Northcentral Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania
Pine Creek Fishing Report: May 25, 2026
Pine Creek is tough today with 1,740 cfs at Cedar Run and a rising flow trend, so treat wading as limited to protected edges and favor boat or bank options.
- Status
- tough
- Flow trend
- rising
- Best window
- Morning and evening, with midday dependent on clouds and wind
- Best methods
- nymphs, dry flies, streamers
Quick Summary
Pine Creek is a tough option today. USGS showed 1,740 cfs at 8:15 AM and 3.27 feet, up from the early-morning reading, with water temperature Not reported. Treat this as a boat-preferred or protected-edge day; crossings and mid-channel wading are a poor choice while the Cedar Run gauge is rising. The best plan is morning and evening, with midday dependent on clouds and wind; start with heavier nymphs or streamers in softer bank water and switch to dries only if fish show in safe edge seams.
Conditions Snapshot
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Status | Tough |
| Flow | 1,740 cfs at 8:15 AM |
| Gauge Height | 3.27 feet |
| Water Temp | Not reported |
| Clarity | Not reported |
| Trend | Rising |
| Best Window | Morning and evening, with midday dependent on clouds and wind |
| Best Method | nymphs; dry flies; streamers |
| Wadeability | Boat Preferred |
Weather
For Slate Run, PA, the National Weather Service forecast says: Memorial Day: Isolated rain showers between noon and 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 80. Northwest wind 1 to 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. Active NWS alerts for the point check: No active NWS alerts for the checked point.
River Notes
Use the Cedar Run gauge as the baseline, then confirm clarity and bank safety when you arrive. The hydrograph moved from 1,510 cfs at 7:15 AM to 1,740 cfs at 8:15 AM, which is enough of a rise to make wading more restrictive than the first morning check. Favor inside bends, softer banks, and defined seams instead of committing to heavy mid-channel water. Official gauge data does not report clarity, so treat clarity as Not reported until it is checked on site.
Hatch Activity
Current hatch guidance is based on late-May regional timing, current official gauge/weather checks, and public local report pages reviewed separately for context.
| Hatch | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Caddis | 14-18 | Search riffles and soft edges |
| Sulphur | 14-16 | Evening possibility where water stays cool |
| March Brown / Gray Fox | 10-12 | Carry larger mayflies |
| Stoneflies | 8-12 | Nymphs for pocket water |
Recommended Flies
| Category | Fly | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry | Elk Hair Caddis | 14-18 | Cover riffle edges |
| Dry | Sulphur Parachute | 14-16 | Use to rising fish late |
| Nymph | Pat’s Rubber Legs | 8-12 | Good anchor fly in heavier water |
| Nymph | Pheasant Tail | 14-18 | Pre-hatch dropper |
| Streamer | Woolly Bugger | 6-10 | Prospect banks and deeper slots |
Tactics
Start subsurface in the most defined walking-speed lanes and change depth before changing flies. In the rising water, a Pat’s Rubber Legs, larger mayfly nymph, or small streamer tight to the bank is more practical than long mid-channel drifts. If fish begin rising in protected edges, simplify to one accurate dry or a dry with a small emerger and lengthen the leader. Keep crossings off the plan and check the gauge again before stepping into pushy water.
Gauge Links
| Gauge | Flow | Temp | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pine Creek at Cedar Run, PA | 1,740 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.