Once upon a time, Saucon Creek was just drainage for mines, making it an ugly blight on an otherwise scenic landscape. Thankfully, times have changed.
Saucon Creek is now a well-maintained paradise for wild brown trout in Pennsylvania.
The state also stocks the stream, which stays cool throughout the summer. It is easily accessible from the road and has a good flow rate.
In other words, it is the quintessential Pennsylvania limestone stream.
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About Saucon Creek
Saucon Creek is a 17-mile-long tributary of the Lehigh River in Lehigh and Northampton Counties. It is one of the many spring-fed limestone streams in the Lehigh Valley, along with Little Lehigh Creek, Monocacy Creek, and Bushkill Creek.
The Creek starts in Lower Milford Township and flows northeast. It runs through Limeport, Bingen, and Hellertown before joining the Lehigh River in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
Saucon Creek is a small stream with an average width of forty feet. It is shallow and has a bottom consisting of small cobbles, rocks, and gravel.
The trophy trout project area is located at Saucon Park. The stream is stocked with brook and brown trout, but if you are sneaky enough, you will also see plenty of wild brown trout!
Saucon Creek Map and Fishing Access Sites
Get Directions to the Fishing Access Points shown above with the DIY Fly Fishing Map
Best Spots to Fish Saucon Creek
Saucon Creek is easily accessible from multiple locations. You can access the stream from Saucon Park in Bethlehem or upstream of High Street Bridge in Hellertown. There are also many access points where the bridges cross Pennsylvania Route 412. The stream is shallow and accessible to wade fishermen.
Best Time to Fish Saucon Creek
The season for Saucon Creek is standard Pennsylvania Trout Season.
Because the stream is fed by cold limestone springs, the water remains cool throughout the year, so fishing the creek is technically possible at any time.
Springtime is always the best time to visit due to the hatches, but the Creek is worth a visit in the autumn as well; not only is the foliage breath-taking during this season, but you will likely find larger brown trout are more aggressive as they get ready to spawn.
You can also tackle this stream in the winter, but you’ll likely only have luck on the warmest days of the season.
Best Flies for Saucon Creek
Like most of the Lehigh Valley limestone streams, Saucon fishes well with midges and terrestrials and has excellent sulphur and trico hatches. The creek also has a decent Blue-Wing Olive and caddis hatch.
Regarding fly patterns, here is a list of some of the best flies for Saucon Creek:
- Blue Winged Olive (#16-20)
- Sulphur (#12-14)
- Trico (#24-26)
- Black Caddis (#16-20)
- Tan Caddis (#16-20)
- Midge (#18-26)
- Scud (#8-16)
- Black Ant or Beetle
Gear Recommendations
A 9-foot 4-wt fly rod with floating line is perfect for fishing dry flies and small nymphs on Saucon Creek. A tapered 9-foot leader, with tippet size 4X to 6X to match the flies you are throwing, is pretty standard.
Saucon Creek Fishing Reports
There aren’t any area fly shops (that I’m aware of) that publish Saucon Creek fly fishing reports. The stream is pretty predictable, given the steady year-round temperatures. As long as the area hasn’t received a ton of rain recently, you’ll be able to catch fish with the patterns recommended above.
Fishing Regulations
Pennsylvania requires all anglers 16 and older to have a standard fishing license and a special permit for trout fishing, which can be obtained online or in most sporting goods stores in the state.
Fishing regulations are available on the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission website.
Trip Planning Tips
The nearest airport to Saucon Creek is Lehigh Valley International Airport, which is about 25 minutes away. Another nearby option is Wilkes-Barre Scranton Airport, which is about an hour away. You can travel to any major or municipal airport in Southeast Pennsylvania and arrive at your destination after a few hours of scenic driving.
If you are looking for modestly priced lodgings in the area, WoodSpring Suites is located 30 minutes away from the Creek. They offer clean rooms, free WiFi and parking, and a friendly staff.
Of course, if you really want to bond with nature on your fishing trip, you might prefer to stay at a campground. We have you covered. Tohickon Family Campground is only 30 minutes away from the stream. They have a fully stocked general store, swimming pool, and plenty of activities and events to keep your family occupied while you tackle Saucon Creek. If you travel alone, you will surely enjoy the safe and relaxing environment of Tohickon Campground.
Start planning your adventure today!
Looking for more places to fish? Visit our DIY Guide to the Best Fly Fishing in Pennsylvania.
Feature Image by Shuvaev
