Camping at Poe Paddy State Park

[Skook]

Hello,

Has anyone camped at Poe Paddy and fished Penns Creek? If so, do you have any thoughts or advice? Is the section of stream near the campground a good area to walk to and fish, or is it better to hop in a vehicle and drive to better locations in the vicinity?

Is it relatively safe to leave a bunch of camping and fishing gear alone for the day?

I'm looking to enjoy a few days of relaxation, good food and good fishing and am hoping that camping at Poe Paddy will allow me to set up camp for a few days and just walk to some decent fishing without having to worry about driving to different spots or setting up/breaking down camp each day.

Any advice or recommendations would be appreciated. Thank you.

 

[Fish Sticks]

I have stayed there a few times and left bare bones camping gear to an extent out all day and was fine. I was fishing in the vicinity not long ago and I had to wait till 11pm for temps to get fishable I didn’t stay past 2am and I don’t know what time in the Am things start heating up. Honestly, the action for smallies during warm periods on lower penns is top notch. I am not experienced in the watershed down that way to know where the line browns to smallies occurs. Obviously plan on not having cell service. Have fun!

 

[JeffP]

The fishing in Penns is great anywhere. Unfortunately, summer is not the time to fish. I would guess Penns Temps are at least 75 if not higher. It is a great place to camp, hike, and enjoy the lake. I am currently trying to persuade my wife to go up sometime this week but I don't plan on fishing.

 

[Fish Sticks]

I think there is pickerel and other warm water species in po paddy lake? You could prob bring a 50$ walmart tube and have a ball with poppers or clousers.

 

[Skook]

Thank you for the advice and suggestions. If the water is too warm to fish for trout, I will wait until September or October to make the trip. I have no desire to harm the fish. In fact, I won't camp in the heat of summer. It's too uncomfortable to be in a sweltering tent with all the excessive humidity at this time of year.

Is the lake at Poe Valley State Park? My understanding is that Poe Valley has more modern amenities than Poe Paddy, but Poe Paddy offers easier access to Penns Creek. Decisions, decisions....

 

[Fish Sticks]

I have never camped at the lake but I am interested as well. Was just looking at little buffalo park in perry county that looks like sweet camping spot for a smallie trip, juniata is right down the road not far at all. Holman lake probably a fun place for popper dropper. I might have to check it out. Buffalo creek also near by don’t know if any access or good fishing though. Black moshannon state park i heard has pickerel in that lake. Enjoy penns in the fall hopefully find a nice summer spot too.

 

[flyguyfishing]

I got engaged at Poe Paddy St Park. I live clos (state college) but camp there at least once a year.

Poe Paddy is awesome for fishing trout. Penns runs along the camp ground. Poe Paddy is on the horseshoe of Penns. You fish up to the tunnel. Go through the tunnel. Fish to Poe Paddy. All upstream. Check the map for a visual.

I would not fish Penn now for trout. Too warm.

I leave stuff out always. Never had an issue.

Poe Paddy is rustic. No shower. No flush toilet.

Up the forest road about 5 miles is Poe Valley. I have camped there several times. It is a modern camp ground with showers and flush toilets. You can shower at Poe Valley if you are camping atPoe Paddy. If you stay at Poe Valley, you will need to drive to Penns.

Any questions?

 

[jgish92]

I have camped and fished at Poe Paddy numerous times. The campground is right on the creek. There are good places to fish in that area, but be aware that with the proximity of the campground, hiking trails and parking, it is one of the most heavily fished stretches of Penns. Poe Valley S.P. is only about 2 miles up the road from Poe Paddy and it is on the lake, so you could camp at either and still fish Penns. Poe Paddy has pit toilets that are usually quite clean. I have never had a problem leaving out my basic camping gear for the day while I am out on the creek.

 

[flyguyfishing]

I have never camped at the lake but I am interested as well. Was just looking at little buffalo park in perry county that looks like sweet camping spot for a smallie trip, juniata is right down the road not far at all. Holman lake probably a fun place for popper dropper. I might have to check it out. Buffalo creek also near by don’t know if any access or good fishing though. Black moshannon state park i heard has pickerel in that lake. Enjoy penns in the fall hopefully find a nice summer spot too.

Little Buffalo does have a nice campground, too. It also has a working water wheel. (They only operate it at certain times)…if you like historical things.

 

[Skook]

Thank you all for the replies. I'll post back here in a few months with a report. My goal is to fish Penns for trout, so I'll wait until the weather and water cools down.

I'll still be watching this thread for additional advice.

 

[pcray1231]

Yes, very familiar, rehashing a few things but adding my 2 cents.

Poe Paddy - nicer sites than Poe Valley for tenters, IMO. But pit toilets and no showers. The campground is right on the water, and you can look at the map and try to get a site right on the water. It's decent water by the campground, but not the best on Penns, and it does get crowded, not just with fishermen but swimmers and dog walkers and such. For my "ok, we're going on the water for the day" trips, I usually find myself driving or walking a half mile up tunnel spur road and either going upstream or through the tunnel and down, both open up a ton of excellent water. That said, I still like to have the camp on the water for ambience, to watch whats happening hatch wise, and throw a few casts while your buddy is finishing lunch, and sometimes to set up for the evening rise too. A nice, full day trip is actually to go through the tunnel and then fish upstream from there, you end up back at the campsite after a mile or two.

Poe Valley - has showers and proper bathrooms. Generally chosen when females are with. Still a short drive to Poe Paddy.

Penns is often too warm to fish in July and August, though it depends on flows somewhat.

 

[Skook]

Thank you, pcray. Excellent advice. I don't mind walking a fair distance to escape the crowd. Based upon what you're saying, it seems like I could do that by walking a few miles from the campground.

I assume there is at least some sort of footpath to follow along the stream. May I ask if it is all public access, or is there private property to be avoided within walking distance of the campground?

 

[jgish92]

Almost the entirety of river right in that area is Bald Eagle State Forest. Not sure if river left is private or not but it's all woods and not posted. There are some trails, but not everywhere but it isnt hard to navigate.

 

[pcray1231]

There are some cabins up tunnel spur road, as well as by where Swift Run comes in. Some of them do post their yards. That said, I don't believe anybody posts the stream itself and access is a non-issue. No posted property is more than like an acre, you can scoot around just fine, and there are paths everywhere, ranging from dirt road, to bikable hiking trail, to fisherman paths along the water.

The big horseshoe curve and tunnel is a weird thing there. The river comes back on itself. At you go a few hundred yards over the footbridge and through the tunnel, and the stream is flowing the other way. You're actually like 2 miles downstream of where you just were! Likewise, the day I said about walking UPSTREAM, going through the tunnel, to wind up DOWNSTREAM of the campground and fish back up to the campsite. Or park by the footbridge there, walk 200 yards and start fishing, fish 2 miles upstream back to your car, lol.
Through the tunnel and then go downstream, a short distance and you hit the ALO area, which goes for several miles before the next access, bike/hike/non drivable road along the stream the whole way. Is very nice water throughout.

Enjoy, that is one of my favorite places in the state. The fishing can be fantastic or tough, depending how you hit it, but it's just wild and gorgeous and the fish are there. You see wildlife galore, from turtles, water snakes, toads, etc. to deer, bear, and rattlers. And the ride in is an adventure in itself, miles and miles of dirt road. Little to no cell coverage (there's a few spots where you get like 1 bar), that's half the "escape." A little semi-offroading too, Poe Paddy drive goes up a very rough dirt road to a gorgeous overlook on top (there is a somewhat better way to get there if your car doesn't have great clearance, but it's longer).

 

[discomidge]

Off topic a bit, but if anyone wants to camp near Penns in the summer and target smallies there's a campground near me on lower Penns called Little Mexico that's right on the creek. Lots of good smallmouth options around there. I'm gonna go hit that area this evening.