2025 Summary of Activities and Achievements

Spring Creek Chapter of Trout Unlimited (SCCTU) is on a mission to preserve, protect, and restore the cold-water fisheries and watersheds of Spring Creek and Bald Eagle Creek. As a dedicated all-volunteer chapter, we bring this vision to life through community outreach, large-scale conservation projects, and passionate advocacy. Our achievements are fueled by the commitment of our members and the generosity of supporters, ensuring these treasured waters thrive for generations to come.

Awards

This year our chapter was honored to receive the 2025 Best Chapter Project Award by Pennsylvania Council of Trout Unlimited for our Slab Cabin Run at Millbrook Marsh Stream Restoration & Habitat Improvement Project. This project is a huge win for conservation, education, and our community having worked alongside 15 incredible partners to make this $520K+ project a success.

Community Outreach and Youth Education

  • General Meetings: At one of our 2025 general meetings we learned about turtles from Richard Novak. The Chapter's social events at Mt. Nittany Vineyard and Winery, and our Holiday Party, provided members an opportunity to renew friendships, tell tall stories and have some fun. The twice annual Chopped fly-tying contests brought together fly tyers of all ages for fun social fly-tying nights. The event is now named "Charney's Chopped Fly-tying" after the late Dennis Charney and will continue his fly-tying legacy.

  • Women Anglers: Women anglers are a growing community of passionate anglers who support, educate, and empower one another on the water. They create inclusive spaces that encourage skill-building, confidence, and connection through shared outdoor experiences. Their 2025 activities included support for the PATU Mentoring retreat, seasonal fishing, dynamic films, professionally guided opportunities, still water & boat safety, fly-tying & social events.

  • Veterans’ Fishing Program: The Veterans Service Program has been rebranded the Veterans Fishing Program. A local landowner on Spring Creek made available a half mile of her property just for the use of Veterans to be able to enjoy a fishing experience in solitude. A Ceremony was held on November 9th honoring her father, Dr. Clair, who always wished for this opportunity to be made for Veterans. The ceremony was attended by Veterans, Press and local politicians.

  • Get Outdoors Day Family Fishing Picnic: Partnering with ClearWater Conservancy, the event had over 300 attendees. Activities included fishing, casting lessons, insect identification, kayaking, environmental education and outdoor fun for all ages.

  • Youth Outreach programs and Trout in the Classroom: We supported 10 TIC classrooms in 2025. We either conducted or participated in 19 youth centered events. Activities included the Brookies Camp, YSB Big Brother/Sister fishing at Lamar fish hatchery, assisting in the Centre Co. Cons. District Envirothon, and helping Cub Scout troops to fish at Colyer Lake.

Conservation and Advocacy

  • Stream Restoration Projects in 2025: Slab Cabin Run in Millbrook Marsh and first phase of the Humphreys-Mitchell project on Spring Creek were completed.

  • Stream Cleanups: The Chapter began the cleanup in 1973. Since 1993, ClearWater Conservancy has coordinated the cleanup and SCCTU participates each year in the annual Spring Creek Watershed Cleanup Day. In 2025, SCCTU cleaned 3 sites along Spring Creek. 30 SCCTU volunteers helped collect 54 bags of trash as well as various other debris.

  • Citizen Science and Advocacy: The chapter supports Keystone Water Resources Centre (formerly the Water Resources Monitoring Project). The annual Redd Count was once again a great success, engaging more than 40 volunteers and recording approximately 2,100 redds which was consistent with last year’s results. A new partnership with the Spring Creek Watershed Commission’s Conservation and Stewardship Committee added further impact, as 40 additional volunteers joined a watershed clean‑up that removed 420 pounds of trash across four sites. Many of these participants were new to our Chapter and gained valuable insight through a presentation on redds delivered by Bob Carline. Chapter volunteers also helped update the Watershed Atlas and planning for the State College Area Connector.