French Creek

French Creek

PA

Creek

Directions

Forecast

About French Creek

French Creek is a 14-mile-long freestone stream in Southeast Pennsylvania, flowing into the Schuylkill River and heavily stocked with brown trout. While it can be warm in summer, shaded sections offer refuge, and spring provides excellent insect hatches including Caddisflies, Blue Winged Olives, and Sulphurs. A notable fly-fishing-only, catch-and-release section runs about a mile downstream from the dam at Camp Sleepy Hollow to Hollow Road, offering good wading access. This creek is best suited for dry fly and nymph fishing, with a 9-foot 4-weight rod and 4X-6X tippet being ideal.

French Creek Hatch Chart

Loading active hatches…

Unlock full pattern & timing details

View specific species & recommended fly patterns for each active hatch.

Want live flow & temp? Scroll to water conditions & gages.

Quick Actions

Location

Regulations

Fly Fishing Only: This water is restricted to fly fishing gear. No spinning or bait-casting equipment permitted.

Catch & Release: All fish must be immediately released. Handle with care using barbless hooks.

Trip Planning

Best fishing typically occurs during spring and fall. Check water conditions before heading out.

See what insects are emerging on French Creek's hatch forecast — including active hatches, water temperatures, and which patterns to have in your box this month.

Get IdentaFly on your phone

Hatch forecasts, river gages, fly scanning, and your journal — built for on-stream use. Be prepared before you get to the water. Free on the App Store and Google Play.

IdentaFly mobile app showing favorite river gages with flow, temperature, and trends

Conditions Report

Read tips and insights about recent conditions for French Creek — gathered from on line sources.

Read the Conditions Report

Water conditions (USGS)

Water conditions for the last 7 days. You can gain insights to fishing activity based on these conditions, like water temperature and flow.

Data sourced from USGS National Water Information System

Access

Easy AccessUrban

Seasons

SpringFallYear Round

Water

FreestoneSmall Stream

Fish Species

Brown Trout

Regulations

Fly Fishing Only: This water is restricted to fly fishing gear. No spinning or bait-casting equipment permitted.

Catch & Release: All fish must be immediately released. Handle with care using barbless hooks.

Fishing Styles

Dry FlyNymphing

Methods

Wade Friendly

Land Ownership

State Wildlife Area