The Little Juniata River, a 35-mile tributary of the Juniata River, starts modestly in Altoona when several smaller streams come together. Locally referred to as the “Little J” or simply the “J,” the river flows northeast from Altoona through the Logan Valley. In this stretch, the river is a freestone fishery, primarily supporting stocked trout, but the environment shifts dramatically when the Little J takes a sharp southeast turn at Tyrone. Below Tyrone, the river flows alongside towering limestone cliffs and receives water from numerous large limestone springs, which cool the water and contribute essential nutrients. The river’s deep, chalky-green pools and various riffles create the ideal habitat for growing exceptionally large trout. The J is a striking river, marked by hand-cut stone railroad arches. However, it becomes especially picturesque below the convergence with Spruce Creek, as it winds through the roadless “gorge” section within Rothrock State Forest. The 13.5-mile stretch of the Little Juniata River, from the bridge at Ironville to its junction with the Frankstown Branch near Petersburg, is managed as All Tackle Catch and Release. This special designation ensures that the river’s wild brown trout can thrive and grow to sizes rare in the Northeast U.S. In addition to the wild trout, Pennsylvania stocks the river with 30,000 brown trout fingerlings annually. However, these fish quickly adjust to the environment, and by the time they reach an average size of 10 to 12 inches, it’s nearly impossible to tell the wild trout apart from those that were stocked and have since adapted.