7-day U.S. Geological Survey chart
Recent flow
Discharge
439 cfs109 cfs
Sep 5Sep 12
Latest reading: 109 cfs. Falling over about 6 hours. Chart covers Sep 5 through Sep 12; readings are provisional and may be revised.
All Pennsylvania reports
Fishing Creek
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Northeast Region Opens in a new tab. · Public domain / CC BY 2.0
Should I go fishing?
Yes — worth going.
Best option: Wading. Wading is in play only where your chosen access has clear footing, legal entry, and no forced crossings.
Fishing rating82
Rating updatedRiver local time:
Why this recommendation?
The live gauge returned a flow value, but a verified historical comparison for this date is not available. The score cannot rate the flow as excellent from trend alone.
Available live dataHighHow much of the live flow, weather, and alert data came back.
Confidence in this recommendationHighCurrent flow, weather, alerts, and trip-critical signals support this decision.
Usually checks again about every 45 minutes
If you go
- Check first
- Use USGS 01548030, the official Lamar-area river gauge, for this report.
- Try
- Stay low and fish the first place where fast and slow water meet before stepping into the creek.
- Leave when
- Skip this creek when it is rising fast, hard to see through, or too warm for safe trout handling. Also leave if parking or legal access is not clear, or if a nearby storm could raise the water.
Flow and weather
Showing server-checked river conditions while current readings refresh.
- Flow
- 109 cfs
- Falling over about 6 hoursU.S. Geological Survey may revise this readingWater 55.9°F · 24h high 59.4°F · USGS provisional
- Air forecast
- 59°F
- Next 24h high
- 77.0°F
NWS air forecast near
- Rain chance
- 0%
Latest stored weather check
Partly Cloudy
- Wind
- 2 mph
- Weather checked
More forecast and source details
Partly Cloudy
National Weather Service
Lamar, Pennsylvania
The National Weather Service forecast is temporarily unavailable.
Live data
Where these readings come from
Current U.S. Geological Survey gauge: Fishing Creek near Lamar
Falling over about 6 hoursU.S. Geological Survey may revise this readingObserved
Water 55.9°F · provisional · 24h high 59.4°F provisionalWater observed · high observed
Flies for this time of year
Seasonal starting points, not a live hatch report. Match what you see on the water.
- Ant PatternsantView fly guide ↗
- Beetle PatternsbeetleView fly guide ↗
- Grasshopper Patternssmall hopperView fly guide ↗
- Jig Fly Patternssmall jig nymphView fly guide ↗
See flies for every season
SeasonWhat to look forFlies to try
January to March
What to look forMidges, little black stones, BWOs, and slow nymph windows
April to June
What to look forHendricksons, March Browns, sulphurs, caddis, BWOs, and spinner falls
July to SeptemberThis season
What to look forTricos where present, ants, beetles, hoppers, and shade-line terrestrials
Flies to try
antAnt Patterns→beetleBeetle Patterns→small hopperGrasshopper Patterns→small jig nymphJig Fly Patterns→
Also try Trico, dry-dropper
October to December
What to look forBWOs, midges, caddis remnants, and streamer windows after rain
Each fly name opens its matching Fly Box guide.
More fishing tips
Methods, fish species and trip notes
How to fish Fishing Creek today.
Cool water, steady flow, and fewer anglers offer the best chance. If the water gets warm or very clear, fish early, use lighter line, and stop before handling trout becomes unsafe.
Stable cool flow
Try nymphs, emergers, or dry flies in shallow fast water, where fast and slow water meet, and at the end of pools.
Low clear water
Use long leaders, smaller flies, careful approach angles, and fewer false casts.
Rain bump
As the water begins to clear, try small streamers, darker nymphs, and deeper spots near the bank.
Warm water
Use a thermometer and stop catch-and-release trout fishing when temperatures are stressful.
Wading, bank fishing or floating?
Best access methodWading
These scores compare the risks of wading, bank fishing, and floating.
Wading · Best fit82/100
Wading is in play only where your chosen access has clear footing, legal entry, and no forced crossings.
Bank fishingNot recommended
This report does not recommend bank fishing on this reach.
FloatingNot recommended
This report does not recommend floating this reach.
Full river report
Is Fishing Creek worth the trip today? Check flow, weather, hatches, access, and rules for Lamar, Pennsylvania before you go.
This is clear limestone water with wild trout and extra rules on named parts of the creek. Check the Lamar river gauge (USGS 01548030) and Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) rules. Use small flies and careful casts.
Fishing words used on this page
- U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) gauge
- A USGS gauge is an official river station that measures flow or water height.
- Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC)
- PFBC is the Pennsylvania agency that sets fishing rules and manages fish and access programs.
- Cubic feet per second (cfs)
- Cubic feet per second, or cfs, shows how much water passes the gauge each second.
- Nymph
- A nymph is a young water insect. Anglers also use the word for a fly that copies it.
- Limestone stream
- A limestone stream runs through mineral-rich rock and often has clear, cool water.
- Blue-winged olive (BWO)
- Blue-winged olives, or BWOs, are small mayflies that often hatch in cool or cloudy weather.
- Caddis
- Caddis are small water insects. The adults look a little like tiny moths.
- Dry-dropper
- A dry-dropper rig has a floating fly with an underwater fly tied below it.
- Emerger
- An emerger copies an insect as it rises from below the water toward the surface.
- Jig nymph
- A jig nymph is a weighted underwater fly made to ride with its hook point up.
Why this call
Why this score
Normal flow comparisonUse caution
The live gauge returned a flow value, but a verified historical comparison for this date is not available. The score cannot rate the flow as excellent from trend alone.
FlowHelps
USGS shows 109 cfs. The flow has been stable over about 6 hours. USGS marks this reading provisional and may revise it. This is the clearest starting signal.
SeasonHelps
Fall: Lower pressure, olives, midges, and streamers after rain.
Water temperatureHelps
USGS water temperature is about 55.9F, and the rolling 24-hour high did not trigger a heat caution. USGS marks the temperature data provisional and may revise it.
Public alertsHelps
No active NWS alert was returned for this forecast point.
Trip notes
Check these before you choose a reach.
Start with the USGS 01548030 river gauge near Lamar. Steady, cool, clear water is best. A fast rise, cloudy water, strong current, or a warm afternoon may mean you should shorten the trip or skip it.
Skip this creek when it is rising fast, hard to see through, or too warm for safe trout handling. Also leave if parking or legal access is not clear, or if a nearby storm could raise the water.
Check the Lamar gauge, PFBC rules, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service access page, and weather. Choose one legal place to enter. Make short, careful drifts through shallow fast water, current edges, shaded banks, and the ends of pools.
If Fishing Creek is high, warm, crowded, or hard to enter legally, compare Spring Creek, the Little Juniata River, or Pine Creek.
Fishing Creek access and rules.
Use these places as starting points. Open the access link below and check posted signs before you park or enter.
Before you go
Open the PFBC rule book and check the extra rules for each named part of Fishing Creek before fishing.
Where to access the river
Lamar gauge and Narrows context
Use this as the flow anchor and nearby planning area.
Tylersville and special fishing rule reach
Confirm the exact PFBC reach and access before fishing.
Mill Hall and lower context
Useful for logistics, but the report is focused on the Lamar trout area.
- Do not confuse this page with Fishing Creek near Bloomsburg.
- Special fishing rule water and private land require exact reach awareness.
- Low clear limestone water rewards fewer steps and better angles.
Sources and report details
Official agencies and primary river operators come first. Secondary tools are labeled so you know what carries the most weight.
Rules and closures
Check what is allowed, where the rule applies, and whether the river is open.
Flow and weather
Check the latest river reading and forecast before you leave.
Access and land
Check public entry points, land rules, and seasonal access changes.
See all 6 checked sources
Rules and closures
Check what is allowed, where the rule applies, and whether the river is open.
What this source covers
Open the current rules and check the river section, season, and special limits.
What this source covers
Open the current rules and check the river section, season, and special limits.
What this source covers
Open the current rules and check the river section, season, and special limits.
Flow and weather
Check the latest river reading and forecast before you leave.
What this source covers
Open this page and check the latest safety advice before your trip.
What this source covers
Open this river reading to check the latest level, flow, and update time.
Access and land
Check public entry points, land rules, and seasonal access changes.
What this source covers
Open the land or access page, then check signs before you park or enter.
How this report was checked
How this report was checked
Reviewed byBlueStreamFly River Review Team
Trip guidance checked
What was checked: This Fishing Creek report is maintained from Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission regulations, trout classification and stocking sources, USGS Lamar flow data, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Lamar access guidance, weather, media-credit, and central Pennsylvania trout planning sources.
Live measurements and forecasts keep their provider timestamps. Rules, access, and trip guidance use the source-review date shown here. BlueStreamFly planning advice is editorial interpretation, not an agency notice.
First-hand experience: BlueStreamFly does not claim a first-hand visit or local field test for this report unless a real contributor is explicitly named and linked.
Quick questions
What should I check first before fishing Fishing Creek?
Check USGS river gauge 01548030. Then check the PFBC rules for the part of the creek you plan to fish and check the water temperature.
Where should a first-time visitor start on Fishing Creek?
Start near Lamar or Tylersville, but check that your parking and river entry are legal before you go in.
Can I wade Fishing Creek?
Yes, when the flow is safe. The rocks can be slick, and very low or high water can make wading hard.
What flies should I bring for Fishing Creek?
Bring the seasonal fly box, a few confidence nymphs or streamers, and enough tippet to change when flow, clarity, temperature, or pressure changes.