Patterson Creek Fishing Guides
A West Virginia ridge-and-valley creek running north between two mountains to the North Branch Potomac near Keyser, stocked with trout in spring and a smallmouth stream the rest of the year.
Guides on the Patterson Creek
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About the Patterson Creek
Patterson Creek runs the length of a classic Appalachian ridge-and-valley trough, pinned between Patterson Creek Mountain and Knobly Mountain, flowing north for most of its course to reach the North Branch of the Potomac near Keyser. Two hundred and twenty square miles of drainage makes it a substantial creek by eastern West Virginia standards, and the limestone content of the valley floor gives the lower reaches better water chemistry and more insect life than the sandstone streams on either ridge. It is a working agricultural valley, quiet, and almost entirely overlooked by anglers travelling to the South Branch an hour east.
The gauge near Headsville reports discharge and stage, and the flow record shows a creek that responds quickly to rain on the ridges and then falls away steadily. Spring flows are generous and cold, which is when the state’s trout stocking makes sense; by July the creek is low, warm and clear, and the trout have either been caught or have found the few cold seeps. That transition is the key to fishing it well, because the same water that is a stocked trout stream in April is a legitimate smallmouth creek in August.
Smallmouth bass and rock bass are the year-round residents and the better fishery, holding on the limestone ledges and in the pools through the middle and lower valley. Fallfish are abundant and will take a fly aggressively enough to fool anyone into thinking they have hooked something else. Redbreast sunfish, bluegill and channel catfish fill out the warmwater list, and the stocked rainbow and brown trout persist in the cooler upper water. Access is by county road and bridge, with permission needed on most of the valley’s farm frontage.
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Access
Headsville - the community at the gauge and the usual reference point for flow on the middle creek.
Keyser - the Mineral County seat at the North Branch Potomac, the nearest town with supplies and lodging.
North Branch Potomac confluence - the downstream end north of Keyser, reached from state and county roads.
Patterson Creek Road - the valley road that follows the creek for most of its length.
Burlington - a southern approach to the upper valley in Mineral County.
County road bridges - numerous crossings give short public bank access along the valley floor.
Private farmland - most frontage is working agricultural ground and permission should be sought before crossing.
Seasons
Spring: high cold flows and the state's trout stocking, which makes March through May the busiest time on the creek.
Summer: low clear water, warm temperatures and the best smallmouth and rock bass fishing of the year.
Fall: steady low flows and cooling water, with smallmouth feeding hard and the valley at its most pleasant.
Winter: cold and frequently high after rain, with fish holding in the deepest pools and few anglers about.
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Questions
What is the current flow on the Patterson Creek?
As of Oct 18, 4:30 pm, the USGS gauge PATTERSON CREEK NEAR HEADSVILLE, WV reads 80 cfs. Conditions update every 15 minutes.
What species can you catch on the Patterson Creek?
Anglers target Bluegill, Brown Trout, Channel Catfish, Fallfish, Largemouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Redbreast Sunfish, Rock Bass, Smallmouth Bass, White Sucker on the Patterson Creek in West Virginia.
Where can you access the Patterson Creek?
Headsville - the community at the gauge and the usual reference point for flow on the middle creek. Keyser - the Mineral County seat at the North Branch Potomac, the nearest town with supplies and lodging. North Branch Potomac confluence - the downstream end north of Keyser, reached from state and county roads. Patterson Creek Road - the valley road that follows the creek for most of its length. Burlington - a southern approach to the upper valley in Mineral County. County road bridges - numerous crossings give short public bank access along the valley floor. Private farmland - most frontage i...
When is the best time to fish the Patterson Creek?
Spring: high cold flows and the state's trout stocking, which makes March through May the busiest time on the creek. Summer: low clear water, warm temperatures and the best smallmouth and rock bass fishing of the year. Fall: steady low flows and cooling water, with smallmouth feeding hard and the valley at its most pleasant. Winter: cold and frequently high after rain, with fish holding in the deepest pools and few anglers about.
Where are the fishing regulations for the Patterson Creek?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the West Virginia agency site: https://wvdnr.gov/fishing/fishing-regulations/