knocks Road. Walk-in fishing beyond. Downstream of stone quarry is general regulation.

YOUGHIOGHENY RIVER (39.82656 / -79.37858)
Middle section from Ramcat Access (Fayette County shore) downriver to Ohiopyle. Nine miles of big river through Youghiogheny Gorge and Ohiopyle State Park, accessible by Great Allegheny Passage Trail or raft/kayak. Class I-III rapids with deep pools. All Tackle Trophy Trout regulation. From Youghiogheny Dam outflow at Confluence, downstream two miles to Ramcat Access is stocked general regulation, with gentler gradient.

MEADOW RUN (39.85405 / -79.49749)
Excellent public access on Ohiopyle State Park. Lower 2.2 miles below Dinner Bell Road to mouth at Youghiogheny River is Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only (DHALO), Keystone Select. Much of this stretch is walk-in with falls, riffles, and pools. From Dinner Bell Road upstream 1.5 miles to park boundary is general regulation stocked water with access via Meadow Run Road (TR 798).

WHITES CREEK (39.75516 / -79.31404)
Eight miles of general regulation stocked water—pools, holes, and riffles, accessible at mid-point of stocked span via Rte. 523 (Listonburg Road) at Listonburg. Whites Creek Road parallels the stream east (upstream) of Listonburg.

YELLOW CREEK (40.56921 / -79.12655)
Access via S. 6th St. Indiana to Metz Road to Ferrier Run Road. Best public access, state stocked, fishing is at this location where Ferrier Run meets Yellow Creek downstream to Rt 954 bridge. Stream above the lake and immediately below the dam is privately owned.

LOYALHANNA CREEK (40.24666 / -79.24632)
This is the Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only (DHALO) and Keystone Select Stream section running downstream from the Rt. 711 bridge in Ligonier to Two Mile Run Road (SR 2045). This 1.5 mile section is a large riffles and runs stream.

CLEAR SHADE CREEK (40.14800 / -78.78400)
Located off State Route 160 on the Windber Area Authority access road with limited parking near downstream portion of Fly Fishing Only Project. Vehicle access from opening day of trout until July. Walk in access only after that. Clear Shade Creek is home to a stocked one mile long Catch and Release Fly Fishing Only Project in a remote setting. The upper stream section, located in the Clear Shade Wild Area, is not stocked and harbors both wild brook and brown trout.

INDIAN CREEK (40.08911 / -79.33578)
Upstream from this location along Rt. 381 to Hunters Lane is the Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only (DHALO) section. It is brushy with a combination of riffles and pools. Downstream is open stocked water for several miles with multiple access points from side roads off Rt. 381/711.

STONYCREEK RIVER (40.02710 / -78.92053)
This is the Glessner Covered Bridge access point. The Stonycreek’s classic freestone trout water of the upper gorge from Shanksville downstream to Stoystown offers stocked trout fishing in challenging terrain with limited access. The river is also stocked with fingerling trout and is a successful put and grow fishery. Access is from SR 1007, south of Rt. 30.