West Branch Octoraro Creek
Fishing and stocking
Brown trout, rainbow trout, and golden rainbow trout water, stocked 11 times in 2026, spread March to April, heaviest in March. The most-stocked water on the Lancaster County record for 2026.
Lancaster 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 20 | Brown trout x 3 sections | adult | stocked | |
| Mar 20 | Rainbow trout x 3 sections | adult | stocked | |
| Mar 20 | Golden rainbow trout | adult | stocked | |
| Apr 13 | Brown trout x 2 sections | adult | stocked | |
| Apr 13 | Rainbow trout x 2 sections | adult | stocked |
When to fish West Branch Octoraro Creek
| Major periods (~2 h) | Minor periods (~1 h) | |
|---|---|---|
| Today | 9:41-11:41 am and 10:04 pm-12:04 am | 3:57-4:57 am and 4:14-5:14 pm |
| Tomorrow | 10:27 am-12:27 pm and 10:51 pm-12:51 am | 5:05-6:05 am and 4:38-5:38 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 13
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 5 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Stewart Run | 4.7 mi | Mar 16 |
| Bowery Run | 6.4 mi | Apr 13 |
| East Branch Big Elk Creek | 7.2 mi | Mar 9 |
| Meetinghouse Creek | 7.6 mi | Mar 16 |
| Conowingo Creek | 11 mi | Apr 10 |
Follow Lancaster County stocking: RSS / Calendar (iCal) / Print the schedule