Hey y'all!

[Longhorn]

Thanks for allowing me to join your forum. I do appreciate it. You're probably wondering what a fellow from the SE Texas Gulf coast is doing on a Pennsylvania fly fishing forum. I have a cousin who lives in Downingtown and has been after the wife and me to come up and visit. We decided to make the trip this year and of course, we'll be bringing the fly rods. I hope you don't mind if I ask some general questions about the rivers and streams of the area around Chester Co. I'm certainly not looking for anyone's "honey hole" or anything like that. Just seeking generalities. If I may, my first question is: Would you recommend the timeframe around Labor Day or around Thanksgiving to plan a trip? The wife wants to tie in a holiday for some extra time. We would prefer to target browns & (especially) brookies if at all possible.

If I may answer any questions on fly fishing Texas, both fresh & saltwater, I'd be happy to help in any way I can.

Tight lines, y'all!

Michael aka Longhorn

 

[Tigereye]

Wow, surprised no one has replied yet. I can't give you much info about Chester Co as I have never fished that area of the state. As for timing, labor day for sure. Most waters should be in decent shape at that time and weather nice. Thanksgiving is a weather question mark? Could be hot and sunny. Cold and rainy or 2 feet of snow. You are also into PA's rifle deer season the Saturday after Thanksgiving and for 2 weeks following.

If you want brookies you can head to Poconos about 1 1/2 hrs north on turnpike. Hickory Run, Fourth Run, Jean's Run, Mud Run, and Hayes Cr. All within 1/2 hour of each other. Pretty good chance you hook up with a brownie or two also. There are also a bunch of other tributaries to Lehigh that support native trout ie brookies. Access is excellent.

Two fly shops in the area could offer up to date info on various other streams. AA PRO SHOPS in Blakeslee and EVENING HATCH just outside of White Haven. ( about five miles apart from each other)
Lots of other water in Poconos you may want to try.

Come back here a little closer to your trip and you can get a better feel for what streams are fishing well. PM me if you would like

 

[Longhorn]

Thanks a million for the kind response and the tip on rifle season. I lived from 2000-2010 in NE Ohio and fished their steelhead rivers quite often. I think I still have most of my cold weather fishing clothes. My only worry about Labor Day is that if it's too warm, I wouldn't want to over-stress the fish. I'll lurk around and see if I can glean any more information.

Thanks again & tight lines!

 

[The_Sasquatch]

Yeah how far do you mind driving once you're in the hood? If you don't mind going an hour or a little more, it'll open up more options for you. As a TX dude, you're probably used to long drives, right!?

 

[DaveKile]

Thanks for allowing me to join your forum. I do appreciate it. You're probably wondering what a fellow from the SE Texas Gulf coast is doing on a Pennsylvania fly fishing forum. I have a cousin who lives in Downingtown and has been after the wife and me to come up and visit. We decided to make the trip this year and of course, we'll be bringing the fly rods. I hope you don't mind if I ask some general questions about the rivers and streams of the area around Chester Co. I'm certainly not looking for anyone's "honey hole" or anything like that. Just seeking generalities. If I may, my first question is: Would you recommend the timeframe around Labor Day or around Thanksgiving to plan a trip? The wife wants to tie in a holiday for some extra time. We would prefer to target browns & (especially) brookies if at all possible.

If I may answer any questions on fly fishing Texas, both fresh & saltwater, I'd be happy to help in any way I can.

Tight lines, y'all!

Michael aka Longhorn

Welcome to the site. Plenty of good fishing in SE PA. I think Tigereye has offered up some good ideas for you.

 

[JerryC]

I guess it depends on whether you like warm or cold weather. I prefer warm weather, even though I'll be up NE Ontario that week. East Branch of the Brandywine Creek is real close to Downingtown, in fact it runs through it. Stocked stream, not sure whether they stock it with browns or rainbows, possibly both. If you want wild browns, there's Valley Creek, the lower portion runs through part of Valley Forge National Park. I mainly fish that portion, though a lot of folks fish in the area of the iron bridge. It's probably about 40 minutes, depending on traffic, from Downingtown. There are rumors of brookies in some upper portions of creeks in SE PA. It's a well kept secret, and I don't know where they're at. Otherwise, as already mentioned, the Poconos would be your best bet. If you just enjoy fly fishing, there are some small lakes/ponds and one large lake in the area. Most streams in SE PA have smallmouth in them, along with panfish.

 

[HopBack]

Downingtown is a really nice area. I grew up fishing the East Branch of the Brandywine creek which does pass through the city. Unfortunately this stream and surrounding areas are put and take fisheries. If you want to get into some decent wild brown trou you will have to look north to the Lehigh valley in such streams as the Bushkill in Easton and Moncacy in Bethlehem.

If you are more interested fishing native brook trout streams in more remote mountainous areas you will need to head further north to the Pocono MT area or possibly Berks or Schuylkill counties to the north west.

I would definitely shoot for Labor Day and pray for some rain.

 

[dryflyguy]

I haven't fished in that area of the state, and really can't help on what water to fish.
As for your time frame of Labor Day or Thanksgiving, I would make that choice on what type of fishing you like.

If you want to fish dry flies, come in September.
Yes the weather can still be quite warm then. But I'm sure there are some limestone streams that would have decent temps then.

In late November, you would be dealing with much colder water temps, and very little top water action.

My favorite time for fall fishing, is from mid September thru October