Floating Penns Creek

[Ogie]

Anyone out there ever floated Penn's Creek? A friend and I have 10ft Outcast Pontoons and are considering floating and flyfishing from Poe Paddy to Wiekert? Any information ie, rapids, distance, take in take out, obstacles/dangers would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[McSneek]

Obstacles - me standing knee deep in a riffle in one of the various braided areas as you try to squeeze by in your 10 foot 'toon.

Dangers - someone not as patient as me standing knee deep in a riffle as you try to squeeze by in your 10 foot 'toon.

In all seriousness, while it could be done in the right water conditions, I don't advise it, especially during prime fishing season when the stream can be fairly crowded. There are some wide areas where you could get around someone but also plenty of narrow stretches where you would really be imposing on wade fishermen IMO.

 

[ROVERT]

Yeah, I think it would be difficult to do and have a positive experience. You probably wouldn't see ton of guys and would be able to navigate around the ones there at 800+ CFS but that is probably not the experience you are looking for either.

 

[Ogie]

Thanks for the info. I wasn't sure if it was regularly drifted. I gather from your response that it is not and maybe even unwelcome by local fisherman. I appreciate your candor. I would rather put it out there in advance than get the glares as I "squeeze" by.

 

[franklin]

Driving distance from Poe Paddy to Cherry Run (likely take out) is long. You would be better simply spending your time fishing rather than putting a pontoon together, getting a car to the other end, reloading, and driving back. Just go to Poe Paddy and fish in either direction and then fish back.

(It's about a 19 mile road trip one way for a float of about 4 miles.)

 

[Swattie87]

Ogie wrote:
I wasn't sure if it was regularly drifted. I gather from your response that it is not and maybe even unwelcome by local fisherman. I appreciate your candor. I would rather put it out there in advance than get the glares as I "squeeze" by.

I don't think it's regularly drifted...but honestly...who cares? If you wanna do it, and it sounds fun to you, do it. On a publicly owned stretch of water you have every bit as much right to be there enjoying the resource as anybody else, regardless of what activity you're/they're enjoying. The wade fisherman is equally imposing on you enjoying your float as you are imposing on them enjoying their wade fishing!

Bottom line IMO, be polite and courteous when encountering an angler, and they should do the same to you. If you can manage your way around them without going in front of them or into the water they're working, then do so. If not, it's not that big of a deal, just be polite. The fish will begin feeding again shortly after a craft floats over them...if they were even feeding to start with.

To the previous points being made, it may not be a lot of fun (or practical) to do a float on Penns when the Drakes are popping for instance, as you'd constantly be negotiating your way around guys and not spending your time enjoying your float. And yeah, the put in/take out options aren't great and require a lot of driving. But I wouldn't let the dirty looks from the anglers be what stops you. Just look back at them even dirtier for standing in your best rafting line.

 

[pete41]

Swattie87 wrote:

Ogie wrote:
I wasn't sure if it was regularly drifted. I gather from your response that it is not and maybe even unwelcome by local fisherman. I appreciate your candor. I would rather put it out there in advance than get the glares as I "squeeze" by.

I don't think it's regularly drifted...but honestly...who cares? If you wanna do it, and it sounds fun to you, do it. On a publicly owned stretch of water you have every bit as much right to be there enjoying the resource as anybody else, regardless of what activity you're/they're enjoying. The wade fisherman is equally imposing on you enjoying your float as you are imposing on them enjoying their wade fishing!

Bottom line IMO, be polite and courteous when encountering an angler, and they should do the same to you. If you can manage your way around them without going in front of them or into the water they're working, then do so. If not, it's not that big of a deal, just be polite. The fish will begin feeding again shortly after a craft floats over them...if they were even feeding to start with.

To the previous points being made, it may not be a lot of fun (or practical) to do a float on Penns when the Drakes are popping for instance, as you'd constantly be negotiating your way around guys and not spending your time enjoying your float. And yeah, the put in/take out options aren't great and require a lot of driving. But I wouldn't let the dirty looks from the anglers be what stops you. Just look back at them even dirtier for standing in your best rafting line.

I'm with brother McSneaky on this one-don't do it ,please-although manslaughter and that right jury-2yrs. max.

 

[Swattie87]

I'm not necessarily recommending it by any stretch, but if an angler gives someone floating a hard time for enjoying the same public resource as they are that's pretty Busch, and in poor sporting taste IMO. As long as the floater is courteous and makes all reasonable efforts to avoid disturbing the water I'm working, that's all I ask...If the floater could swing wide but deliberately doesn't, or drops anchor and starts fishing the run I'm in, then yeah that's different.

That being said, from a practical standpoint, yeah, Penns would make for a better float in the Fall probably if you wanted to do it.

We're probably gonna see the FFers of Penns Creek arm themselves with surf rods and 4oz pyramids in response to this thread! I'm bringin' mine to the Jam...all you floatin' spincasters look out!

 

[pete41]

no-one or two floaters can disrupt 100 wading fishermen on a popular and small for floating river in 5 or 10 miles but the 100 waders can all have a peaceful day of it. If you pass by within casting distance you are too close...and asking to get hooked[in my younger days]

 

[McSneek]

Swattie87 wrote:

That being said, from a practical standpoint, yeah, Penns would make for a better float in the Fall probably if you wanted to do it

Sure would if you like dragging your watercraft of choice over the rocks. Ever seen Penns in October after an average summer? If you really want to float Penns try a late winter/early spring day when its ripping along at about 600-700cfs and the air temps are maybe in the low 40s. Won't have too much trouble with wade fishermen on a day like that.

 

[Swattie87]

McSneek wrote:
Sure would if you like dragging your watercraft of choice over the rocks. Ever seen Penns in October after an average summer?

Edit: *With appropriate flows. There's usually a good rain or two in October to bring flows up.

 

[midnightangler]

My two cents is that it's not worth floating Penns unless it is over 800 cfs. If you float it at lower levels you will make a lot of people angry and probably not have enough water to justify your trouble. The level that you would be looking for is what most people consider "blown out". Personally, I think that 600 cfs would be too low. 1000 cfs would be better.

 

[BrookieChaser]

I encounter a lot of kayakers on Penns when the weather is nice. A person float fishing it is no different.

 

[ROVERT]

I think the point is that trying to be courteous and float fish around all the wading fishermen will be very difficult. It's going to be tough to keep your line in the water much unless you fish right past the other fishermen which is discourteous in my opinion. This is assuming trying to do it on a spring weekend. I think the time to try this has likely already passed for this year. It would also be very difficult to hit a lot of the pocket water while floating.

Oh, there is no such thing as passing outside of casting distance on much of Penn's at what most consider fishable flows. Once you get in the water it doesn't take that much of a cast to reach the other side outside of the larger pools.

 

[krayfish2]

I've seen plenty of kayaks and an occasional toon. Didn't ruin my day and had no issues at all with them. They have just as much right to use it. I've seen yaks going down tiny steams. They want to navigate from headwatrs to mouth.

Back to the original question, you probably missed your window of opportunity. Too low now. 500-600 cfs minimum to even consider it and wouldn't consider it with the hatch season looming. Not because it's rude to waders, because it's going to be so crowded, you'll do nothing more than avoid fishermen and drag it. If it gets blown out later this spring, run it when it's muddy. No anglers to avoid and you'll get an idea if it's worth the hassle. My vote....not likely

 

[allan_s]

Early Spring, 800+ cfs, week day, low 40s air temp.

Exactly as Krayfish said, if you go on a decent day you will not enjoy your float because Penns gets so crowded you will do nothing more than avoid anglers.

 

[Oregon_Owl]

I think you'd have a more enjoyable experience floating the bigger rivers (Delaware, Leigh, or Yough for trout and Susky, lower Delaware, Allegheny for bass/warmwater fish.

 

[Hook_Jaw]

Ogie I fish that water usually 2-3 times a week and I would say not a great idea you can wade and fish it and do better. The stream branches off way to much to boat it in my opinion and would have to be at a pretty high level to even attempt that. Also you would **** a number of people off fishing lol

 

[TheDrifter]

I floated penns creek Memorial Day weekend at the peak of the green drake hatch at 220cfs from Ingleby to below cherry run. This was my first time floating penns creek. I have found that you can learn a lot about a river and find some great spots by floating. All my fly fishing friends told me it was crazy and that I would be harassed all day long by the fisherman who made the trip to penns to fish the famous hatch. I decided I would do it anyway just to prove them wrong. The day started great when my bow man Renegade Rick hooked a nice brown on a Joe fly spinner in the first run we stopped to fish. That was the highlight of the day ... the river was extremely crowded and any hole we would have stopped to fish had someone on it for the most part , the creek was low and we ended up having the drag in a few areas. We were very respectful and curious of guys as we passed through trying to pass behind them when possible or on the other side of the creek but sometimes it was just not possible, in return we were met with the same respect with a hint of sarcasm. Talked to a few guys that said they float it and 400cfs seemed to be the minimum. I think you could do very well with more water and less people which seems to me like a fall/winter/early spring float targeting big fish with artificials. I'll be back for sure ... never again at 220 cfs tho

 

[ROVERT]

I agree with your friends who called you crazy. It was too low with way too many people. I've moved towards only fishing the evening during the drakes. There's just not enough room to move around for a days' fishing. You only need a small piece of water the last two hours of the day. I go elsewhere for daytime fishing during the GD.

More water is very good at clearing out anglers regardless of the time of year. By more water, I mean over 800 cfs. Over 1000 cfs and you're not likely to run into many people at all. I have an idea of the conditions I'd like for a float. It's a lot of driving, though, to put in at Poe Paddy or farther upstream and take out in Weikert.