South Branch French Creek
Fishing and stocking
Brown trout, rainbow trout, and golden rainbow trout water, stocked 5 times in 2026, spread March to April, heaviest in March. The most-stocked water on the Erie County record for 2026.
Erie 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 16 | Brown trout | adult | stocked | |
| Mar 16 | Rainbow trout | adult | stocked | |
| Mar 16 | Golden rainbow trout | adult | stocked | |
| Apr 10 | Brown trout | adult | stocked | |
| Apr 10 | Rainbow trout | adult | stocked |
When to fish South Branch French Creek
| Major periods (~2 h) | Minor periods (~1 h) | |
|---|---|---|
| Today | 9:57-11:57 am and 10:20 pm-12:20 am | 4:13-5:13 am and 4:29-5:29 pm |
| Tomorrow | 10:43 am-12:43 pm | 5:23-6:23 am and 4:52-5:52 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 Apr 10
Computed this evening, Oct 23 · Pennsylvania fishing forecast
Getting on the water
| Access point | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| French Creek-South Branch/Fenno Access | shore fishing | no fee |
Access points from PA Fish and Boat Commission access records. Ramps, fees, and hours change; check before towing a boat a long way.
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 2 times here in 2026, moving water)
| 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 |
| Waders or wet-wading boots | stocked stream fish stack in the obvious pools; getting to the next one is the edge |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Leboeuf Lake | 5.0 mi | 2026 season |
| Lake Canadohta | 7.0 mi | 2026 season |
| Muddy Creek | 8.5 mi | Apr 23 |
| Conneauttee Creek | 11 mi | Apr 21 |
| Edinboro Lake | 12 mi | 2026 season |
Follow Erie County stocking: RSS / Calendar (iCal) / Print the schedule