French Creek
Fishing, stocking, and current conditions
Brown trout, rainbow trout, and golden rainbow trout water; 25 stockings on the 2026 record, monthly March through May, heaviest in March. The most-stocked water on the Chester County record for 2026. A USGS gauge reports from this water, so the conditions card on this page is live, water temperature included.
Chester County · Pennsylvania · see it on the national map
The year here
stocked last 7 days announced ahead · tap a tick for details
What swims here
Brown trout
Rainbow trout
Golden rainbow trout
Stocking record 2026
Agency feed checked today.
| Date | Species | Size | Fish | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 5 | Brown trout | adult | stocked | |
| Mar 5 | Rainbow trout | adult | stocked | |
| Mar 14 | Brown trout x 4 sections | adult | stocked | |
| Mar 14 | Rainbow trout x 4 sections | adult | stocked | |
| Mar 14 | Golden rainbow trout x 4 sections | adult | stocked | |
| Apr 6 | Brown trout x 2 sections | adult | stocked | |
| Apr 6 | Rainbow trout x 2 sections | adult | stocked | |
| Apr 6 | Golden rainbow trout | adult | stocked | |
| May 4 | Brown trout x 3 sections | adult | stocked | |
| May 4 | Rainbow trout x 3 sections | adult | stocked |
When to fish French Creek
| Major periods (~2 h) | Minor periods (~1 h) | |
|---|---|---|
| Today | 9:39-11:39 am and 10:02 pm-12:02 am | 3:55-4:55 am and 4:12-5:12 pm |
| Tomorrow | 10:25 am-12:25 pm and 10:49 pm-12:49 am | 5:03-6:03 am and 4:36-5:36 pm |
Moon: waxing gibbous, 92% lit. These are solunar periods, the traditional feeding-time theory: majors around the moon's transit overhead and underfoot, minors around moonrise and moonset. Theory, not a measurement. Times are Eastern Time (EDT).
What the record actually says
- Last stocked May 4
- Water 52 °F, prime coldwater range
- Flow near normal for the season
Computed this evening, Oct 23 · Pennsylvania fishing forecast
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. The gauge reads 52 degrees, prime coldwater temperature; fish confidently through the day.
For the trout (brown trout stocked 10 times here in 2026, moving water)
| Waders or wet-wading boots | stocked stream fish stack in the obvious pools; getting to the next one is the edge |
| Light spinning rod | 5 to 6.5 ft light or ultralight; short rods cast under branches |
| Inline spinners | 1/16 to 1/8 oz silver or gold; swing them across the current seams |
Suggestions follow from what the state actually stocks here and what kind of water it is, nothing else. No sponsored placements.
Named as published by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. Each link opens the official text; read the rule there before you fish. We do not restate regulations.
Nearby stocked waters
The closest waters with stocking pages of their own, straight-line miles from this one.
| Water | Distance | Most recent |
|---|---|---|
| Pickering Creek | 1.2 mi | May 4 |
| Perkiomen Creek | 2.8 mi | Mar 6 |
| Skippack Creek | 3.5 mi | Apr 30 |
| East Branch Perkiomen Creek | 8.3 mi | Oct 21 |
| Stony Creek | 8.6 mi | May 1 |
Follow Chester County stocking: RSS / Calendar (iCal) / Print the schedule