Favorite Place?

[steveo27]

Is Penn's creek really that magical?

The way I constantly hear people talking about it I cant help but picture people lined up nuts to butts casting over each other. Id imagine I am wrong though?

 

[afishinado]

I've opened this thread more than a dozen times and have read all the posts.

I've fished so many places, yet I still can't come up with an answer to the question.

My hope is I haven't been there yet....maybe on my next trip.

That's really what's it's all about.....

 

[krayfish2]

+1000 to steveo27 post.

 

[TroutTracker]

Yep, Penns is all frogwater, I wouldn't bother ;-)

I've really enjoyed reading all posts. I think what I like best about fly fishing is thinking back to those great trips in special places and planning the next time I'll get a chance to visit them.

If I had to narrow it down to a few spots I'd choose a small stream in Kaimanawa Forest Park on the North Island of New Zealand. Sight fishing dries to big wild rainbows on a small stream is tough to beat.

Another would be the Yellowstone River upstream from Livingston. To me it's a quintessential western river. In the same general area, I often think about a small tributary to the Gallatin River in the north-western portion of YNP.

 

[krayfish2]

Nobody is saying it's terrible. What seems out of place on this list?

Top fly fishing destinations in the world:
New Zealand
Patagonia
Kamchatka
Montana
Penns Creek

I'll make it easy....it's Penns. Is it a good stream with hatches? Yes. Is it world class? Not by any stretch of the imagination. How's the fishing from June 15 - September 15? Nonexistent except in the upper reaches. There are many waters that hold equally as good insect life and probably more big fish. Maybe Falling Springs, Yellow, Slate Run or the Little J are better. I'm guessing that one of the alluring things about Penns is the feeling of remoteness yet close to other streams if you encounter poor fishing conditions. I only get there maybe once every other year. It's OK but not in my top 10 places to go.

 

[afishinado]

For Kray ^


You'll find him anchored up at Barking Dog during the Hendrickson hatch on a Saturday......

 

[TroutTracker]

Krayfish, you make some fair points, but couldn't this have been said of the Upper D last season?

"How's the fishing from June 15 - September 15? Nonexistent except in the upper reaches."

 

[steveo27]

krayfish2 wrote:
+1000 to steveo27's post.

int:


Ive never fished it before so that was a legit question. I fished the little J in the summer once and it was "busy" to say the least. (Multiple cars in pull offs, fisherman within 1oo yards of each other. To me, this is "busy")

In my head, I picture Penns and all the other "popular" streams on here being the same way.

 

[TroutTracker]

Steveo – if you fish Penns during spring weekends when the major hatches are going it's likely to be busy with other fisherman. If you are willing to walk, sometimes you can escape the crowds in these situations, other times you cannot.

If you can get there on weekdays or in the “off” season you can often have long sections of water to yourself and might only see a few people in a given day.

 

[steveo27]

Gotcha.

It sounds a little more appealing now.

 

[mr7183]

krayfish2 wrote:
Nobody is saying it's terrible. What seems out of place on this list?

Top fly fishing destinations in the world:
New Zealand
Patagonia
Kamchatka
Montana
Penns Creek

I'll make it easy....it's Penns.

Except the topic wasn't: "What is the best fishing destination in the world?"

Everyone knows there are better destinations, but Penns is my favorite place to fish. As you allude to later in your post, there aren't many PA streams that can match Penns from spring to early summer in terms of hatches, fish quality, and (especially) setting.

I was there last year in mid-May for a long weekend with some buddies. Forgetting all of the smaller fish, in one day we netted about about 10 fish larger than 15 inches on March Brown dries. And because we were willing to walk and it wasn't drake time, we barely saw anyone else the entire time.

 

[McSneek]

steveo27 wrote:
Is Penn's creek really that magical?

The way I constantly hear people talking about it I cant help but picture people lined up nuts to butts casting over each other. Id imagine I am wrong though?

You aren't wrong. They are "nuts to butts" the entire length of the stream. Not worth it gang. Find somewhere else.

 

[krayfish2]

Tom,

You'll see me up that high on the system once every 5 years. Last time was during the sulphurs and I wanted to set myself and boat on fire. Lol.

TT,
Yes, crap fishing conditions in summer will apply to freestone water like Pine and many others. Last season was so brutal, spring creeks and tailwater were not spared. On the Delaware, the tailwater influence only reaches so far. Sometimes only to Stockport Buckingham or Lordville. You still have 25+ miles of fishable water on the branches and the Main is like a freestone for all intents and purposes. On a July 4th weekend 2 years ago, we fished a section that had seen 30 days of 70-78 degrees water temps. Rains had cooled the river to a high water temp of 62 degrees. We let it stabilize for a day or two and found fish....10 times more fish than we thought would hold through the high water temps...which is similar to Penns. Every time I go there, it's way too crowded. Fished the Drakes 3 years ago after a 15 year absence. It'll be 15 more until I go back. I've seen the SR less crowded during the run of Kings

 

[csoult]

I didn't put penns on my list, but it can be an amazing place to fish.

Usually the things that stick in my mind, and make them my favorite places are the experience not necessarily the fishing (although it helps for sure).

Penns during the JAM (when fishable) with good friends puts it right up there in my opinion.

 

[FarmerDave]

Just discovered this thread, and it's 7 pages already.

Tough question (the OP). The best answer I can come up with is, I haven't found it yet.

If someone else had already said that, I apologize, but no way am I going through 7 pages.

I did like the previous response by csoult.

 

[bikerfish]

csoult wrote:
I didn't put penns on my list, but it can be an amazing place to fish.

Usually the things that stick in my mind, and make them my favorite places are the experience not necessarily the fishing (although it helps for sure).

Penns during the JAM (when fishable) with good friends puts it right up there in my opinion.

tailgating after a great evening is one of my favorite things!

 

[FarmerDave]

bikerfish wrote:

csoult wrote:
I didn't put penns on my list, but it can be an amazing place to fish.

Usually the things that stick in my mind, and make them my favorite places are the experience not necessarily the fishing (although it helps for sure).

Penns during the JAM (when fishable) with good friends puts it right up there in my opinion.

tailgating after a great evening is one of my favorite things!

Tailgating after a less than great evening isn't so bad, either.

 

[FlyGuy29]

PA: Spring Creek
Outside of PA: Madison between the lakes or the Soda Butte... I could go on and on with the places out there.

 

[krayfish2]

mr7183,
I'm well aware of the topic but thank you. I was making the comparison of Penns to world destinations because many on here act as though it's world class.

I think the company you keep has much to do with the experience....see PAFF Jam. If the jam were held on Manada Creek, I bet there would be a lot of votes for it.

I've been fortunate enough to meet some quality guys on here and we fish together when we can. I enjoy their company enough that wherever we are fish could be considered 'my favorite place'.

 

[Hook_Jaw]

By Far Penn's Creek could fish only there the rest of my life every time and be happy with it. Most have no idea about how great Penn's creek is you can't fish there a day or 2 and see what it's all about.