Day trip Recommendations

[Beweav]

My self and two friends are looking to do a day fishing trip within the next month and I’m looking for some recommendations for streams. We would like to be away from people and in the woods as much as possible, so I have my eye on things like state game lands etc. I have the most fly fishing experience and thats not saying much(only about 2 years of taking it seriously), so somewhere thats not super technical would be best. Enough room to cast would be awesome but we have fished small streams before and could make that work. I have not fished any of the “popular” trout streams in PA so I don’t have a whole lot of idea what direction I should look other then what I read about here. Anything in central Pa-ish area would be a consideration. Any Recommendations would be great!

 

[KylePruitt]

Try Poe Paddy campground. Water temps should be good throughout the day once night time temps begin to drop this week. Water levels are good. Might see one or two other fisherman if it's a weekend but you can find some isolated water if you're willing to walk a bit.

 

[Beweav]

That’s a place I had my eyes on. Would you recommend starting at the campground or should we hike farther into the park? Also it seems like Penns is very pressured. Does that lower the chance of us noobs catching fish?

 

[discomidge]

If you're interested in Penns but don't want to camp in a campground and also don't want to backpack there are drive in sites nearby, though you need to reserve them: https://maps.dcnr.pa.gov/bof/camping/ Be aware that the PFBC has an easement along the stream so camping stream-side is technically illegal.

Fishing on Penns can be tricky, I think everyone has different takes on it. FWIW, it's just about my favorite place on Earth. If you decide to go feel free to DM me - I can at least tell you what's going on as I'm out there regularly. And Bruce at Penns Creek Angler is very knowledgable and can set you up with exactly what you need for a given day. He's full of good advice and fishes it nearly every day it seems. That'd level you up immediately.

 

[ntallen]

Penn’s is an enigma with moody fish, nevertheless, it’s incredibly fun. Being that Penn’s is one of the longest limestoners in the state, there’s plenty of access all along it. I’ve accessed it via Weikert and Coburn, but there’s plenty of other places to start at. The guys at the Feathered Hook are friendly and offer indispensable advice & sell practically everything you could ever need. Beware, wading Penn’s can get spooky, especially when its 300+ cf/s; there are boulders all throughout the stream that are shaped like bowling balls, perfect for tripping.

Besides Penn’s, there are plenty of other large water systems & smaller tribs in the area worth checking out. If my memory serves, Spring Creek and Bald Eagle aren’t terribly far from Penn’s, the following are still within an hour’s distance: Little Juniata River, Fishing Creek, Kishacoquillas Creek and many others.

 

[Silent Ocelot]

Kishacoquillas Creek

I've had more fun on Kish than Penns. Kish gets a bit less pressure so maybe it is helpful in getting noobs like myself into fish. I say attack Kish in the day and finish up on Penns when the lower light will make it more advantageous to fish. Not sure what kind of hatches are going on there right now, I'm not a dry guy, but there is great advice on this page and a trip that fly shop to get info is a great idea. Take a 6 pack in to get the REAL low-down.

 

[KylePruitt]

I've had more fun on Kish than Penns. Kish gets a bit less pressure so maybe it is helpful in getting noobs like myself into fish. I say attack Kish in the day and finish up on Penns when the lower light will make it more advantageous to fish. Not sure what kind of hatches are going on there right now, I'm not a dry guy, but there is great advice on this page and a trip that fly shop to get info is a great idea. Take a 6 pack in to get the REAL low-down.

I will say that Kish is great. I fish it several times a week, but it doesn't really fit with OP's request for a more secluded forested area. If you decide on Kish and want someone to put you on fish, let me know! I'm close by.

 

[jifigz]

I would go to Penns. Don't worry about the crowds. Spring is over and the pressure is much lighter now as we near autumn.

Penns will give you that "big woods" feel. It can be moody, sure, but if you've never been back there you should go.

 

[Beweav]

Thanks guys for all the feedback! That’s very helpful.
I see 3 or 4 small class A streams in the State park. I’m not asking anyone to spot burn but are those worth our time to explore?
Also what time do you all expect to start seeing redds in Penns?

 

[discomidge]

I generally see redds in early Nov, but you should start looking for them in Oct. All the bugs have been early this year (there are some Oct caddis out there now amazingly), no idea if spawning will be as well. I also don't see a ton of redds in Penns, at least in my regular spots, unlike Spring which is sometimes one big redd.

I like blue lines around these parts.

 

[GoldFinch]

Thanks guys for all the feedback! That’s very helpful.
I see 3 or 4 small class A streams in the State park. I’m not asking anyone to spot burn but are those worth our time to explore?
Also what time do you all expect to start seeing redds in Penns?

Generally, the class A streams are a little more technical to fish. Close in to cover and trees. If you're not careful, you can spend the better part of your day untangling yourself from cover rather than fishing. If it is anyone's first time out, I would strongly caution against picking a random class A to explore.

If for whatever reason Penn's doesn't work out, Spring Creek is a good backup. Anywhere there's public access has good fishing with a little walking and wading.

 

[mikephl]

How about Stony Creek, starting in Dauphin. It's near Harrisburg and not heavily pressured.

 

[Beweav]

I generally see redds in early Nov, but you should start looking for them in Oct. All the bugs have been early this year (there are some Oct caddis out there now amazingly), no idea if spawning will be as well. I also don't see a ton of redds in Penns, at least in my regular spots, unlike Spring which is sometimes one big redd.

I like blue lines around these parts.

Thanks, we’ll keep an eye out. Thanks for offering the extra help. Once we figure out the day, I’ll send you a PM.

We have fished blue lines before and really enjoyed the tiny bookies so we might do not that some as well.

Does Stoney still have fish I it? I didn’t think there were many wild trout in Stoney and I figured the stocked ones would be fished out by now?

 

[troutbert]

I would go to Penns. Don't worry about the crowds. Spring is over and the pressure is much lighter now as we near autumn.

Penns will give you that "big woods" feel. It can be moody, sure, but if you've never been back there you should go.

Agreed. Keep it simple. Camp at Poe Paddy. Fish upstream and downstream from there on Penns Creek. Fishing the tribs if you feel like it. Have a campfire in the evening. Eat good food. Enjoy.

One time I camped at Poe Paddy in September with my brother, who was visiting. We didn't even fish, but enjoyed it a lot. It's a beautiful place, and fall is a great time to be there.

 

[6xAdams(Jones)]

How about Stony Creek, starting in Dauphin. It's near Harrisburg and not heavily pressured.

Made it there one time a long time ago. Very pretty creek in a very pretty setting. If everyone isn't a flyfisher, one can always go bait-dunking in the lake/pond near the big river. It's also fun to get the stink-eye from posted property owners, going upstream to the SGL Gate - especially when you drive past all the handmade "DON'T GO FAST ENOUGH TO RAISE DUST" signs along the way.

 

[rustbeltwilds]

Upper Allegheny upstream of cloudy or first fork sinnamahoning. 🥸

 

[Beweav]

Upper Allegheny upstream of cloudy or first fork sinnamahoning. 🥸

that’s a little farther then we are looking to drive. Although I would love to get up there and fly fish some. I was born and raised in that area but got into fly fishing after I moved away.

 

[Beweav]

Does anyone know what cellphone service is like in the state park along penns?

 

[Ghill21]

Does anyone know what cellphone service is like in the state park along penns?

Not good lol

 

[lycoflyfisher]

Does anyone know what cellphone service is like in the state park along penns?

Occasionally get text messages. Probably need about a 15 to 20 min drive back to top of mountain for consistent service.