Back Creek Fishing Guides
A limestone-influenced creek running north through Berkeley County to the Potomac, with spring-fed headwaters holding trout and a lower valley reach that fishes as good smallmouth water.
Guides on the Back Creek
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About the Back Creek
Back Creek rises in the ridge and valley country of eastern West Virginia and runs north through Berkeley County between Sleepy Creek Mountain and Third Hill Mountain before joining the Potomac River above Hancock. It is a limestone valley stream, and the springs that feed it along its length are what give it a cool water fishery in a part of the state where many streams of this size go too warm for trout by midsummer.
The creek has two distinct personalities. The upper reaches and the spring fed tributaries run cold enough for trout, and West Virginia manages a portion of that water accordingly, with stocked rainbows and browns and wild brook trout in the coldest headwater branches. Downstream, as the valley opens and the creek widens into longer pools and gravel riffles, smallmouth bass take over and become the main attraction. Rock bass are abundant alongside them and are often the fish that saves a slow day, taking a small popper or a nymph with more enthusiasm than discrimination.
Habitat is what a limestone valley produces. Ledge rock and gravel bars alternate with deeper bends against wooded banks, aquatic vegetation appears where the spring influence is strongest, and the water runs clear except after heavy rain. Because so much of the flow originates in springs rather than surface runoff, the creek clears quickly after a storm and holds up through dry spells better than its neighbours.
Access is a mixture of public and private, with the Sleepy Creek Wildlife Management Area to the west and road crossings through the valley, and anglers should sort out boundaries and current trout regulations before fishing.
Martinsburg and Berkeley Springs both make convenient bases, each within a short drive of the valley, and the creek’s length means an angler can fish trout water in the morning and smallmouth water in the afternoon.
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Access
Martinsburg - the largest nearby city, with full lodging, fuel and tackle.
Berkeley Springs - the town northwest, with lodging and its own spring-fed water.
Jones Springs - the small community at the gauge, with road access to the creek.
Sleepy Creek Wildlife Management Area - a large public tract west of the valley.
Potomac River - the mainstem north, with excellent smallmouth fishing.
Sleepy Creek - the neighbouring valley stream with similar character.
Opequon Creek - another Berkeley County smallmouth stream a short drive east.
Seasons
Spring: stocked trout in the upper reaches and smallmouth waking up in the lower valley.
Summer: spring inflow keeps the creek cooler than most, and smallmouth fishing is at its best.
Fall: excellent smallmouth fishing in clear low water, with very little pressure.
Winter: cold and quiet, though the spring-fed reaches stay open and hold trout.
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Questions
What is the current flow on the Back Creek?
As of Oct 18, 4:45 pm, the USGS gauge BACK CREEK NEAR JONES SPRINGS, WV reads 32 cfs. Conditions update every 15 minutes.
What species can you catch on the Back Creek?
Anglers target Bluegill, Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Channel Catfish, Fallfish, Rainbow Trout, Redbreast Sunfish, Rock Bass, Smallmouth Bass, White Sucker on the Back Creek in West Virginia.
Where can you access the Back Creek?
Martinsburg - the largest nearby city, with full lodging, fuel and tackle. Berkeley Springs - the town northwest, with lodging and its own spring-fed water. Jones Springs - the small community at the gauge, with road access to the creek. Sleepy Creek Wildlife Management Area - a large public tract west of the valley. Potomac River - the mainstem north, with excellent smallmouth fishing. Sleepy Creek - the neighbouring valley stream with similar character. Opequon Creek - another Berkeley County smallmouth stream a short drive east.
When is the best time to fish the Back Creek?
Spring: stocked trout in the upper reaches and smallmouth waking up in the lower valley. Summer: spring inflow keeps the creek cooler than most, and smallmouth fishing is at its best. Fall: excellent smallmouth fishing in clear low water, with very little pressure. Winter: cold and quiet, though the spring-fed reaches stay open and hold trout.
Where are the fishing regulations for the Back Creek?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the West Virginia agency site: https://wvdnr.gov/fishing/fishing-regulations/