The headwaters of the East Hickory Creek drainage support native brook trout such as this.

A tributary of the middle Allegheny River, the East Hickory Creek watershed provides excellent opportunities for spring and early summer trout fishing. Both hatchery and wild trout are available.

East Hickory Creek joins the Allegheny near the town of the same name, in northern Forest County. A wide variety of access options are present, from streamside pull-offs to significant hikes back into headwaters areas for native brook trout and stream-bred browns, including a section managed as a Wilderness Trout Stream.

The stream flows through both private and public land, the latter being tracts of the Allegheny National Forest.

Anglers interested in creeling stocked trout will find plenty of put-and-take water as it receives both a pre-season and in-season stocking; those looking for higher densities of hatchery trout have access to a nice Delayed Harvest/Artificial Lures Only project. In addition to East Hickory Creek proper, its feeder waters add to the trout fishing picture, in both stocked and wild trout.

According to Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Fisheries Biologist Brain Ensign, who works out of the agency’s nearby Tionesta office, East Hickory Creek supports a diverse fishery, due to both its water quality and connectivity to the Allegheny River.

“We find species that we don’t see in a lot of waters, such as redside dace and johnny darters,” Ensign noted.

East Hickory Creek is managed in four sections, three of which are stocked with hatchery trout, the uppermost being classified as the Wilderness Trout. Though not numerous, wild trout can be found within the stocked sections as well. The creek has a good ability to hold-over stocked fish, too.

U.S. Route 62, which runs parallel along the east side of the Allegheny River here, crosses East Hickory Creek near its merger with the Allegheny. George’s Little Store is nearby, a locally famous store that carries a wide variety of amenities, including many of the visiting angler.

The lower end of East Hickory Creek has some development along its banks, including the town of Endeavor. The trout habitat is less than one will find farther upstream, with some siltation present.

Camps and homes are scattered along the creek as you make your way upstream toward the special regulations area. Route 666 borders the stream through Endeavor, crossing it just above the mouth of Beaver Run. To stay near the creek, turn north on East Hickory Road before crossing the bridge.

The special regulations waters begin at the bridge near the mouth of Otter Creek and continue upstream to the bridge near the mouth of Queen Creek. Delayed Harvest, Artificial Lures Only regulations are in place.

The project waters are 1.7 miles in length. East Hickory Creek averages around 40 to 50 feet in width in this section, with a fair gradient that results in a good mixture of trout habitat, including pools, riffles and pocket water.

Upstream of the project section, stocked trout waters continue up to the bridge on Forest Road 119. Old Forest Road parallels the stream along the west side between the Queen Run Bridge and the one carrying FR 119 over East Hickory.

Upstream of the FR 119 bridge, East Hickory is managed as a Wilderness Trout Stream, and a lengthy one at that, running over seven miles upstream. When this section was last surveyed, a mixed wild brown/brook trout population was present, at a Class D density.

Stream sections managed as a Wilderness Trout Stream are classified such not only by harboring populations of wild trout, but also in a setting “remote, natural and unspoiled environment where man’s disruptive activities are minimized.” Like all waters in this classification, East Hickory is rated Exceptional Value by the state Department of Environmental Protection, and as such receives the highest level of protection.

Above the FR 119 bridge Middle Hickory Creek, which also supports wild trout, stays within a half mile of FR 119, which is east of the stream. East Hickory Creek drains the valley to the west of Middle Hickory, north of their merger.

Besides the stocked/wild trout of East Hickory Creek, one can also consider that of Queen Creek, a sizeable stream that joins East Hickory near the upstream border of the DHALO area. Queen Creek is stocked once, with brookies, during the pre-season.

Only about two miles of the lower end of the stream is managed as stocked trout water, running from Beers Hollow down to the mouth. Queen Pumping Station Road parallels the stream within this stretch, along its north side, up to the natural gas pump house. Queen Creek also supports stream bred trout, making a trek upstream of the pump house a worthy adventure.

Otter Creek, which joins East Hickory Creek near the lower end of the project waters, also holds some native brook trout. While exploring the stream a couple years ago, I found that the habitat improves as you venture upstream of the mouth. Much of the lower end lacks much in the way of character, other than some deeper pools scoured out below cross-stream laydowns.

If one tires of the trout fishing opportunities within the East Hickory Creek watershed, the nearby Allegheny River has plenty of options for warmwater species. The PFBC West Hickory Access is located just a couple miles downriver.

This section of the river is noted for smallmouth bass, walleye and muskies.

Jeff Knapp is an outdoors columnist for the Butler Eagle