Best brookie waters near SE PA?

[callmestu]

I'm still fairly new to fly fishing and the vast majority of my experience has been on Valley Creek so far. I have all day Sunday and was hoping to get some brook trout, as all I've caught so far are browns. I'm up for a 1.5-2 hour ride from the Lansdale area, any recommendations? If y'all don't want to give out stream names on here I understand, figured I'd give it a try though. I have a few in the Jim Thorpe area I was considering but saw a few older posts from Swattie87 recommending against fishing those solo. I have a Garmin inreach if that makes a difference for the more remote streams and I don't mind a hike.

Thanks!

 

[Nocktavius]

https://www.fishandboat.com/Fishing/All-About-Fish/Catch-PA-Fish/Trout/Documents/classa.pdf

You definitely don’t need to travel 1.5-2 hours to find a couple char. If you’re gonna make a trip out of it, I’d at least go somewhere scenic (like the Pa wilds) or somewhere close to a good sized trout river for when you get sick of bushwhacking to catch 5” fish😂.

 

[phiendWMD]

I would keep eye open for these in the Jim Thorpe area.
I saw this one yesterday.

 

[jifigz]

I would keep eye open for these in the Jim Thorpe area.
I saw this one yesterday. View attachment 1641230673

That's a gorgeous black phase rattler.

 

[wildtrout2]

That's a gorgeous black phase rattler.

That's a fine specimen of a black phase. I've seen several in my travels over the years, but I'm still waiting to see a yellow phase, which I think are prettier. I've never seen one in the wide open like that, usually in the ferns.

 

[phiendWMD]

That's a fine specimen of a black phase. I've seen several in my travels over the years, but I'm still waiting to see a yellow phase, which I think are prettier. I've never seen one in the wide open like that, usually in the ferns.

It was coiled in the grass. Most likely we wouldn't have noticed it, but it hissed. It did not rattle.

 

[jifigz]

That's a fine specimen of a black phase. I've seen several in my travels over the years, but I'm still waiting to see a yellow phase, which I think are prettier. I've never seen one in the wide open like that, usually in the ferns.

Interesting. I've come across many rattlers in my outdoor adventures and I'll add my 0.2 cents about them.

In Central PA where I live I almost always see yellow phase. Black phase don't really seem to exist here in Mifflin and Huntingdon counties.. In NC PA I have never seen a yellow phase and they are always black phase.

I agree, yellow phase are prettier.

 

[jifigz]

Not trying to hijack the thread, but here is a lovely yellow phase I nearly stepped on back in 2017 near the Mifflin/Centre county line on the Mid-State Trail. It didn't rattle, move, nothing.

 

[jifigz]

And just so we're clear. We call them "phases" but timber rattlers don't change color phases throughout their life. It's the same principal as someone being dark-skinned vs light-skinned. A black phase rattler is and always will be a black phase rattler. It's genetic variation.

 

[wildtrout2]

Of the rattlers I've seen, none of them rattled except for one in Carbon county, which I almost stepped on. That's pretty much the only way you'd get bitten by one. Sorry for my participation in the highjacking of this thread.

 

[HopBack]

https://www.fishandboat.com/Fishing/All-About-Fish/Catch-PA-Fish/Trout/Documents/classa.pdf

You definitely don’t need to travel 1.5-2 hours to find a couple char. If you’re gonna make a trip out of it, I’d at least go somewhere scenic (like the Pa wilds) or somewhere close to a good sized trout river for when you get sick of bushwhacking to catch 5” fish😂.

In his case being from Lansdale you might have to travel at least and hour to find a brook trout. To find a quality stream, I would say you are pushing 2 hrs.

 

[Bamboozle]

I'm still fairly new to fly fishing and the vast majority of my experience has been on Valley Creek so far. I have all day Sunday and was hoping to get some brook trout, as all I've caught so far are browns. I'm up for a 1.5-2 hour ride from the Lansdale area, any recommendations?...

callmestu:

If it was me I'd cut my brookie fishing teeth at Hickory Run in Hickory Run State Park...

It's a little over an hour away from the Lansdale Interchange via the Turnpike, it's a pretty stream, not all hemmed in with rhododendron and has several easily accessed sections to explore. I fish it by wading upstream of Route 534 and from the bank below Route 534.

There are also several other brookie streams close by that you can explore by driving but a mile or two, plus Mud Run and two lakes if that is of interest.

If you go, have fun!

 

[vealboy]

I live in Lansdale and fish to Poconos every week.Stay away from Hickory Run the park gets very crowded,its gotten really bad the past few years.I fished Hickory Run last sunday and when I left to come home it was very busy.You could try Choke Creek or Sand Spring Run in Pinchot SF,both have good pops of wild brooks.Also Ash Creek in SGL 135.All are under a 2 hr drive.If you want specific directions hit me with a PM

 

[ROVERT]

Interesting. I've come across many rattlers in my outdoor adventures and I'll add my 0.2 cents about them.

In Central PA where I live I almost always see yellow phase. Black phase don't really seem to exist here in Mifflin and Huntingdon counties.. In NC PA I have never seen a yellow phase and they are always black phase.

Interesting. I've come across many rattlers in my outdoor adventures and I'll add my 0.2 cents about them.

In Central PA where I live I almost always see yellow phase. Black phase don't really seem to exist here in Mifflin and Huntingdon counties.. In NC PA I have never seen a yellow phase and they are always black phase.

I agree, yellow phase are prettier.

Interesting, indeed. I generally see one or two each year in Mifflin Co and at least 3/4 are black. Here's one I almost stepped on within a literal stones throw of the Midstate trail in BESF.

 

[ROVERT]

 

[Swattie87]

It’s funny, I’ve seen a lot of Rattlers in PA, but never one in Carbon County. Though I know they’re there, and I know guys who have seen them on the streams I frequent up there.

To the OP…In a similar fashion to those older posts, I’m not trying to discourage anyone from fishing that area. Just know what you’re getting into, look hard at the topo maps. Some of those streams drop 1k feet in elevation/per stream mile. That equates to in stream navigation requiring at least some degree of climbing. And many of those streams are in gorges, where it’s next to impossible to climb out sideways. Your only options are to go up or down the stream channel, which isn’t easy at a 20% gradient. Just don’t underestimate what you’re getting into, and for your first Brookie outing I’d probably choose something a little easier to manage/less remote.

 

[jifigz]

Interesting, indeed. I generally see one or two each year in Mifflin Co and at least 3/4 are black. Here's one I almost stepped on within a literal stones throw of the Midstate trail in BESF.

Isn't that crazy? How have I never seen a black phase here?

 

[Swattie87]

Isn't that crazy? How have I never seen a black phase here?

I have seen 4 in Mifflin County. All black.

Overall in PA, I’ve probably seen a dozen or fifteen. Only one was Yellow, Clinton County. Coincidence, or maybe not, but the yellow one was the only one to do any significant rattling to warn me of its presence. Most never rattled at all.

 

[falcon]

In Pike and Wayne Counties mostly black but some yellow. Every snake was not agressive and either tried to hide or just went where it wanted to go.

 

[BrookieChaser]

This yellow phase is from Tuesday (5/23) near the Juniata/Mifflin county line.