42 . Spring Creek

       Location: Central Pennsylvania, about a 1-hour ride from Harrisburg; a 2½-hour ride from Pittsburgh; and a 3-hour ride from Philadelphia. Full-service airports are available in all three cities.

      Spring Creek is arguably the finest wild trout stream in Pennsylvania. It is designated as a Class A fishery throughout its entire length. It is also managed for catch-and-release throughout its entire length. The famous Fisherman’s Paradise section is designated fly fishing only. The Paradise, as it is known locally, was the first special-

      regulations fishery in the country. Harvest limits, special passes, and separate fishing areas for women and children were all part of the early special regulations. Eventually, catch-and-release regulations were put in place.

      Spring Creek is roughly 22 miles. It starts near the town of Boalsburg. It passes through a gap in Bald Eagle Mountain before joining Bald Eagle Creek at Milesburg. The first roughly 10 miles are mostly private. The section most popular with fly fishers is from the Route 26 bridge downstream to Milesburg. Spring Creek is a multi-use resource, with hiking, biking, and even a kayak and canoe slalom training center located in Bellefonte.

      In the 1930s, Spring Creek was heavily stocked. The Fisherman’s Paradise section was well known for producing large fish on a regular basis. At that time, in addition to an

      abundance of fish, the stream experienced prolific insect hatches. This resulted in a lot of fishing pressure. During the 1950s, human population growth began to have an increasingly negative impact on the health of Spring Creek. Over the coming years, sewage, poor farming practices, industrial pollution, and accidental releases of chemicals such as Kepone, Mirex, and cyanide took a heavy toll on the trout population. These had an even more devastating effect on the insect life. In 1981, recognizing that it could no longer endorse the consumption of fish from Spring Creek, Pennsylvania

      ceased stocking the stream and imposed a catch-and-release restriction.