Books-pa stream guide

Dwight's first, then get Trout Unlimited's Guide to Pennsylvania Limestone Streams by: A. Joseph Armstrong.
 
they just cover different things... landis is much better for a lot of streams, and a lot of small streams. good maps and well written.
 
Be careful with the Armstrong book. I admire that he donated the profits to TU (I think). However, he lists at least 2 real freestoners as limestoners (Canoe Creek and the LBE) from my area. He may do that with others as well. Just a caution.
 
The Armstrong book isn't much of stream guide IMO
He just explored streams that are in the limestone belts of the state.
And at that, he only visited most of the streams once - and pretty much fished with an attractor fly called an ausable wulff. I found quite a few of his stream assessments to be off target from what I experienced on them
 
Landis' book has helped me plan 3 trips to new streams and be able to get us there without a GPS his maps are that good. I'm also able to take the flies I need with me based on most of his reports and accounts.
 
dryflyguy wrote:
The Armstrong book isn't much of stream guide IMO
He just explored streams that are in the limestone belts of the state.
And at that, he only visited most of the streams once - and pretty much fished with an attractor fly called an ausable wulff. I found quite a few of his stream assessments to be off target from what I experienced on them
Click to expand...
Where did you find out about that? Perhaps conditions had changed on the streams you went to? I've been to streams given in guides and had the same type of experience as you had. I'm not a fanboy or anything, I just want to know... :)
 
lv2nymph -

In the front section of the book, the author says right off the bat that he consulted geologic maps to figure out where to fish in areas of the state with limestone deposits.

He also says rather early in the book, that the majority of his fishing is done with a #16 ausable wulff - I guess as a seaching pattern.

As for the streams themselves - I remember reading quite a few of his reports stating that that particular stream wasn't in good form on the day he visited it - either because of high water, high air temps - and that the fishing there could well have been a lot better than what he saw of it
 
I'm confused, then. In his book, if he admits these things, then maybe he is simply guiding others to explore the streams for themselves? Sounds like a reasonable thing to do... basically chronicling his effort to find limestone waters in PA that are worth fishing. Heck, half the fun is the unknown idinit?
 
Dryflyguy,
I hate to admit it but when I got the book I really only lightly skimmed the front part. I lived in Delaware when I got it and there are not a whole lotta trout streams in that state. I was hungry for information on the location of limestone streams in Pa. and was too far away at the time to wonder around looking for them on my own. The milky green color of limestoners haunted my dreams.When I saw the book I was in heaven all the leg work done and packaged up in a book, didn't really care about his results I just wanted to fish them and find out for myself. I guess what I'm saying is if someone is looking for the location of these types of streams and don't have alot of time to burn it's a good one in my book. Thanks for telling me what is in the book I have on my shelf. :) Jack
 
I'd view Armstrong's book more as a catalog and a "get out and explore what's available" book, than a "go here, fish this fly, and you'll catch this many fish" book. It's a guide in the sense that it collects the information for you about limestone influenced streams, but I don't think the author would imply that his single time fishing a stream is necessarily the definitive take of the overall quality of that water.

FWIW, Canoe Creek is definitely a limestone influenced stream. There may be enough sandstone or shale beds intermingled with the limestone in the area to form "freestones" as the bedrock weathers but its definitely flowing through a limestone belt. Step into some of its tribs in the middle of summer and that should confirm it - brrrr!!
 
I should also add that Mr Armstrong did consult with other fisherman for information on some of the streams he listed.

All in all, I did think the book was quite interesting. He fished many streams that were so small and obscure, that I would have never even thought of trying to fish them
 
Landis by a mile.

The meck and Wolf books are similiar IMO, and neither come close to what Dwight was able to put together. Meck's book really gets bogged down by repetitive, poorly written fishing stories. Also, ome of the maps are incorrect. Wolf's book suffers from similiar problems. Also, both try to talk as experts on every stream they describe when it is evident they aren't.

On the other hand, Landis's Trout Streams of Pennsylvania really delivers when it comes to finding the info you need to actually get to a stream and fish it. Good maps, plenty of stream descriptions for all parts of the state, practical hatch information, and no bull. It is everything the other two books aren't.

Kev

P.s. A delorme PA atlas and gazetteer is also incredibly useful. paired with a copy of TSofPA, you will be busy for years exploring new places.
 
I agree with pennkev, and we are fortunate to have the books given all the stream miles in PA. I believe that the pfbc site says that only streams that make up about a third of the stream miles have been surveyed.
 
Absolutely, that Pa Atlas & Gazetteer is worth it's weight in gold! I don't go to a new stream/area without it The older (early 2000's) additions are best.
 
+1
Don't leave home without it. The A&G is something that just stays in the truck year round.
 
Yeah - the PA Delorme has guided me to countless WT streams. And it is the one book that goes with me on practically every fishing trip.
But they do tend to get rather beat up - and I've gone through at least 3-4 of them since they first came out.

And they really did dumb it down for the latest editions.
Fortunately, I came across a brand new 2003 edition at a local fly shop not long ago.
And shortly after that, I came cross a 1987 edition - with the yellow cover - in an antique store. It was like new, and I got it for $5.
So, I have a stash of the older versions - that will last me, hopefully, for the rest of my life
 
I've read them both and they are both great books. Landis's book was more detailed and Wolfe went the extra mile and included warmwater. Dwight if you read this we need an updated version! I would love another great Pennsylvania trout stream book.
 
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