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White Clay Creek Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Sep 11, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

Delaware’s trout stream: White Clay Creek runs stocked trout through a preserve near Newark.

4/5
Good. Solid day ahead.Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.
Flow
31 cfs
Air / High
73 / 85 F
Wind
WNW 3 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 01479000, Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Friday
11
September 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

4/5Good. Solid day ahead.Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.

White Clay Creek feels the season turning: shorter days, grouping fish. The river is running 31 cfs, dropping and clearing. Today brings cloud cover, wind WNW around 3 mph, falling pressure near 1015 hPa and a high of 85. Water sits around 54 F for the season (estimated). With the new moon, the solunar majors run 11:32 PM-1:32 AM and 11:32 AM-1:32 PM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

Rainbow troutExcellent

Blue-winged olives and midges on soft seams; streamers on overcast days move the better fish.

Brown troutExcellent

Pre-spawn aggression: this is streamer season for the fish of the year.

Tomorrow: Similar at 81 F with likely rain: fish ahead of the front. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Sep 12, 6:30 AMHow this report is made →

Before you go

Delaware requires a fishing licence from age 16, from $8.50 for residents. What a Delaware licence costs and where to buy it →

Chasing rainbow trout here? Check the size and bag limits with DNREC before you keep anything.

Water and weather

Live readings from WHITE CLAY CREEK NEAR NEWARK, DE.

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 01479000.

12630448231 cfs08/1208/2209/0109/11

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp73 F
High / Low85 / 71 F
WindWNW 3-7 mph
Pressure1014.6 hPa, falling
Sky / Rain100% cloud, 28%
Sunrise / Sunset06:40 / 19:17
MoonNew Moon, 0%
Water temp (seasonal)~54 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunsetPRIMEPRIME

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 11 · Overcast, 85/71 F, wind 8 mph, rain 28%

Fair or better. A 8 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

Species guide

The species that matter on White Clay Creek: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Rainbow trout illustration

Rainbow trout

Best: Apr-Jun, Sep-Oct

The workhorse of western rivers: riffles, seams and dry-fly eats. Blue-winged olives and midges on soft seams; streamers on overcast days move the better fish.

Brown trout illustration

Brown trout

Best: Sep-Nov

Wary, predatory and nocturnal by preference. The big ones eat streamers. Pre-spawn aggression: this is streamer season for the fish of the year.

When to come: the White Clay Creek calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Rainbow trout
Brown trout
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 54 F (estimated, not a reading).

30405060JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~54 F now

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks White Clay Creek today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 10

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Rainbow trout led the card at excellent. High of 88 F, wind to 10 mph.

Wed, Sep 9

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Rainbow trout led the card at excellent. High of 88 F, wind to 13 mph.

Tue, Sep 8

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Rainbow trout led the card at good. High of 84 F, wind to 5 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
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Before you go

License

Delaware requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

Delaware license plus trout stamp for trout. Fly-fishing-only and stocked-reach designations apply: check current DNREC regulations and stocking schedules.

Access

White Clay Creek State Park parking areas and trails throughout the corridor near Newark.

About this water

A stocked trout stream through White Clay Creek State Park near Newark, New Castle County, Delaware.

Fishing White Clay Creek: the full guide

A creek in a preserve

White Clay Creek rises in Pennsylvania and flows through the White Clay Creek State Park and Preserve into Delaware near Newark, joining the Christina River. It is Delaware’s best trout water, stocked ahead of the spring season, and it also holds smallmouth bass, rock bass, fallfish and panfish through the warmer months in genuinely attractive water.

Trout in spring

Delaware stocks the creek before the April opener and again through the spring, concentrating fish in the designated stocked reaches. Small spinners, bait and flies all produce, with the deeper pools and the runs below riffles holding fish. A fly-fishing-only section provides quieter water for anglers who want it.

Warm-water fishing

Once the creek warms in early summer the trout fishing fades and smallmouth bass, rock bass and sunfish take over, holding the riffles, ledges and undercut banks. It is small water fished with light tackle, and the state park corridor keeps it wooded and pleasant even in July heat.

New Castle County logistics

White Clay Creek State Park provides parking, trails and extensive access along the corridor, with the preserve continuing across the Pennsylvania line. Newark and the University of Delaware are minutes away, and Wilmington is twenty. Check the current stocking schedule and the designated reaches before the spring opener.

Common questions

When are trout stocked?

Ahead of the April opener and again through spring: check the current DNREC schedule and designated reaches.

Is there summer fishing?

Yes: smallmouth, rock bass and sunfish take over once the creek warms and trout fishing fades.

Is access good?

Very: the state park provides parking and trails along much of the corridor, continuing into Pennsylvania.

Is fishing good at White Clay Creek right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.

Nearby waters

Christina River4 miBrandywine Creek8 miLums Pond11 miNoxontown Pond18 miSusquehanna Flats26 miGarrisons Lake29 mi
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