I recently had a chance to fish some special regulation waters in Western Pennsylvania with a bit of success. While most of the “approved trout waters” in the state are closed in March and the first part of April, the Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only (DHALO) sections offer good opportunities for catch-and-release trout fishing.

Anglers fishing DHALO’s are limited to “artificial lures only constructed of metal, plastic, rubber or wood, or with flies and streamers constructed of natural or synthetic materials,” according to the people that make the rules. “All such lures may be used with spinning or fly fishing gear.”

Most of these sections are stocked sometime in March, either at the same time as or earlier than the stockings in other sections of the stream that remain closed until the opening day of trout season. Most also have at least some number of holdover fish from previous stockings, and some are even home to wild and native trout.

While they vary widely in water and habitat quality, it’s usually not too tough to get into at least a few fish at any of these special regulation areas.

Here’s a description of the places I fished and how I did. Read more →