West Branch Clarion River
Fishing, stocking, and current conditions
Brown trout, golden rainbow trout, and rainbow trout water; 6 stockings on the 2026 record, spread February to March. One of 19 stocked waters on the Elk County record. A USGS gauge reports from this water, so the conditions card on this page is live, water temperature included.
Elk 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 20 | Brown trout | adult | stocked | |
| Feb 20 | Rainbow trout | adult | stocked | |
| Feb 20 | Golden rainbow trout | adult | stocked | |
| Mar 24 | Brown trout | adult | stocked | |
| Mar 24 | Rainbow trout | adult | stocked | |
| Mar 24 | Golden rainbow trout | adult | stocked |
When to fish West Branch Clarion River
| Major periods (~2 h) | Minor periods (~1 h) | |
|---|---|---|
| Today | 9:52-11:52 am and 10:14 pm-12:14 am | 4:08-5:08 am and 4:24-5:24 pm |
| Tomorrow | 10:38 am-12:38 pm | 5:17-6:17 am and 4:47-5:47 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 Mar 24
- Water 48 °F
- Flow 46% of the seasonal median
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.
For the trout (brown trout stocked 2 times here in 2026, moving water)
| 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 |
| Light spinning rod | 5 to 6.5 ft light or ultralight; short rods cast under branches |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Crooked Creek | 4.7 mi | May 7 |
| Elk Creek | 5.6 mi | Apr 8 |
| Wilson Run | 5.9 mi | Apr 11 |
| Big Mill Creek | 7.9 mi | May 5 |
| East Branch Clarion River Lake | 8.6 mi | 2026 season |
Follow Elk County stocking: RSS / Calendar (iCal) / Print the schedule