Penns Creek in Pennsylvania

Located in the Northern part of Central Pennsylvania is Penns Creek, a creek well known for its large Green Drake hatch in late May and early June. Running through three counties in Pennsylvania (Centre, Mifflin and Union), this stream has attracted fly rodders from all over.

Penns Creek begins a couple of miles north of Spring Mills where it emerges from the mouth of Penns Cave. At its source, it is a small, cool, limestone creek running from 15- to 30-feet wide. This area is heavily posted and very inaccessible for fishing. South of SR 45, from Spring Mills to the town of Coburn (about seven miles), Penns Creek doubles its volume and size from a few cold springs, widening up to 40 feet. Flowing gently through farms and meadows, you'll find a decent number of wild browns here.

Keep in mind that this area is posted in spots, so it's a good idea to obey the landowners' wishes. By the time mid-June arrives, the absence of a large number of trees, that would provide shade to this area, allows the water to warm up to an unfavorable fishing temperature all the way down to the town of Coburn, where Elk Creek flows in. With the shot of cold water from Elk Creek, Penns Creek resumes its characteristics as a great, wild brown trout stream.

The seven-mile area from the confluence of Elk Creek to the catch-and-release area near Poe Paddy Campgrounds is designated as an All Tackle Trophy Trout Project Area. Near Poe Paddy, Swift Run enters and from approximately 650 yds downstream from there 3.9 miles to just about 550 yds below Cherry run, you'll come upon an area designated for Catch-and-Release fishing. Although they don't stock fish in this area, you'll find a good population of browns, some up to 14 inches, with an occasional 16-inch or larger fish. Casting can be challenging in parts of this area, as larger browns feed against the banks outside of casting range.

Throughout the catch-and-release area, there are prolific hatches, deep pools, and very scenic surroundings. Below the catch-and-release section, trout are stocked, but you may only want to fish as far downstream as Weikert, because below there, cold water sources are lacking and the stream is inaccessible.

If you're heading to Penns Creek just for the Green Drake hatch, it's likely that you'll be leaving frustrated. Since there's such an enormous amount of food on the water, it's awfully difficult to entice trout to take your fly. You may fare better by trying earlier in the day, before the Spinner Fall is in full swing. Penns Creek offers a full variety of insects (as early as mid-March, depending on water runoff), and is best from mid-April through mid-October. Be wary when fishing in midsummer because water temperatures often can rise as high as 80 degrees on the lower portion of the stream, so it may not be worth the trip. Penns Creek is accessible off SR 45 and a few other smaller roads. Visit a local shop for a more detailed map of the area. If you're seeking a challenging place to fish for wild browns, give Penns Creek a try.