Spring Creek

Rising in the mountains about five miles east of State College and flowing in a northerly direction to its terminus in Milesburg, Spring Creek is arguably the finest wild trout stream in Pennsylvania. Surveys conducted by the PA F&BC have consistently shown Spring Creek to be the most densely populated wild brown trout stream in the Keystone State.

Spring Creek has suffered greatly, and conversely, benefited greatly from its ill fortune of being located in the most densely populated, fastest growing area of rural Centre County. Numerous pollution incidents, including municipal sewage, gasoline spills and chemical contaminants at various times decimated not only its myriad of hatches, but also its trout. When the stream was removed from the stocking list due to chemical pollution and it was later managed as a no-kill stream, the trout population rebounded quickly. When municipal sewage was subjected to tertiary treatment, the most durable aquatic insects reappeared in profusion. Spring Creek, in a remarkable way display of its resiliency and quality, once again hosts thousands of anglers each year.

Among the venues most favored by those anglers are the Benner Springs stretch (accessible off PA Rte 150 near the FFP store) and Fisherman's Paradise, the oldest fly fishing only water in the US, and the PA F&BC water below the Paradise (both accessible off PA Rte 150 near Bellefonte). Although Spring Creek's much vaunted Green Drake hatch disappered during the 1950's, popular and dependable hatches on the stream now include midges, craneflies, caddis, Blue-winged Olives, Sulphurs, Cahills and Tricos.

 *This map predates Rte 99 and the Canyon property opening.*

Map ©2012. Used with permission. "Trout Streams of Pennsylvania" by Dwight Landis.