Class A Wild Trout Waters

Class A Wild Trout Waters are the highest biomass class given to streams in Pennsylvania by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. They are considered to contain the highest-quality naturally reproducing trout populations in Pennsylvania. The first streams received their Class A Wild Trout Waters designations in 1983. There are now hundreds of such waters, comprising nearly 1,500 miles (2,400 km) of streams. Class A Wild Trout Waters receive certain legal protections. For instance, they are typically classified by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection as High-Quality Coldwater Fisheries. Most Class A Wild Trout Waters are subject to standard statewide angling regulations by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.

The official definition of Class A Wild Trout Waters is "streams that support a population of naturally produced trout of sufficient size and abundance to support a long-term and rewarding sport fishery". These streams are considered to be the best angling streams in Pennsylvania and most of the state's 67 counties contain at least one. Class A Wild Trout Waters are virtually never , although many were prior to receiving their designation. There are different total biomass criteria for different species and combinations of species, but for brook trout alone, the minimum is 30 kilograms per hectare (27 lb/acre), and for brown trout alone, the minimum is 40 kilograms per hectare (36 lb/acre).

The modern stream classification system of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, including Class A Wild Trout Waters, was developed with Operation Future, which marked a transition from recreation-based management to resource-based management, in 1983. Following statewide stream surveys in the late 1970s and early 1980s, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission created a set of biomass standards for trout streams in the state.

The first streams were designated as Class A Wild Trout Waters in 1983. At that time, 138 stream sections, totaling nearly 400 miles (640 km) of streams, were found to meet the criteria. As more streams were assessed, the number of Class A Wild Trout Waters grew rapidly. By 2005, there were 436 Class A Wild Trout Waters, totaling 1,265 miles (2,036 km). By the end of 2008, there were 487 such stream sections, which together included 1,436 miles (2,311 km) of streams. By 2014, there were 510 Class A Wild Trout Waters, comprising 1,490.6 miles (2,398.9 km) of streams.

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