River Open — summer

French Creek (Chester County)

Elverson, PA · about 2 hours from Carlisle (typical, off-peak)

The SE park, not Meadville's French Creek.

Salt River / stream Lake / pond Shop (desk) Guide only Parking Stay State access Private — ask first

Season

Legal on most trout water. Limestone springs stay cooler. Confirm PFBC. Official rule

License

Pennsylvania fishing license (PFBC)

Park

French Creek State Park lots (Hopewell and Scotts Run lakes) and posted creek access. Stay in the park.

Walk in

Park roads and trails.

Wading

Creek is small; lakes are the easy day.

Usual window

After opening day; confirm PFBC for this week.

Saturday conditions

W 2 mph around dawn. Fine to go.

Sky: ☀️ 83° fair
Sun and moon: Rise 6:20 · 🌔 Waxing gibbous · Set 7:52
Wind at dawn: W 2 mph · Patchy Smoke · 58°F
Wind later: dawn: W 2 mph

10am: W 2 mph

2pm: W 2 mph

dusk: W 13 mph
Flow: 64 cfs · 4.78 ft · 72°F water · 7:15 pm · French Creek near Phoenixville · USGS gauge

A setup that belongs here

4- or 5-wt; lake rod if you stay at Hopewell.

Notes

State park lakes plus a short PFBC fly-only stretch at Camp Sleepy Hollow. Confirm PFBC and DCNR.

Maps Call shop

Log this trip

Stays on this phone only. Nobody else sees it.

Shops

TCO Fly Shop (Bryn Mawr)

834 W. Lancaster Ave, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010
Mon–Fri 10am–7pm, Sat 9am–5pm, Sun 9am–4pm — confirm

Main Line desk. Ridley, Valley Forge, Brandywine, Marsh Creek.

Call Website

TCO Fly Shop (Reading / West Lawn)

2229 Penn Ave, West Lawn, PA 19609
Mon–Fri 9am–7pm, Sat 9am–5pm, Sun 9am–3pm — confirm

Reading desk. Tulpehocken, Blue Marsh, SE limestone.

Call Website

Guides

Shop desks, plus a few independents who fish public water. We do not take a cut. Call them.

TCO Bryn Mawr — book a day

Bryn Mawr, PA · wade / shore · Half or full day — ask the shop

Good for: Ridley, Valley Forge, Brandywine, SE parks

Shop desk. We do not take the money.