Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com
At exactly 8 a.m. Saturday, Pennsylvania’s lakes and streams welcomed the first anglers of the 2026 trout season.
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The annual tradition returned to the state after a very cold winter. The season starts on the same date statewide.
Throughout the season, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission plans to stock approximately 3.2 million adult trout across 684 streams and 130 lakes.
The numbers remain consistent with the state’s stocking decade-long averages, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission said.
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In the weeks leading up to the opener, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission stocked several local fishing spots, including Levittown Lake, Lake Caroline, and the Delaware Canal at Washington Crossing.
Agency officials plan additional stocking operations in the area in the coming weeks.
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During the regular season, which runs from opening day through Labor Day, the daily limit is five trout of combined species. Each fish must measure at least seven inches. The limit drops to three trout per day during the extended season, which begins Sept. 8 and runs through Feb. 15, 2027.
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission has a Trout Stocking Schedule on its website.
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission has streamlined the licensing process via the Huntfish.pa.gov portal and nearly 700 physical issuing agents. Every angler, including youth, must have a personal account in the system. While paper licenses remain a staple, the commission now accepts a digital image of a license stored on a phone as valid proof of possession.
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The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission reminded boaters that the cold weather life jacket requirement remains in effect through April 30.
Under the regulation, anyone on a boat shorter than 16 feet—including canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards—must wear a life jacket. Additionally, children ages 12 and under are required to wear a life jacket at all times while boating in Pennsylvania.
