Wade76/100
Wading is in play only where your chosen access has clear footing, legal entry, and no forced crossings.
All Pennsylvania reports
Fly fishing report · Northeast
Pine Creek Fishing Report — Pennsylvania
Is Pine Creek worth the trip today? Check flow, weather, hatches, access, and rules for Pennsylvania before you go.
See the flow chart ↓Photo: Nicholas A. Tonelli Opens in a new tab. · CC BY 2.0
Good day to fish?Latest river check
Good fishing
Yes. Fishing looks good.
76
Good fishing based on the verified flow and weather. No official live water-temperature reading is available. Carry a thermometer during warm weather and stop if the water is stressful for trout.
See update time and confidence
Live data checkHighHow much of the live flow, weather, and alert data came back.
Today's callMediumWater temperature not verified; do not use this score to clear warm-water risk.
Score calculated Aug 22, 2026, 10:46 PM EDTUsually checks again about every 15 minutes
Access choicesNo clear best mode
Wade and Bank / edge have the same top score. Use current access, footing, weather, and local rules to choose.
Bank / edge76/100
Bank and edge fishing remains a practical low-commitment option if access is legal and footing is safe.
FloatNot recommended
This report does not recommend floating this reach.
Your plan
Today's Pine Creek plan.
Pine Creek can be excellent when flows are stable and water temperatures are trout-safe. Because the creek is large, conditions can change quickly after rain, snowmelt, or hot weather.
- Check first
- Use the Cedar Run gauge before choosing a reach or wading plan.
- Try
- Start with the gauge. Rising or stained water favors streamers and larger nymphs. Falling, clearer water favors dry-dropper rigs and lighter presentations.
- Leave when
- Skip trout fishing when water temperatures are stressful, crossings are unsafe, thunderstorms or muddy smaller streams are affecting the area, or current PFBC reach rules do not match your plan.
Live river check
What the river is doing
Check the latest flow and weather before you go. A quick change can make the river harder or less safe to fish.
Showing the latest stored river check while current readings load.
- Flow
- 141 cfs
- From the latest stored river check. Open the official source for the newest reading.
- Air now
- 66°F
Current NWS forecast period
- Next 24h high
- 73.0°F
NWS air forecast near
- Rain chance
- 52%
For this forecast period
This is an air forecast, not a river-temperature reading. Check the water with a stream thermometer before fishing in hot weather.
Latest stored weather check
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
- Wind
- 5 mph
- Weather checked
Recent flow chart is loading
The latest stored reading is shown above. Check the official source below if you need the newest value now.
More forecast and source details
National Weather Service
Cedar Run forecast point
The National Weather Service forecast is temporarily unavailable.
Live data
Where these readings come from
Latest stored USGS gauge: Pine Creek at Cedar Run, PA
From the latest stored river check. Open the official source for the newest reading.
How to fish it
How to fish Pine Creek today.
Pine Creek fishes best when flows are stable enough for safe wading and water temperatures support trout activity. Match tactics to season, clarity, and the insects you actually see on the water.
Low and clear
Lengthen leaders, reduce weight, fish early or late, and avoid unnecessary wading through likely holding water.
Stable medium flow
This is the most flexible window: dry-dropper rigs, nymphs, soft hackles, and hatch-matching dries can all be useful.
Rising or stained
Focus on banks, slow seams, and streamers. Skip unsafe crossings and avoid pushing into fast mid-channel water.
Warm water
Check temperature before fishing for trout. If temperatures are unsafe, switch species, fish colder smaller streams where legal, or wait for cooler conditions.
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.
- Presentation
- Presentation means how you cast and move the fly so it looks natural to a fish.
- Seam
- A seam is the line where fast and slow water meet.
- 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.
Why this call
Why this score
SeasonUse caution
This month is not listed as a top seasonal window in this page's reviewed season notes. Use current regulations, flow, temperature, and access checks before treating the score as a slam dunk.
Short-term weatherUse caution
The forecast has storm or heavy-precipitation risk, so timing and access matter more than the score alone.
FlowHelps
USGS shows 141 cfs. The flow has been stable over about 6 hours. USGS marks this reading provisional and may revise it. USGS records for this date (1919-2025, 107 readings) show a typical middle range of 53 cfs to 198 cfs. Flow is within the typical range for this date, so weather, temperature, and access become the next checks.
WeatherHelps
The current NWS air forecast is about 66F, and the next 24-hour high reaches about 73F. Chance Showers And Thunderstorms.
Public alertsHelps
No active NWS alert was returned for this forecast point.
Trip notes
Trip notes
Check these before you choose a reach.
Use the Cedar Run gauge trend more than a single magic number. Stable or slowly falling water is the most useful fly-fishing window. Rising, stained, or pushy water should move you to bank work, streamers, or a safer plan.
Skip trout fishing when water temperatures are stressful, crossings are unsafe, thunderstorms or muddy smaller streams are affecting the area, or current PFBC reach rules do not match your plan.
Pick the access style before picking flies: Cedar Run for gauge-area checks, Slate Run for a central gorge base, Blackwell for longer trail-linked exploration, and Big Meadows/Ansonia when you need the upper water-trail access context.
If the main stem is too high, warm, or crowded, research Little Pine Creek, Cedar Run, or Slate Run only after checking current rules and access. If temperatures are the issue, switch species, move to colder legal water, or wait for better conditions.
What to try
Pine Creek flies through the year.
Match the time of year, then let rising fish and current speed guide the next change.
SeasonWhat to look forFlies to try
April to May
What to look forBlue-winged olives, caddis, early mayflies
May to June
What to look forMarch browns, sulfurs, caddis, larger mayflies
SummerCurrent
What to look forTerrestrials, ants, beetles, sporadic caddis
Flies to try
Also try lightweight nymph rigs
Fall
What to look forBlue-winged olives and midges
Winter
What to look forMidges and occasional tiny olives
Each fly name opens its matching Fly Box guide.
Access and safety
Pine Creek access and rules.
Use these places as starting points. Open the access link below and check posted signs before you park or enter. Rules can vary by reach and season. Confirm the current Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission rules before fishing, especially around stocked trout waters, special fishing rule sections, seasons, fish-keeping limits, and temperature-sensitive trout decisions.
Cedar Run area
Useful for checking the gauge area and planning access around the central Pine Creek area.
Slate Run area
A common planning base in the gorge area with nearby trail and creek access options.
Blackwell and rail-trail area
A practical area for combining walking or biking with longer exploratory fishing days.
Big Meadows / Ansonia area
DCNR identifies Big Meadows near Ansonia as a water-trail access point for Pine Creek planning.
Use marked public access and respect private property along roads, cabins, and camp areas.
The rail trail is valuable because it lets anglers spread out without relying only on road pullouts.
The Cedar Run gauge is useful for the area, but smaller streams, storms, and valley position can make one reach fish differently from another.
During high water, choose a reachable bank-fishing plan instead of forcing crossings.
River sources
Official Pine Creek sources.
Official agencies and primary river operators come first. Secondary tools are labeled so you know what carries the most weight.
How this report was checked
How this report was checked
Reviewed byBlueStreamFly River Review Team
Trip guidance checked
What was checked: This Pine Creek report combines official regulation, flow, weather, access, and fisheries-management sources with angler-focused planning guidance. Public review dates change only after material source review or content improvements.
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.
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.
More helpful links
Use these links for stocking, safety, and other local details.
See all 7 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.
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.
What this source covers
Open the land or access page, then check signs before you park or enter.
More helpful links
Use these links for stocking, safety, and other local details.
What this source covers
Open this page for more river information and check when it was last updated.
Quick answers
Quick Pine Creek answers.
Is Pine Creek good for fly fishing?
Yes, Pine Creek can be very useful for fly anglers, especially when flows and temperatures are right. The key is choosing the right reach, checking current rules, and matching tactics to water conditions.
What gauge should I check?
Use USGS 01548500, Pine Creek at Cedar Run, as the primary flow reference for this report.
What flies should I bring?
Carry BWO and caddis patterns, sulfur and March brown options in spring, terrestrials for summer, small nymphs, soft hackles, and a few small streamers.
Can I fish from the Pine Creek Rail Trail?
The rail-trail area is one of the most practical access tools for planning, but anglers still need to use legal public access, respect private property, and confirm any local restrictions.