Mayflies
Caddisflies
A small, busy Pennsylvania Erie tributary with a manmade harbour mouth that concentrates fall steelhead — short water, easy access, and reliable stocked chrome that draws a crowd but delivers.
- Shale
Rules at a glance
- Free fishing
- Fly only
Water temperature for Steelhead
Warm — slow19°C est.ideal 4–13°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Steelhead
When
Steelhead Oct–Apr, on the drop
Where
A small, busy Pennsylvania Erie tributary with a manmade harbour mouth that concentrates fall steelhead — short water, easy access, and reliable stocked…
Why this works
Very poor — water clarity is working for you, but water temperature is the limiting factor today.
Likely species
Mayflies
Caddisflies
Hatch timeline · todayPeak at 12pm
12pm(now) — Grasshopper (Eastern)
Stage: Terrestrials on topApproach: Dry flyActivity: 78%
Also:Reed Smut29%Trico (Eastern)22%
Peak emergence windowWeather boostDegree-days at peak3 food groups active
Peak activity at 12pm — Grasshopper (Eastern) (Grasshopper (Eastern), Peak emergence window)
Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey(1)
Hatch predictions
See what else is on the menu with Pro.
Start free trial14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.
Evidence
Records-basedModerate confidence
Based on species-occurrence records, not local invertebrate surveys.
Through the year
0–3 scale · September highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Brown DunHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Quill GordonHatch
2
2
Blue QuillHatch
2
3
2
HendricksonHatch
2
2
Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.
Ranked for today
Steelhead fly box
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
- Pennsylvania licence with a Lake Erie permit — verify PFBC rules
- Introduced, harvestable sport fishery.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Fishing better nearby · 5
Gallery · 1
Terrain map
About this water
Water quality · US Clean Water Act
- Aquatic life: Impaired
- Recreation: Impaired
What this classification means
Recreation: Bacteria/pathogen advisory — mind wading cuts and immersion.
EPA ATTAINS assessment unit 'Walnut Creek-123925698' (PA-SCR-123925698), 2024 Integrated Report. Aquatic Life use: Not Supporting. Listed impairment causes: Sediment, Habitat Alterations, Hydrologic Alteration, Pathogens. This is a Clean Water Act assessment-unit classification (the US analogue of WFD), not a live reading.
Status is for the Clean Water Act assessment unit covering this reach.
EPA ATTAINS (Clean Water Act) · PA-SCR-123925698
Why this score · for Steelhead
- Temperature028% weight
- Flow8022% weight
- Clarity9518% weight
- Feeding Time6513% weight
- Pressure757% weight
- Insect activity5012% weight
Directions
Related guides
Booking & contacts
Walnut Creek
A small, busy Pennsylvania Erie tributary with a manmade harbour mouth that concentrates fall steelhead — short water, easy access, and reliable stocked chrome that draws a crowd but delivers.
Water temperature for Steelhead
Warm — slow19°C est.ideal 4–13°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Steelhead
When
Steelhead Oct–Apr, on the drop
Where
A small, busy Pennsylvania Erie tributary with a manmade harbour mouth that concentrates fall steelhead — short water, easy access, and reliable stocked…
Why this works
Very poor — water clarity is working for you, but water temperature is the limiting factor today.
Likely species
Mayflies
Caddisflies
Hatch timeline · todayPeak at 12pm
12pm(now) — Grasshopper (Eastern)
Stage: Terrestrials on topApproach: Dry flyActivity: 78%
Also:Reed Smut29%Trico (Eastern)22%
Peak emergence windowWeather boostDegree-days at peak3 food groups active
Peak activity at 12pm — Grasshopper (Eastern) (Grasshopper (Eastern), Peak emergence window)
Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey(1)
Hatch predictions
See what else is on the menu with Pro.
Start free trial14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.
Evidence
Records-basedModerate confidence
Based on species-occurrence records, not local invertebrate surveys.
Through the year
0–3 scale · September highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Brown DunHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Quill GordonHatch
2
2
Blue QuillHatch
2
3
2
HendricksonHatch
2
2
Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.
Ranked for today
Steelhead fly box
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
- Pennsylvania licence with a Lake Erie permit — verify PFBC rules
- Introduced, harvestable sport fishery.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Fishing better nearby · 5
Gallery · 1
Terrain map
About this water
A small, busy Pennsylvania Erie tributary with a manmade harbour mouth that concentrates fall steelhead — short water, easy access, and reliable stocked chrome that draws a crowd but delivers.
- Shale
Water quality · US Clean Water Act
- Aquatic life: Impaired
- Recreation: Impaired
What this classification means
Recreation: Bacteria/pathogen advisory — mind wading cuts and immersion.
EPA ATTAINS assessment unit 'Walnut Creek-123925698' (PA-SCR-123925698), 2024 Integrated Report. Aquatic Life use: Not Supporting. Listed impairment causes: Sediment, Habitat Alterations, Hydrologic Alteration, Pathogens. This is a Clean Water Act assessment-unit classification (the US analogue of WFD), not a live reading.
Status is for the Clean Water Act assessment unit covering this reach.
EPA ATTAINS (Clean Water Act) · PA-SCR-123925698
Why this score · for Steelhead
- Temperature028% weight
- Flow8022% weight
- Clarity9518% weight
- Feeding Time6513% weight
- Pressure757% weight
- Insect activity5012% weight
Directions
Related guides
Booking & contacts