The headwaters of Perkiomen Creek originate on South Mountain, southwest of Allentown as small mountain freestone streams. They quickly gather other small tributaries and springs who's limestone waters add flow and fertility to the creek. The Perkiomen has 3 Main Branches, Perkiomen Creek, East Branch Perkiomen Creek and West Branch Perkiomen Creek.
The main branch starts above Harlem in a series of wetlands and springs and flow south toward Rt. 100 picking up several small tributaries along the way. The West Branch rises above the Village of Huffs Church also in wetlands and springs. The East Branch rises in the rolling hills of Bucks County in Bedminster Township. Perkiomen means Place Where Cranberries Grow, in Lenape, the language of the valley's native people.
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These areas of the Main Branch and West Branch contain good pocket water and some small to medium sized pools where trout hide in undercuts and near rocks that form depressions in the creek bottom. It is a classic mountain stream setting except that the limestone springs that feed it make these streams uniquely mountain limestone streams. Excellent hatches and a beautiful setting are reason enough to try your luck on these fertile creeks.
Upper sections in this area are classified as Class A Wild Trout Water by the Pa. Fish and Boat Commission. These stream sections are not stocked and contain self sustaining populations of brown trout. If you fish these areas please limit your catch and return all released fish to the stream immediately. This fishery is fragile and suffers from some thermal stress and bank erosion and trout populations fluctuate because of this. A description of the wild trout water may be found on the Class A streams page.
Perkiomen Creek from Pa. Rt. 100 to the Green Lane Reservoir is managed as a put and take fishery. It is stocked with adult size rainbow and brown trout prior to opening day and 3 times in season with the last stocking in mid May. There are special regulations at the lower end of this section that extend from 200 yards above Church Rd. to the Green Lane Reservoir. It is a Delayed Harvest Fly fishing Only Section. The regulations for the Fly fishing only area are posted. This section is also stocked during October as part of the extended season program.
The unregulated water has many pools and riffles and these areas hold trout until about mid June during most summers. In warmer years the trout move to find cooler water. A major tributary of Perkiomen Creek, Hosensack Creek, is an un-stocked Wild Trout Stream that stays cold all summer and adds its flow to Perkiomen Creek just above the American Legion Hall on Rt. 29. During cooler summers the section just below this junction holds trout most of the summer.
The stocked water has excellent hatches with the first hatch appearing in late January. Early Black Stone Flies start hatching in large numbers, enough flies to bring the trout to the surface to feed, by the end of January. These are small stone flies, #18 and #20, and they are fished primarily on the surface but many anglers prefer to fish them wet. The distinction is that these flies don't hatch from the water but crawl out on the banks and rocks to hatch. They then dry there wings and mate. It is during this time frame that they become vulnerable to the trout.
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The winds of winter blow the stone flies into the water and as they struggle to get out of the water trout rise to the struggling stone flies. Other hatches in the unregulated water are Blue winged Olives, Tan Caddis, Sulphur Duns and spinners, Light Cahills, Little Blue Quills, Tricos and Hexagenias. |
Above Rt. 100 Perkiomen Creek is managed as a Class A Wild Trout Stream and there are 5.3 miles of Class A water on this creek according to the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. There are currently no regulations on this section but we ask that you limit your catch and return all released trout to the stream unharmed. This fishery is fragile and can not support much pressure. If fish are taken out of the stream its status as a WILD TROUT STREAM would be jeopardized. During long hot spells the stream suffers from thermal stress and it is wise to fish elsewhere if water temperatures are above 70 degrees. Some tributaries also hold wild trout but are difficult to fish because they are brush covered and quite small. These tributaries do serve as nursery water though and provide good habitat for young trout. Perkiomen Valley Chapter Trout Unlimited #332 is working to fund stream improvement work along the sections of Perkiomen Creek that are un-shaded below Rt. 100. Four projects have been completed on one small unnamed tributary that enters this section. The projects included 8 cattle crossings, fencing, tree plantings, and bank restoration. This section has some wild trout present and it is hoped that populations will increase as the stream becomes more shaded and cooler during the summer months.
Future projects will include bank restoration and shading and where needed, cattle crossings. The object is to extend the Wild Trout Water downstream in the Main Branch of Perkiomen Creek to Green Lane Reservoir. The Main Branch has some wild trout and will benefit greatly from cooler water entering at its confluence with this tributary.
Perkiomen Valley T.U. applied to USGS for naming of the tributary, the name Meadow Run was chosen by volunteers that have worked on this stream. The name translated to Lenape is Packwechen, this is the name that was submitted and approved by USGS.
Much of the watershed is on private land because of this access is limited. We ask that Landowners rights be respected, always ask permission to fish on private land or stream sections may be closed to fishing.
Some remnant populations of brook trout may also be found in the main branch. Fish surveys conducted by fish commission biologists have yet to find self sustaining populations of these beautiful fish but the Chapter is interested in restoring wild populations of brook trout to the watershed.
The West Branch Perkiomen Creek is a CLASS A Wild Trout Stream. It has not been stocked in several years. There are 7.3 miles of Class A water on this creek according to the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. It contains good populations of feisty wild browns that are a challenge for many fly fisherman.
A stealthy approach and good casting skills are a must on this limestone stream. Fishing the West Branch will challenge all of your skills, the fish are wary, the stream is quite brushy and overgrown, and you'll only get one cast to fool the trout. The browns are colorful and fight well but are not particularly selective though they are spooky. As long as the angler makes accurate casts and keeps a low profile he will have a chance to catch them.
The West Branch flows from the top of South Mountain and has all the qualities of a mountain freestone stream. The distinguishing characteristic is that it is fed by limestone springs which help to keep summer water temperatures cool and improves the creeks fertility.
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This stream is also fragile and during warmer summers will suffer from some thermal stress. Please return all trout to the stream immediately after being caught. This will help to ensure the streams status as a WILD TROUT STREAM. Tulpehocken Chapter Trout Unlimited in cooperation with Perkiomen Valley Chapter is planning stream improvements that include bank restoration and shading along sections of the West Branch the purpose of which is to extend the Wild Trout Water to Rt. 100 and beyond.
The West Branch features good pocket water and some medium size pools and plenty of Wild Brown Trout. The trout are easily spooked and once they are you will need to move to another pool or riffle or sit and wait for the trout to return to their feeding lies. Both branches of these streams rise from limestone aquifers and provide clear cold water most of the year. Perkiomen Creek is the only stream in Montgomery County to hold Wild Trout and because of this, deserves special protection. The Perkiomen Valley Chapter T.U. #332 will apply for Exceptional Value Status for the upper Perkiomen Watershed to protect it from degradation.
Hatches
Later in the year it has several good Caddis hatches and a good Quill Gordon hatch. As the season progresses look for Sulphurs, Light Cahills and Blue Quills. Tricos begin in July and last the rest of the summer. The trico hatch however is not as heavy as on some other area streams such as the Little Lehigh or the Bushkill in Easton. For more hatch information see our section on hatches.