Northcentral Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania
Pine Creek Fishing Report: May 19, 2026
Pine Creek is in a useful fishing window today.
- Status
- good
- Flow trend
- falling
- Best window
- Morning and evening
- Best methods
- nymphs, streamers, dry flies
Quick Summary
Pine Creek is in a useful fishing window today. USGS showed 889 cfs and 2.55 feet at 7:15 AM, with the flow trend falling. Water temperature was Not reported. Start with nymphs, then adjust to streamers or dry flies if fish begin feeding higher in the column. With warm air in the forecast, carry a thermometer and stop targeting trout if afternoon water approaches 68 F.
Conditions Snapshot
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Status | Good |
| Flow | 889 cfs at 7:15 AM |
| Gauge Height | 2.55 feet |
| Water Temp | Not reported |
| Clarity | Not reported |
| Trend | Falling |
| Best Window | Morning and evening |
| Best Method | nymphs; streamers; dry flies |
| Wadeability | Good |
Weather
For Slate Run, PA, the National Weather Service forecast says: Today: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 90. Southwest wind 3 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. 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 falling 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, current public report context where available, and today’s official gauge/weather check.
| Hatch | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sulphur | 14-16 | Possible in softer edges during evening |
| Caddis | 14-18 | Check riffles and banks |
| March Brown | 10-12 | Sporadic larger mayflies |
| Stonefly | 8-12 | Useful subsurface in heavier runs |
Recommended Flies
| Category | Fly | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry | Sulphur Parachute | 14-16 | Evening risers |
| Dry | Elk Hair Caddis | 14-18 | Riffle search pattern |
| Nymph | Pat’s Rubber Legs | 8-12 | Heavier water and pocket edges |
| Nymph | Pheasant Tail | 14-18 | Mayfly nymph option |
| Streamer | Sculpin Pattern | 4-8 | Banks and deeper slots |
Tactics
Start with nymphs in defined lanes and adjust weight, depth, or leader length before changing flies. If fish begin rising, simplify to a single dry or dry with an emerger/dropper and lengthen the leader. In bright or windy periods, return to subsurface presentations along protected banks and broken water. Re-check the gauge before wading new crossings, especially if the trend changes from stable or falling to rising.
Gauge Links
| Gauge | Flow | Temp | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pine Creek at Cedar Run, PA | 889 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.