I’ve whittled down my “to do” list to exactly seven streams. I don’t have a count on how many total I’ve fished in PA. I have picture folders on my computer of nearly 300 streams, and there’s definitely some “one and done” streams I didn’t like and didn’t take any pictures of. My best guess is the total I’ve fished is somewhere around 400 streams or so.
It’s not a stationary target. Sometimes I get some new info on a stream that I previously ruled out for one reason or another, or sometimes new tracts of SF or SGL, or conservancy property, open up access to a stream that previously wasn’t accessible. But there’s a realistic chance that I’ll be “zeroed out” on new Trout streams to fish (in PA anyway) for the first time in my life sometime in 2025. Feels like an accomplishment in ways, and makes me sad in others. Not much uncharted left out there to explore.
The seven that are left are there for a reason. 3 are in the ANF area, 2 in NCPA, one in the Laurel Highlands, and one in NEPA. They’re all on public land, but they all have at least a moderate level of difficulty in terms of accessing, and a couple of them are definitely “difficult”. None of them are just park your vehicle, hop out and start fishing. They all will require a plan.
One in particular will probably rival the most work I’ve ever done to get to a stream in PA. And will likely need to be done near the Summer solstice to allow for max daylight to get in, fish, and get back out.
(It’s on SGL, so can’t camp that one.) Another will require an overnight backpacking trip to do effectively. And three others will require at least one night of car camping or hotel, due to the drive time required. It’s my goal to get to them all in 2025. I’m not fishing as much as I did before kids, but I think that’s a realistic goal to set.