Northcentral Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania
Pine Creek Fishing Report: May 17, 2026
Pine Creek is a tough but not necessarily closed option today.
- Status
- tough
- Flow trend
- stable
- Best window
- Bank access only; better after levels drop
- Best methods
- streamers, nymphs
Quick Summary
Pine Creek is a tough but not necessarily closed option today. USGS showed 1,250 cfs and 2.87 feet at 7:15 AM, with the flow trend stable. Focus on safer, softer water and be ready to change plans if clarity or footing is poor. Do not wade the main current; stay on stable banks or choose smaller water until the gauge drops.
Conditions Snapshot
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Status | Tough |
| Flow | 1,250 cfs at 7:15 AM |
| Gauge Height | 2.87 feet |
| Water Temp | Not reported |
| Clarity | Not reported |
| Trend | Stable |
| Best Window | Bank access only; better after levels drop |
| Best Method | streamers; nymphs |
| Wadeability | Unsafe |
Weather
For Slate Run, PA, the National Weather Service forecast says: Today: A chance of showers and thunderstorms after 5pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 85. Southwest wind 2 to 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible. Plan around wind, changing light, and any showers or storms rather than assuming a full-day dry fly window.
River Notes
The best starting point is water that matches the current gauge: inside seams, protected banks, riffle drop-offs, and slower buckets rather than the heaviest current. A stable trend is worth watching through the day; if the hydrograph turns sharply upward, clarity and wade safety can change before hatch timing does. Missing field values are left as Not reported rather than filled from guesswork.
Hatch Activity
Current hatch guidance is based on seasonal May patterns for this river system, recent public report context where available, and today’s official gauge/weather check.
| Hatch | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| March Brown | 10-12 | Worth carrying when water allows |
| Gray Fox | 12-14 | May mix with larger mayflies |
| Tan/Brown Caddis | 14-16 | Edges and riffles |
| Blue Winged Olive | 18-20 | Cloud-cover option |
Recommended Flies
| Category | Fly | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Streamer | Woolly Bugger | 4-8 | Bank and edge water |
| Streamer | Sculpin | 4-8 | Off-color water |
| Nymph | Stonefly nymph | 8-12 | Heavy anchor fly |
| Nymph | Pheasant Tail | 12-16 | Protected seams |
| Wet | Soft Hackle | 10-14 | Swing softer edges |
Tactics
Do not force marginal water. Fish from stable edges, side channels, and softer banks, or choose a more protected water until flows and visibility improve. Streamers and heavier nymphs are more practical than delicate dry-fly work until the river settles.
Gauge Links
| Gauge | Flow | Temp | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pine Creek at Cedar Run, PA | 1,250 cfs | Not reported | USGS 01548500 |
Sources
Official sources checked: USGS station 01548500 and the National Weather Service forecast for the Slate Run, PA area. This report is an original Custom FlyBox summary based on current official gauge and weather data, with local public conditions reports reviewed separately for hatch, access, and method context.