Hardest Stream/River to Wade?

[afishinado]

Sounds like I need to organize a Lehigh wade fishing jam. 1500 invitees and only 3 people show 🤣🤣. If you wade that place... you are young and fit, half crazy with a death wish or really dislike spending time with your wife 😁

I've done a good amount of guide trips there and dread stepping out of the boat for lunch, walk the boat through shallows or bathroom breaks. I don't know how some of you do it. I waded in extremely low flows one fall and thought I blew both ACLs, tore a groin and broke an ankle. Tried 5 different types of shoes over the years and it made ZERO difference.

The Lehigh is so bad, in places it's hard to even walk along the bank, no flat place to set your foot on in the rocks, now try walking and fighting a strong current while walking on those rocks!

The Lehigh is the worst in my experience with the Boulder River in Sweet Grass County Montana as an honorable mention.

Boulder River Pic >

 

[turkey]

Stopped by the Yough today.

 

[phiendWMD]

Just saw the Lehigh is running 7800cfs. Gonna be really tough wading tomorrow.

 

[jifigz]

Stopped by the Yough today.

I don't need a wading staff for that!

 

[bringthepain]

Just saw the Lehigh is running 7800cfs. Gonna be really tough wading tomorrow.

Fishing release tomorrow or did they cancel it...?

 

[blueheron]

I know the Lehigh Gorge better than most, it’s tough at high flows but if the flows are right there are plenty of spots to wade. The fact that it strikes fear into folks makes it my favorite river, I’m usually the only one on the water. You float boys can have all the water below Jim Thorpe.

 

[mt_flyfisher]

The Lehigh is so bad, in places it's hard to even walk along the bank, no flat place to set your foot on in the rocks, now try walking and fighting a strong current while walking on those rocks!

The Lehigh is the worst in my experience with the Boulder River in Sweet Grass County Montana as an honorable mention.

Boulder River Pic >

View attachment 1641235217

You’d be taking your life in your hands to fish that section of the Boulder.

Same as if you fell in a short way upstream of here on the Boulder, and you could go underground until you come out here..if you’re lucky and come out at all.

But there is no need to fish those sections of the Boulder when there are much easier places that are filled with trout, and not so hard to wade, like this.

Those pictures show the extremes, and there are lots of other places on the Boulder to wade and fish that are in between. The Boulder is probably my favorite stream of all, however, and I have fished it often.

 

[afishinado]

I had a great time fishing the Boulder. It was tough wading around the boulders the size of VW's (I actually got stuck wading around a huge boulder) but had a great time fishing. Like most rivers, there are usually places to you can find to wade and fish.

 

[mt_flyfisher]

I had a great time fishing the Boulder. It was tough wading around the boulders the size of VW's (I actually got stuck wading around a huge boulder) but had a great time fishing. Like most rivers, there are usually places to you can find to wade and fish.

If you go there again I can tell you where there’s much easier wading. In fact that reminds me of one place, a few years back, where you could sight cast to many trout by standing right on the road - doesn’t get any easier wading than that. 😊

 

[afishinado]

If you go there again I can tell you where there’s much easier wading. In fact that reminds me of one place, a few years back, where you could sight cast to many trout by standing right on the road - doesn’t get any easier wading than that. 😊

Not complaining at all. Actually I loved fishing the Boulder and caught a ton of fish, had a great time and one of my most memorable days out-west fishing the mega pocket water. I would go back to that spot again in a minute if I were back in that area.

 

[Tigereye]

Alot of mention the Lehigh. It's my home water and deserves alot of respect. Fishing that river since 1967. Take your time and don't push your luck and you'll be fine.


That said, though much easier to wade, my most horrifying experience was the on the Lackawaxen. I waded 50-60ft across a knee deep sandbar to fish the opposite bank. Around noon one, day my buddy called me back to the bank to have lunch. I wasn't out of the water 2 minutes when the water level rose about 2 feet in a matter of minutes. Where I was standing, fishing, would easily have been 4 foot + and rushing. Not to mention all the debris and large branches floating down. Had I not come out when I did, there is no doubt I would have had to ditch the rod, kick off the waders, and hopefully swim to shore in very cold water. As close as I ever want to come

 

[Ed Hank]

Without a doubt, the Stoneycreek River is the worst.

 

[dryflyguy]

Without a doubt, the Stoneycreek River is the worst.

Good choice also
I fished it once, quite a few years ago.
And kinda forgot about it

 

[Ed Hank]

Good choice also
I fished it once, quite a few years ago.
And kinda forgot about it

I wish I can forget about it, too. Some recent events won't allow that to happen, plus I live 3 miles away from it.

 

[Swattie87]

I wish I can forget about it, too. Some recent events won't allow that to happen, plus I live 3 miles away from it.

Are there wild fish showing up in that yet? I assume yes, but I know it gets a ton of stocking and fingerlings.

 

[Sylvaneous]

I only fished the Lehigh once for about 2 hours on an anniversary trip to Jim Thorpe with my wife, and that was enough for me to rank it tops on this list

I will also say that the Little J is a sleeper on this list because the water speed can be deceiving. There are a lot of spots that aren't too bad, but there are quite a few that will get you if you aren't paying attention.

NOt a sleeper for me! It's the one I dread the most. Not saying its the worst. I can believe the Lehigh in the gorge definitely is. But for streams I FISH, it causes the most trepidation or "effort to success" ratio.

 

[Billr]

Big Hole River... From Wise River to Melrose. MT. Perfectly round bowling ball size rocks.... Also in the canyon the rocks on the banks are precariously balanced....... and the rattlesnakes are numerous.....

Yeah, the Big Hole is treacherous. It's one small step at a time.

 

[Ed Hank]

Are there wild fish showing up in that yet? I assume yes, but I know it gets a ton of stocking and fingerlings.

It's hard to tell with all the fingerling stocking

 

[Harry3]

I took a raft trip with friends 50 yrs ago on the Yough, it was great rafting. There was one spot that they let us float down the rapids in 55 degree water. Can't imagine fishing there.

 

[DaveS]

Imma vote the Neversink in the Gorge.