Best Book for PA Fly fishing

[PATroutMan]

What is the best book for PA Fly Fishing including locations, hatches, trips, tips and trick ect? I know there is a "Fly Fishing Books" section but which is the best one? Which book to you is totally worth the purchase?

 

[DanL]

Landis book hands down but I like them all and own them all as some cover different streams.

 

[geebee]

1) Pocket guide to PA hatches - by Charlie Meck and Paul Weamer
2) Fly Fishers guide to PA - Dave Wolf.

The wolf book is the most up todate, the Landis book is good too though.

imho you can never have too many guide books - i have the above, plus the Beau Beasley "fly fishing the mid atlantic", and "fly fishing the big apple - waters within 150 miles of NYC"

i also pick up information by searching here, and checking the fly fishing connection, TCO shop and Perfect Fly Store websites, as well as local fly shops websites.

that lot enables me to fish PA and VA, MD, DE, NY and NJ so i'm pretty well covered.

or you could just fish with someone who knows their local waters ;-)

 

[rrt]

1. Landis's guidebook is the best of that type. (The Wolf book has quite a few inaccuracies regarding streams I am familiar with, and it contains far fewer streams than Landis's does.) An older book, probably hard to find now, is Mike Sajna's PA Trout and Salmon Guide. Though some of its information is now outdated, it is the most interesting of the 4 PA guidebooks to read, since it contains a lot of nice historical information and anecdotes.

2. The Meck/Weamer handbook about PA's fly hatches is pretty useful, too. However, if you can find Ted Fauceglia's "Mayflies," it is a great book about PA's hatches of mayflies and may be more useful at home than the M/W collaboration, though far less convenient to take along on trips with you. Both are well worth the money you'll spend on them.

 

[PATroutMan]

Thanks for the help! Ill be sure to pick a few of these up

 

[geebee]

lol, i think the answer to the OP's question above is that there is no 'one' book.

The Landis I agree would be the best book, but its 15 years old now.a lot has changed in the last 15 years ! just look at the number of the wild trout/class a streams in Chester Co now.

either book is a good starting point for the 'name' rivers, but if you want the up todate gen on local opportunities the PFBC County maps are probably the best souce along with their wild trout reproduction, class A and (new to me) Wild Trout Designation lists.

Cheers


Mark.

 

[DanL]

I found that Sanja book at a half price book store for about $5.00. I agree, the color commentary and extra info on steelhead is nice to have.

Also to the OP, if you have access to a library, you can get all of these free to try out first. I think I did that for most before buying them.

 

[Fishidiot]

If, like me, you're interested in the historical angle, you can't go wrong with: Limestone Legends (Harrisburg: Stackpole, 1997) and Vanishing Trout (Charles Lose, Baltimore: Gateway Press, reprinted 1993). LL deals mainly with the Cumberland Valley during the mid -Twentieth Century whereas VT is set in upstate PA, mostly Loyalsock area, in the early part of the century.

Among the stream guides, Landis' is the best IMO.

 

[gfen]

geebee wrote:
imho you can never have too many guide books - i have the above, plus the Beau Beasley "fly fishing the mid atlantic",

To say nothing of the stunningly thin gentleman of pg123.

Anyways, the only book I've ever really bought and used was the Meck Fieldguide to Hatches. That was helpful. Everything else is best accomplished by getting in your car and driving, or begging people to spoonfeed you the answers.

The trusty Delorme atlas has been replaced by smartphones and sattlelite maps in your pocket.

Any and all books are going to prove unreliable, as every year brings new massive flooding and idiots move out of the city and post their new country digs.

 

[geebee]

gfen wrote:

Any and all books are going to prove unreliable, as every year brings new massive flooding and idiots move out of the city and post their new country digs.

aint that the truth - streams or beaches. folks move there to enjoy the local scenery and then post it to prevent locals using it.

the same happens on Cape Cod, out towners like the picturesque beaches with the quaint old boats used by the locals to scallop and dig mussels on the flats.

then they buy a place, post the beach, have Legal Orders issued to remove the boats to 'improve' the view....

:-x

on the other hand, Conservancy's are buying up posted land and opening it to the public, and Towns are buying land too and establishing the Colonial right to gather from the sea shore or traverse a naviagble river.

 

[rrt]

One other thing: If you look under the Fly Fishing Books heading of this site, you'll find that Wolf's book can be had for 1 cent. I imagine that plus postage. That would make the book worth it.

 

[Bruno]

Pennsylvania Trout and Salmon Fishing Guide -
Mike Sajna


It is the best IMO - it offers a little history as well as good stream info. LMGTFY and this book are all you need.

 

[PennKev]

The Meck book has terrible maps IMO. I noticed several errors and that is just the streams I am familiar with. Roads that don't connect in real life. Stream crossings in the wrong places, misnamed tributaries etc.

Trout Streams of Pennsylvania is far and away the best book. The Wolf books is also good also but it's deceiving in appearance. A large portion is marginally useful hatch charts and warm water info.

With all that in mind, I still own all three and reference them all, but I find myself referencing the Wolf and Meck books only when TSoP comes up short, which is rare as TSoP covers virtually all of the better known waters in each region.

Lastly, you have the internet (obviously) and there is no better way to research obscure streams. Couple the info on the PAFBC website with google earth, bing maps, and a good old fashioned google search and you have an incredible amount of info. It won't be spoon fed to you and you need to piece it all together, but it is a fun process and satisfying to figure it out.

 

[LeTortAngler2]

My mini FF library consists of mainly books of PA, and neighboring states. Pretty much all Mecks books will get you started in the right direction, my favorites of his being Fishing limestome streams, PA streams and their hatches, and the pocket guide cover most famous streams and their hatches.

 

[boychick]

If you are going to own 1 book, Trout Streams of Pennsylvania. I think it has the best maps of all the guide books and it includes much more than just the most well known streams. As far as hatches go, talk to the guys at local fly shops.

 

[salvelinusfontinalis]

If, like me, you're interested in the historical angle, you can't go wrong with: Limestone Legends (Harrisburg: Stackpole, 1997) and Vanishing Trout (Charles Lose, Baltimore: Gateway Press, reprinted 1993). LL deals mainly with the Cumberland Valley during the mid -Twentieth Century whereas VT is set in upstate PA, mostly Loyalsock area, in the early part of the century. Among the stream guides, Landis' is the best IMO.

I totally agree with this.

On a side note I bought Keystone Canoeing at a local thrift shop the other day. Interesting guide book.

 

[PatrickC]

gfen wrote:


The trusty Delorme atlas has been replaced by smartphones and sattlelite maps in your pocket.

Best thing you have ever written. I have several colored with highlighted streams throughout. It's part of the adventure. Get one here and start your adventure!

 

[poopdeck]

I have one and only one such book that I inherited from my father. Im guessing its 10 to 15 years old. I feel no need to get another unless I happen across a cheapy at a garage sale somewhere. Since I rarely go to garage sales I doubt ill get another in the age of the Internet.

"Pennsylvania trout streams and their hatches" second addition, Charles Meck.

Can't speak for the accuracy of the maps as I simply use it for basic stream and hatch information and not for getting to the stream. I find it to be a well written guide to get me started.

 

[Tigereye]

I dont want to bad mouth any authors, however, I find that they really know little about Most of the streams they write about. YES they may intimately know a handful, but all, I doubt it.

Usually the outline is something like this:

I met up with Joe Schmoe to fish the lovely Whachamacallit creek. We arrived at what is locally called the Honeyhole and we took positions at the head and tail of the run. It wasn't long til I heard a Whoop out of old Joe and saw him finessing a feisty brown to the net. We matched each other fish for fish for about an hour until the swarm of #16 Superflies began to subside. The best fish of the day was a hefty, broad shouldered rainbow of about 16 inches.

Yes the Wachamacallit Ck has its issues but the fishing can be great. I will return to fish it again

The author fishes the stream once in his life, has a local take him there in return for mentioning his name in the book. Suddenly the author is a rock star.

Save your money, get a map of Pa and talk to PAFBC WCO who knows the water . Information will be current and free.

Thanks for letting me vent.

 

[afishinado]

Tigereye wrote:
I dont want to bad mouth any authors, however, I find that they really know little about Most of the streams they write about. YES they may intimately know a handful, but all, I doubt it.

Usually the outline is something like this:

I met up with Joe Schmoe to fish the lovely Whachamacallit creek. We arrived at what is locally called the Honeyhole and we took positions at the head and tail of the run. It wasn't long til I heard a Whoop out of old Joe and saw him finessing a feisty brown to the net. We matched each other fish for fish for about an hour until the swarm of #16 Superflies began to subside. The best fish of the day was a hefty, broad shouldered rainbow of about 16 inches.

Yes the Wachamacallit Ck has its issues but the fishing can be great. I will return to fish it again

The author fishes the stream once in his life, has a local take him there in return for mentioning his name in the book. Suddenly the author is a rock star.

Save your money, get a map of Pa and talk to PAFBC WCO who knows the water . Information will be current and free.

Thanks for letting me vent.

^ LOL

Here's my take on the PA Guides mentioned:

> The Landis book is best for maps and locations
http://www.amazon.com/Trout-Streams-Pennsylvania-Anglers-Edition/dp/1879475022

> The Meck book is best for hatches and bugs
http://www.amazon.com/Pennsylvania-Streams-Hatches-Regional-Fishing/dp/0881502723

> The Wolf book includes warmwater fishing and not just trout
http://www.amazon.com/Flyfishers-Guide-Pennsylvania-Guides-Series/dp/1932098518

> The ultimate bug book for PA is the Meck/Weamer book. Not a stream guide for PA, but a bug guide.
http://www.amazon.com/Pocketguide-Pennsylvania-Hatches-Charles-Meck/dp/0979346053

> For up-to-date info on all PA streams and bugs
http://www.paflyfish.com/forums/