Anybody here fish the ANF much?

[NPflychucker]

Hey All, I have a camp in Sheffield so I spend a lot of time in the Allegheny National Forest fishing the stocked streams as well as chasing natives up just about every trib I come to. Just seems like after the first 2 weeks of trout season you can go to just about any stream up there and be the only soul on it. I know it doesn't have the quality fisheries like a few hours to the east in the center of the state but I can say just about every stream I fish up there I have caught natives in (Not big ones, best is pictured below, about a 9 incher). So my question is, anybody else on here spend much time fishing in the ANF or am I the only one lol. If so what are your favorite streams (for stocked or wild/native fish).

Thanks All
Nick

 

[pcray1231]

I have an extensive history fishing the western ANF region and places just west of there. Don't get up there much anymore. Mainly the Tionesta drainage as well as direct Allegheny tribs and the Oil Creek drainage, a little up to the Brokenstraw area. Camp is a little north of Tionesta. Never did much in the Clarion drainage.

Even the first 2 weeks isn't that crowded. For a long time, I'd take the spinning rods out on opening day, Tionesta Creek. Always plenty of elbow room, usually only see a handful of guys all day long. Places like Salmon Creek get to be a zoo, though, on opening weekend or after any in season stockings.

My favorite streams are generally the smaller streams, which harbor mostly wild brookies, or farther west wild browns. Not gonna name them. But we'll just say that from trickles up to sizable streams, I've fished most of them in there.

 

[NPflychucker]

pcray, totally agree with you. my favorite streams are the smaller ones as well, (no need to name them, wasn't trying to spot burn anyone). Favorite part about being up there is all the public land with countless blue lines with natives. I fish mostly in the Tionesta drainage as well, mainly the branches but I will hit the big water every now and again.

 

[mt_flyfisher]

Can't tell you what it is like today, but when I was a kid my relatives lived in various places around there - Tiona, Clarendon, Cherry Grove, and I lived in Warren. I used to fish and spend most of my misspent youth on many of the streams in that area. That was before the locals were as careful as they (hopefully) are these days with polluting the streams and rivers, and while I was happy to be catching some of the smallish Brookies in those streams, I have vivid memories of some oil spills in a creek or two not far from Sheffield, and seeing some surprisingly large dead trout lying all along the stream banks - kind of made my eyes bug out at the size of some of those fish - bigger than I could ever imagine being in those small creeks.

From time to time I'd ride my bike from Warren to visit these relatives, and fish some of those small tributary streams al day long, and then ride back home that evening. Some place I have a picture holding a pair of 17" brown trout that I caught one day from a pool in one of these small streams. I suspect they may have gone up there to spawn in the fall, and may have remained there over the winter due to the low water - it was a really small mountain stream that I'm not even sure held water year round farther downstream.

Keep at it - you never know when you might catch a 12" monster!

 

[steveo27]

I typically fish the south part of ANF, usually in the Clarion drainage. I plan on exploring farther north this year though.

 

[dryflyguy]

I like to fish the Clarion River when I'm up that way.
However, I've been reading some nice things lately about the Kinzua tailwater - which I really haven't fished much at all - and plan on checking it out a bit more

 

[jrcll]

my camp is just a little east of you, right where 948 and 66 come together , twp rd called pigs ear, anyways I fish the east branch of spring crk off that rd, and fish spring crk just past durhing and and if you follow the forest rd that goes behind Marionville, it will take you to a state game lands , there is a small bridge there and from there down to a large area of deep water, where there are always hold overs

 

[NPflychucker]

Glad to hear there are a few others on here that enjoy what the ANF has to offer. Since everyone else is naming where they fish I might as well too. One stream I have to hit almost every time im up there is the East Branch of the Tionesta. There is a decent section of it towards the Tionesta scenic area that gets fished pretty hard, but once you get below the last vehicle access point there is far less pressure. There is about a 4-5 mile section of stream that is walk in only, that's where I spend most of my time. Once you get below where the average guy will walk to you get into some great water and good numbers of hold over fish that have migrated down between the upper and lower stocking areas. I usually walk in about a mile, until I hit the last refuge/stocking area (this stream is one of those odd balls that has a few of the refuge areas still) then I start fishing. Ive spent many a summer afternoon on that stream miles away from the closest person. Doesn't get much better than that in my opinion

 

[dryflyguy]

By the way, I heard recently that the owner of the Halton Hilton passed away last summer.
Hard to imagine anyone else keeping that place open.
Just wondering if any one has any scoop about what's gonna happen there

 

[724flyfishing]

We fish the Tionesta, the branch, blue jay, and salmon every year on opening weekend for the past 11 years. We've had some great years fishing, some bad ones. All depends on how blown the streams are. We're near Kelletville. It's usually a complete zoo but we don't take it too serious. More like a bunch of old friends getting away from the wives for the weekend lol. I always say I'm going to get back up there shortly after to fish it when the crowds die down but never have. So many places, so little time and if I'm driving 2 1/2 hours, there's much better fishing in that range in other places.

 

[pcray1231]

724, of those, the Tionesta is by far the least zooish. I have had first days where I didn't see another guy, but most years there's a handful. Still, big water, easy to find plenty of elbow room. Best if you get away from the bridges and cross, most guys don't cross.

Salmon is just a zoo on opening weekend, or after any in season stocking. As long as you wait at least a week it can be good.

 

[724flyfishing]

Pcray, you are correct there. The Tionesta is by far the better choice to avoid the first day crowds. I just hope it's not blown out this year. We've had years where it was almost unsafe to wade. The Branch is probably my second favorite of the ones I listed. Beautiful stream and we've caught some fish there but it gets pretty zooish. Supposedly it holds wild fish too but I'm not sure how far up stream of where.

I was doing some research and there happens to be a Class A brookie stream about a mile hike from our camp. All off the beaten trail. 100% public. I think I'm going to cut out of the party scene around lunch time and take the 7'- 1/2" 4wt for a hike over there. Maybe earlier if the Tionesta is blown. If that's not a sign of getting old, I don't know what is haha.

 

[pcray1231]

We've had years where it was almost unsafe to wade.

Too high to wade = too high to fish. It has happened.

But frankly the best years are when it's a little up and MOST people think it's too high to wade. Tionesta is the perfect size for opening weekend. High enough that you can't cross in 98% of locations. But scout ahead of time and find those shallow spots. Cross there in the early morn before anyone sees ya. Then enjoy being alone on the other side of the water. And it's just big enough that the ppl on one side are generally fishing different water than those on the other.



I actually dislike the low years, cause everyone crosses.