French Creek Pennsylvania Fishing Report & Options for Selecting Flies: Email us at (sales@perfectflystore.com) with the dates you will be fishing and we will send you a list of our fly recommendations. We can get flies and gear to you within two to three business days from the time you place your order via Priority Mail. If you provide a budget for flies, we will select them to match the budget and get them to you on time for your trip. Your can also call us at 800-594-4726 and we will help you decide what flies and gear to use. All orders are shipped free in the U.S. If under a $100 order requiring Priority mail is a charge of only $8.10. Orders over a $100 are shipped free via Priority Mail.
We also have custom Perfect Fly selections in 3 different price ranges for this stream that come with or without fly boxes. They make excellent gifts. Click Here To Order or Call us at 800 594 4726 or email us at sales@perfectflystore.com.
Type of Stream
Freestone
Species
Brown Trout (Stocked and a few
holdovers)
Size
Medium
Location
Southwestern Pennsylvania
Nearest Town
Phoenixville
Wilsons Corner
Philadelphia
Season
Reg. Season: First Saturday of April
through February. Delayed Harvest,
fly fishing only section is open
year-round.
Access:
Good
Non-Resident License
State of Pennsylvania
Weather
National Weather Service Link
Seasons:
The season follows the standard Pennsylvania trout
season
Spring:
Springtime is a good time for fly fishing French Creek
due to the plentiful aquatic insect hatches.
Summer:
Fly fishing French Creek slows down during the Summer
but the water stays fairly cool in some areas.
Fall:
Fall is a good time to catch a larger holdover brown
trout because of the spawn.
Recommended Tackle & Gear
Fly Line:
4, 5 or 6 weight
Leaders:
Dry fly: 9 to 12 ft., 5 or 6X Nymphing:
71/2 ft., 3 or 4X, Streamers 0-2X
Tippets:
Dry fly: 5 or 6X, Nymphing: 3 or 4X,
Streamer 0-2X
Best Fly Rods:
Perfect Fly Supreme Four, Superb Five
or Ultimate Six
Fly Reels:
For 4/5/6 fly line
Fly Floatants and Misc Items:
Floatants, KISS Strike Indicators
Tools & Accessories:
Nippers, forceps, retractors, etc.
Copyright 2016 James Marsh
Fly Fishing French Creek Pennsylvania
French Creek is a heavily stocked trout stream located in Southeastern Pennsylvania not far from the big city of Philadelphia. It starts from Lake Hopewell and flows over fourteen miles into the Schuylkill River.
Although French Creek isn’t a blue-ribbon trout fishery, it is well worth fishing, especially if your in the area of Philadelphia. Fly fishing French Creek is best during the Spring.
The heavily stocked trout stream has a Delayed Harvest section that’s almost a mile long. It begins at the dam at Camp Sleepy Hollow and runs downstream to Hollow Road. It’s fly fishing only in the Delayed Harvest section and provides a good stretch of the stream where anglers can avoid fishing among those fishing for the table.
The problem with French Creek is the fact the water gets too warm for the trout to survive in most areas of the stream. There are a few brown trout that will holdover but they are in a minority. The entire fourteen mile long stream is stocked.
The stream consist mostly of pools with slow to moderate flows. There’s a few short riffles and runs but all in all, the declination of the stream is low. There’s a few rocks and boulders here and there but the stream is mostly void of cover.
The uppermost section of French Creek is the best area for trout. Below Wilsons Corner, the water is more suitable for smallmouth bass than trout. The trout only survive the early seasons months in the lower area. The stream is well lined with trees that help keep the water cool or the water temperature would be even higher in the Summer months.
Most of the aquatic insects are caddisflies. There are a few mayflies but not any stoneflies to the best of our knowledge. There’s plenty of baitfish and minnows.