How PFBC's trout schedule works
PA Lake Fishing Almanac · reviewed Oct 4, 2026 against the 2026 Fishing Summary
- PFBC publishes its adult trout schedule by county at fbweb.pa.gov/TroutStocking . Each row gives the water, a date (or “week of”), the species, a meeting place and time, and a season code. PFBC's page says: “All stocking events are subject to change without notice.”
- Four seasons on the schedule: Preseason, In-season, Fall, Winter. In the 2026 schedule as published Oct 4, 2026, lake rows ran: preseason Feb 17 – Apr 3; in-season Apr 6 – May 16; fall Oct 1 – Oct 23; winter Nov 3 – Dec 17.
- PFBC's 2026 plan (Adult Trout page, retrieved Oct 4, 2026): 130 lakes and 641,500 adult trout for lakes — brook 50,550; brown 32,460; rainbow 558,490, including 2,865 trophy golden rainbows that PFBC says “average 1.5 pounds and 14 inches.” PFBC notes that actual numbers may change.
- Closure before the opener. The Summary says waters in PFBC's “Stocked Trout Waters” program “are closed to all fishing (including taking of minnows) from February 16 to 8 a.m. on the opening day of the trout season” (2026 Fishing Summary, p. 23). Waters open to year-round fishing stay open, but no trout may be kept from February 16 to the opener.
- Trout permit on year-round lakes. The Summary says a trout permit isn't required on lakes and ponds designated stocked trout waters open to year-round fishing unless you keep, kill or possess a trout there (2026 Fishing Summary, p. 23).
- Mentored Youth Trout Day (2026: Mar 28, 2026, per the Summary cover). PFBC's program page says youth with a Mentored Youth Permit or voluntary youth license may keep two trout (7-inch minimum) and adults may not keep trout that day.
- How this site shows the schedule. Every row carries “as published” and the date we read the schedule (now Oct 4, 2026). Past rows read “Was scheduled for …”. We never report what happened on a date, only what PFBC published. Free county calendar feeds refresh at each import.
Lake dates on PFBC's 2026 trout schedule
Questions
Why did a date change after I saved it?
PFBC can change dates without notice; our feed refreshes at import. Check PFBC's schedule the day before.
What does “week of” mean?
PFBC lists the week, not the day. Your calendar shows the whole week.
Are fingerling trout on this schedule?
No. This is PFBC's adult trout schedule; PFBC publishes fingerling plans separately.
When does next year's schedule appear?
PFBC usually publishes it in late winter; this site imports it then and says so on Data status.
Sources: PFBC adult trout schedule (as published Oct 4, 2026); PFBC Adult Trout page (retrieved Oct 4, 2026); 2026 Pennsylvania Fishing Summary, p. 23 ; PFBC Mentored Youth program .