East or west branch clarion river

[wildtrout24]

I will be in Ridgeway next week and thought I might get out for a four hours. Any advice on access or posting issues would be appreciated. Does one fish better than the other? Thanks

 

[PennKev]

East Branch holds fish year round since it is a tail water. There is also plenty of access via the state park. I've caught some nice healthy fish there late in the year. Also a few wild trout here and there. The Dam Inn is a decent place to eat and drink if the fishing doesn't work out. I'd probably fish the EBCR a lot more if it wasn't just as far of a drive for me compared to many of the central PA streams.

West branch, I dunno. From what I understand it can get pretty warm/low in the summer. Probably held up OK this summer. I could be wrong, I've never fished it, only the East Branch.

 

[dryflyguy]

I haven't fished the west branch much either.
And would also recommend the east branch. A tailwater is always gonna have more stable water temps.

I would also advise checking the catch and release water of the main stem just below the junction at Johnsonburg.
There is a huge paper mill there that has a significant warm water discharge year round.
And keeps the upper main stem a bit warmer than usual all winter.
So I'm told anyway. I haven't personally fished there later than october

 

[RLeep2]

Nose to nose between the reg areas on both branches, I'd think that this time of year, the EB would be the better choice by far. Better water levels, better temps and more fish.

Come nice weather, the WB is worth exploring for a mix of stocked and wild fish, but mostly well above the regs area, which has always been kind of a dog, IMO.

 

[wildtrout24]

Thanks for the replies, I was under the impression there were access issues. Maybe thats the main branch? With limited time , leaning toward the East branch regs area. I'll post a report back next week.

 

[dryflyguy]

Yeah, some sections of the main stem are posted.
But there are a few easy access points at Johnsonburg, and downstream at Ridgeway

 

[SmoothOperator]

Outside /below the special regs. Section on the E.B. there is a nice hole right along the main road....( maybe 1/2mi. above Dam Inn)....... Always seems to have some hold overs .....

 

[jrcll]

I`ve fished the EB a good bit over the past few yrs , being its 30min from my camp, beautiful water , good flow cold water even in July and august, the main channel from the lake is 120' deep or so , ive never seen the water temp above 65, but..... very little insect activity, tan caddis, and some summer sulfurs, not much else , terrestrials work well also, the past few years the corp of army eng has been working on the dam, which they found a school bus size cavity in the dam, if there is one stream that should receive attention, this is it, good access, good flow, cold water, I don`t understand why the fish comm, ended up putting trophy trout in Kinzua crk,which by june the water level is low and temp is high, this stream would have been ideal for the trophy trout program

 

[allan_s]

If I remember correctly, the EB lacks bug activity due to the depth of the release; the outflow is providing essentially sterile water.

 

[RLeep2]

Although my understanding is that it is much better now than it has been historically, I'm pretty sure there are still some AMD issues with the East Branch and it terms of invertebrates, etc., it may still be recovering. Several of the tribs that feed the reservoir have historically required treatment for AMD. When you factor in the prevailing poorly buffered geology in the watershed and the effect it has on ph even in undisturbed (never mined) watersheds , recovery is slower and takes longer.