Tobyhanna Creek Fishing Guides
A tea-stained Pocono plateau stream draining swamp and bog country into the Lehigh, cold enough to hold wild brook trout and one of the few creeks in the batch with a live temperature gauge.
Guides on the Tobyhanna Creek
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About the Tobyhanna Creek
Tobyhanna Creek drains about a hundred and eighteen square miles of the Pocono Plateau in Monroe and Carbon counties and joins the Lehigh River at Stoddartsville. The plateau here is a landscape of glacial bog, swamp forest and sandstone barrens sitting near two thousand feet, and the creek carries the signature of that country in its color, a deep tannin brown that looks like strong tea over the gravel.
That water chemistry is acidic and the stream is not especially fertile, but it is cold. Groundwater and the extensive wetlands in the headwaters hold summer temperatures down well below what most Pennsylvania streams at this latitude manage, which is why the creek supports wild brook trout in its upper reaches and tributaries. The gauge near Blakeslee records temperature alongside flow, which is comparatively rare on a creek this size.
Brook trout are the native fish and hold in the headwaters and feeder streams. Brown trout have established themselves in the main stem and grow to better size in the deeper pools. Pennsylvania stocks rainbow and brown trout through the accessible sections in spring. Fallfish are abundant and often mistaken for something better on the take, and chain pickerel hold in the slower, boggy margins.
The creek runs largely through state game lands and state forest, so access is good. Tobyhanna State Park sits on the upper drainage, and the state game lands along the middle creek give walk-in access to water that sees relatively little pressure.
Flows here are flashy. The plateau sheds water quickly and the creek can double in a day after a storm. Spring runoff is heavy and late summer can drop it to a trickle over the gravel, so timing matters more than on a spring-fed stream.
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Access
Tobyhanna State Park - the state park on the upper drainage, with parking and water access.
Pennsylvania State Game Lands - walk-in access along substantial sections of the middle creek.
Blakeslee - the community nearest the gauge, at the Route 115 crossing.
Stoddartsville - the historic village at the confluence with the Lehigh River.
Lehigh River - the receiving river, with whitewater and fishing access below.
Hickory Run State Park - a large state park adjoining the drainage to the south.
Route 115 and Route 940 crossings - the main road accesses through the corridor.
Seasons
Spring: heavy runoff and stocking, with strong flows and the most productive trout fishing of the year.
Summer: the cold headwaters hold up but the lower creek can get thin and warm in a dry year.
Fall: cool, stable water and good wild brown trout fishing through the plateau reaches.
Winter: cold and often iced at the margins, with limited fishing but excellent water quality.
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Questions
What is the current flow on the Tobyhanna Creek?
As of Sep 17, 5:15 am, the USGS gauge Tobyhanna Creek near Blakeslee, PA reads 79 cfs, with water temperature 67.1 F. Conditions update every 15 minutes.
What species can you catch on the Tobyhanna Creek?
Anglers target Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Chain Pickerel, Fallfish, Rainbow Trout, White Sucker on the Tobyhanna Creek in Pennsylvania.
Where can you access the Tobyhanna Creek?
Tobyhanna State Park - the state park on the upper drainage, with parking and water access. Pennsylvania State Game Lands - walk-in access along substantial sections of the middle creek. Blakeslee - the community nearest the gauge, at the Route 115 crossing. Stoddartsville - the historic village at the confluence with the Lehigh River. Lehigh River - the receiving river, with whitewater and fishing access below. Hickory Run State Park - a large state park adjoining the drainage to the south. Route 115 and Route 940 crossings - the main road accesses through the corridor.
When is the best time to fish the Tobyhanna Creek?
Spring: heavy runoff and stocking, with strong flows and the most productive trout fishing of the year. Summer: the cold headwaters hold up but the lower creek can get thin and warm in a dry year. Fall: cool, stable water and good wild brown trout fishing through the plateau reaches. Winter: cold and often iced at the margins, with limited fishing but excellent water quality.
Where are the fishing regulations for the Tobyhanna Creek?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the Pennsylvania agency site: https://www.pa.gov/agencies/fishandboat/fishing/regulations