Hardest place you've found to fly fish

[FarmerDave]

troutbert wrote:
Regarding East Hickory Creek (Forest Co), Tionesta Creek (Forest Co), and South Branch of Tionesta (Warren Co).

The problem may not have been that the trout were selective or skittish.

The problem may have been that few trout were present.

My thoughts exactly.

You are relying on stocked fish in all three.

 

[FarmerDave]

sandfly wrote:
My yard on friday

I bet you didn't even try. You might have been surprised.;-)

 

[Oregon_OwlII]

Have to agree on both counts with the OP. Humbled at the Letort and a mix of minor success and abject humiliation on the East Branch. In terms of accessing a stream, there are parts of Hickory Run and Mud Run that were so thick with rhododendron that I gave up trying and had to move on.

 

[bradtheflyfisherman]

I agree with you about Mud Run, went back in the fall and it was much better (and beautiful as well)...but didn't have much luck catching fish and I threw everything but the kitchen sink into some great looking pools and riffles.

 

[wildtrout2]

Cherry Run, a trib to Fishing Creek (Narrows) is the tightest stream I've fished. Hands and knees with a bow and arrow cast is the norm. I found it not worth the effort as far as trout goes, but you can't beat the beauty.

 

[fisherboy3]

Delaware can be tough. But I’ve done quite well on the EB. Low water yes I agree it can be tough.

 

[birdog]

Could the large stocked browns from, "The Stretch" in Pine be having an effect on the smaller wild fish in Slate Run?

I have seen and heard about quite a few of those big browns way up in Slate Run (and Cedar).

What do you fellas think?

 

[Swattie87]

Oregon_OwlII wrote:
In terms of accessing a stream, there are parts of Hickory Run and Mud Run that were so thick with rhododendron that I gave up trying and had to move on.

I tried to access the lower half of the Mud Run section in HRSP, down to the club water. Parked at Hawk Run and figured to hike SW down over the hill to the creek, then fish back up to the bottom of Hawk Falls and hike out the trail. Never even made it close to the stream. That hillside is literally a wall of rhodo. Tried going down the trail and hiking the bank down. Well there is no bank, and the holes are too deep to wade through, even in fairly low water.

It doesn't seem like it should be all that hard to access, but without access to the club's road below, it would take some doin, for what supposedly amounts to mediocre fishing. There's a picture in tbert's book that I think was taken from this stretch and it looks gorgeous though. May have to give the rhodo fortress another try, or get real good at small stream kayaking.

 

[afishinado]

Swattie87 wrote:

Oregon_OwlII wrote:
In terms of accessing a stream, there are parts of Hickory Run and Mud Run that were so thick with rhododendron that I gave up trying and had to move on.

I tried to access the lower half of the Mud Run section in HRSP, down to the club water. Parked at Hawk Run and figured to hike SW down over the hill to the creek, then fish back up to the bottom of Hawk Falls and hike out the trail. Never even made it close to the stream. That hillside is literally a wall of rhodo. Tried going down the trail and hiking the bank down. Well there is no bank, and the holes are too deep to wade through, even in fairly low water.

It doesn't seem like it should be all that hard to access, but without access to the club's road below, it would take some doin, for what supposedly amounts to mediocre fishing. There's a picture in tbert's book that I think was taken from this stretch and it looks gorgeous though. May have to give the rhodo fortress another try, or get real good at small stream kayaking.

^ Been there....done that....lol.

It's gets to be a gorge with waterfalls and glides with steep elevation changes and sheer rock walls (the rhodo is the least of your worries ) the further the down you go from Hawk Falls and below the TP bridge. Greystone calls the upper water (to them) the "wild mile" because they don't (can't actually) stock it.

I've never had great fishing, but it's a great area to explore. I haven't been there in a while. MR & HR are back on my bucket list for the upcoming season.

You can park at the end of the "Organized Camping" road and take the trail down to Mud Run. From there you can work your way downstream and sorta mountain goat your way along the cliffs (never!!! in the winter with ice though).

Also, I used to travel the NE Ext TP all the time, and I have on occasion pulled over and parked at the overpass of MR and mountain goated my way down to the stream from there.

 

[DoctorWater15]

Swattie87 wrote:

Oregon_OwlII wrote:
In terms of accessing a stream, there are parts of Hickory Run and Mud Run that were so thick with rhododendron that I gave up trying and had to move on.

I tried to access the lower half of the Mud Run section in HRSP, down to the club water. Parked at Hawk Run and figured to hike SW down over the hill to the creek, then fish back up to the bottom of Hawk Falls and hike out the trail. Never even made it close to the stream. That hillside is literally a wall of rhodo. Tried going down the trail and hiking the bank down. Well there is no bank, and the holes are too deep to wade through, even in fairly low water.

It doesn't seem like it should be all that hard to access, but without access to the club's road below, it would take some doin, for what supposedly amounts to mediocre fishing. There's a picture in tbert's book that I think was taken from this stretch and it looks gorgeous though. May have to give the rhodo fortress another try, or get real good at small stream kayaking.

I can say that I have successfully fished all of the on Mud Run within HSRP. It took multiple trips and A LOT of bushwhacking. Last time I was there was on Halloween, and I can confirm that it is still just as steep and thick with rhododendron in the lower section. I did start really early in the morning and spent a few hours bushwhacking down to the border with Graystones Preserve to fish back up from there. Afishinado hit it on the head though with his description of the stream down there too. Lots of areas where you have to either climb up and bushwhack around or go for a swim to get around the steep walls and deep pools. I've had pretty decent luck fishing down there with small pheasant tail nymphs and olive zebra midges. Occasionally a walt's worm picks up a few there too. It is a gorgeous area though and if you're up for the adventure, it is definitely worth exploring!

 

[bradtheflyfisherman]

Have any of you guys done well above Hawk Falls on Mud Run? I didn't to have much luck up there myself and am debating on whether or not I should return to fish it or just try somewhere else new. Also, can you access where Mud Run dumps into the Lehigh? I see there is a road on google maps but I am assuming that is the club's road?

 

[DoctorWater15]

bradtheflyfisherman wrote:
Have any of you guys done well above Hawk Falls on Mud Run? I didn't to have much luck up there myself and am debating on whether or not I should return to fish it or just try somewhere else new. Also, can you access where Mud Run dumps into the Lehigh? I see there is a road on google maps but I am assuming that is the club's road?

I have had some luck above Hawk Falls, but generally catch most of my fish down below there. As far as access, that road you are looking at is the Greystones Preserve private road. Really the only public access to Mud Run is from inside HSRP.

 

[Swattie87]

bradtheflyfisherman wrote:
Also, can you access where Mud Run dumps into the Lehigh? I see there is a road on google maps but I am assuming that is the club's road?

The very bottom end is in Lehigh Gorge SP, so that's publicly accessible. It's only about 1/4 mile or so up from the mouth until you hit the private land though. You're right that that road grade (if it even still goes down that far) is owned by the club, and is private.

If you want to fish that lower 1/4 mile or so I suppose you could get there via the Rail Trail, but keep in mind it's on the west side of the river at that location. Meaning you'll need to cross the Lehigh, which even in very low flows is next to impossible without a raft or kayak...safely anyway. The gradient of that river is very deceiving.

 

[afishinado]

Swattie87 wrote:

bradtheflyfisherman wrote:
Also, can you access where Mud Run dumps into the Lehigh? I see there is a road on google maps but I am assuming that is the club's road?

The very bottom end is in Lehigh Gorge SP, so that's publicly accessible. It's only about 1/4 mile or so up from the mouth until you hit the private land though. You're right that that road grade (if it even still goes down that far) is owned by the club, and is private.

If you want to fish that lower 1/4 mile or so I suppose you could get there via the Rail Trail, but keep in mind it's on the west side of the river at that location. Meaning you'll need to cross the Lehigh, which even in very low flows is next to impossible without a raft or kayak...safely anyway. The gradient of that river is very deceiving.

^Yeah, shin deep water will take you off your feet (don't ask how I know that)... :roll:

If you parked at Rockport and hiked or biked up the trail to reach Mud Run, you would be passing up a lot better fishing on the way than would find at Mud Run, IMO.

The whole area is great. But the Lehigh in that area is the hardest wading you will find anywhere in PA, IMO again. Be prepared to work hard to fish, but it's sure pretty back in there.

Good stuff!

 

[Prospector]

birdog wrote:
Could the large stocked browns from, "The Stretch" in Pine be having an effect on the smaller wild fish in Slate Run?

I have seen and heard about quite a few of those big browns way up in Slate Run (and Cedar).

What do you fellas think?

Back around 1975 we drove over to Slate Run just to look around. We didn’t fish. At the time you could keep 2 fish, I think 15” or bigger. A guy had 2 trout in his possession. A 22” and 17” both browns. The 22 incher is still the most beautiful brown that I’ve ever seen. Great girth and the reddest spots I’ve ever seen.

I have virtually no experience fishing Slate but based on that day in 1975, I’d say Slate always held a population of large trout. However your comments are valid. There is likely more opportunity for large fish to cruise into Slate’s cold water once Pine heats up.

 

[mcwillja]

I agree with the EB of the Del being the most difficult but if anyone has fished the WB up in stilesville during the sulphur hatch it can be maddening to say the least. Ive had fish become so selective that they actually come up and nose my fly just to say oh hell no!!