East Branch Big Elk Creek
Brown trout and rainbow trout water; 2 stockings on the 2026 record.
Chester County · Pennsylvania · see it on the national map
Water right now
3.19
ft
gage height
USGS gauge 01494850
(East Branch Big Elk Creek at Forestville, PA) · 2026-08-28 18:15
2
stockings 2026
Mar 9
last stocked
The year here
stocked last 7 days announced ahead · tap a tick for details
What swims here
Brown trout
Rainbow trout
Stocking record 2026
| Date | Species | Size | Fish | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 9 | Brown trout | adult | stocked | |
| Mar 9 | Rainbow trout | adult | stocked |
Gear for this water
It has been a while since the trucks came. The holdovers have spread out and wised up; downsize and fish natural.
For the trout (brown trout stocked 1 time here in 2026, moving water)
| Inline spinners | 1/16 to 1/8 oz silver or gold; swing them across the current seams |
| Drifted bait | single salmon egg or half a crawler under light split shot, rolled along the bottom |
| Small jerkbaits | floating minnows in the 2 to 3 inch class for the deeper bends |
Suggestions follow from what the state actually stocks here and what kind of water it is, nothing else. No sponsored placements.
Nearby stocked waters
The closest waters with stocking pages of their own, straight-line miles from this one.
| Water | Distance | Most recent |
|---|---|---|
| Middle Branch White Clay Creek | 6.6 mi | Apr 15 |
| West Branch Octoraro Creek | 7.2 mi | Apr 13 |
| East Branch Octoraro Creek | 7.2 mi | Apr 9 |
| East Branch White Clay Creek | 8.1 mi | May 4 |
| Stewart Run | 12 mi | Mar 16 |
Records from Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
(official page). Placement from USGS GNIS. Schedules change without notice.
Seasons, limits, and licenses:
Pennsylvania fishing
regulations.