If you could live anywhere in PA?

S

ShaneS

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Sep 1, 2016
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Hi all,
Great site! I'm new to the forum and planning a move to PA in the near future. If you could live anywhere in PA where would you live with respects to fly fishing opportunities? I'm originally from AZ and enjoy all types of fly fishing but mostly enjoy stalking the big ones (who doesn't).
Cheers,
Shane
 
I love and live in the Cumberland Valley. Spring creeks, freestoners, and mountain wild streams. My second choice would be State College area. Couldn't go wrong with either.
 
Hi Shane,
Welcome to our online FFing community. Glad to have you.

Usually when folks move to PA, their work contraints tend to have them settle in areas with higher population or suburbs. As you'd imagine, these areas often have fewer fishing opportunities, especially for trout. Moreover, people outside of PA tend to see our state through a trout fishing lens. Nothing wrong with that, after all, we're famous mostly for our historical trout fishing legacy. However, warm water fishing opportunities are excellent too and shouldn't be overlooked, especially in western PA, or during warm, hot summers such as this one that can really put the hurt on trout fishing.

Broadly speaking, fishing opportunities, especially for wild trout, are strongest across the central part of the state in the Appalachian range. Big woods counties in the northcentral (eg. Potter, Lycoming, etc.) are paradise for outdoorsmen but, the downside of course, is that job opportunities are fewer. Middle Appalachain counties, such as Centre and Cumberland, have stronger economic profiles and also limestone spring creeks.

I live in the southcentral and am very happy where I'm at. I suppose if I could live anywhere in the state and there were no other factors involved, those northcentral counties would be mighty nice to live in.

Anyway, as you plan your move to PA, stick around our site. Read through the fishing reports (they're by county) and you'll get a feel for fishing opportunities in the different areas of the state.
 
Some years back, this site ran a poll that asked members to choose their favorite fishing area - and town - in PA.
I listed central PA and Bellefonte, which I believe was the eventual winner, if I remember correctly.
Living in the center of all of those big limestone streams - with their large wild trout - would certainly be like paradise for me!
 
From the OP: "If you could live anywhere in PA where would you live with respects to fly fishing opportunities?"

Solely from that perspective, I would agree with the above and say in central PA in or around the State College area.
 
I really appreciate all the responses and look forward getting to know the community.
 
I grew up in Pgh area, became a fly fisherman and found myself driving a lot to find even stocked trout. Farther for good wild trout streams. But mostly for good hatches. When a job change became evident and my leash to PGH was lengthened I moved the family to SCPA York Area and never looked back. It's not NCPA or State college but those jaunts are now reasonable day trips. Cumberland Valley Limers are within an hour and locally I have wild trout in most every blue line with increasing pops on most streams. And some wonderful stocked trout heritage in the area.

But you need to consider "why" you are coming to PA?

If it's purely for the fishing, can't go wrong in State college area.
 
I live in North Central PA...directly on the border of Potter county and I must say some of the fishing we have is phenomenal. However, state college in my opinion I would probably move there and be just as content.
 
My number one PA location would be outside Entriken PA with a view of Raystown Lake.

Second choice would be up along Little Pine Creek north of English Center.

I love Pine Creek valley. But it's too crowded now.

If I was going completely "Uncle Jeremiah Johnson Shorty" it'd be the headwaters of Redlick Run at the top of Steel Mountain. I and the Homies used to go up there as boy scouts. It was Eden up there before the frackers and wind turbines...
 
If I could live anywhere in PA, my first choice would be Philadelphia and my second choice would be Pittsburgh .
If it was just for fishing,state college ,Erie ,or the Carlisle area
 
I agree with the above posts. I was born in Philadelphia(actually it was Abington) lived in Erdenheim until age five and then we lived in and around Camp Hill(the eastern end of the Cumberland Valley) until I graduated from high school.

After high school I moved to West Virginia to work for a year before going to Juniata College(just south of State College). During my Freshman year there we moved to Bucks County.

After college I moved to New Iberia, LA and then back to Bucks County before moving to Greensboro, NC for 17 years. Now I live in Lancaster County. I've made the most of all of those places. You have to do what you have to do.

I know that I have fished the Yellow Breeches and Clark's Creek the most, and canoed the Delaware River more than any other, and fished for trout there quite a bit since my uncle has a cabin in Wayne County.

When I was a student at Juniata College and partying in a friend's room, he asked everybody there what we thought was the worst town in Pennsylvania. He was from Johnstown and thought that it was the worst. I've never been there but most of my football teammates were from western Pennsylvania and nobody defended Johnstown.

I said what about Mount Union? It is right down the road from Huntingdon. My classmate who started this conversation topic thought that I had a good choice.
 
Most people, myself included, would pick central PA, but I bet there area handful that would like to be close to the Erie tribs for the steelhead run and the smallmouth on lake Erie
 
If I could live anywhere in PA...... anywhere but Philly or Pittsburgh. I'm a small town type. If you are talking about living somewhere based on fishing........State College area, Poconos or Cumberland Valley.
 
I'd love to live in Lock Haven (cute town), Clinton county, as it's a hop, skip, and a jump away from Potter county. :)
 
I'm in Juniata county, nestled right between the Juniata and mainstem of the susky... Some of the state's best trout fishing within an hour in about every direction. Couldn't think of a much better area really... Probably only place I can imagine being better would be eastern pa along the big D, taking advantage of the anadromous fishery and well as river resident bass, walleye, and stripers... Not to far from upper D trout and also the saltwater coast. Central PA is pretty great though... I'm within striking distance of about any type of fishing I'd like to do.
 
wildtrout2 wrote:
I'd love to live in Lock Haven (cute town), Clinton county, as it's a hop, skip, and a jump away from Potter county. :)
Click to expand...

I live in LH... access to Central PA's premier water is awesome. I'm about 20 minutes from the trophy section on Fishing Creek, and 35-45 minutes from Penns, Pine, and Spring Creeks.
 
Snow Shoe.
 
Where I live is pretty darn awesome
 
I discuss this with a few friends often and they remind me that I live in one of the best locations for fishing. I am in the Lower Poconos by Jim Thorpe.

I have the Lehigh and Pohopoco in my back yard. However, there are soooo many mountain streams in the Poconos I am within 40 minutes of.

Less then an hour to the Lackawanna.

Less then two hours to the Upper Delaware system.

30 minutes to the Lehigh Valley streams.

2 hours to the Susky, Cumberland Valley streams.

2 hours to the State College streams.

3 hours to some of my favorite trout water in Syracuse. Those 3 hour rides I usually try to make weekend trips for, but can be done in a day. Plus you have the Salmon River just a tad further.

O, and I can fish some fun water in Jersey in a little over an hour. Not including the North Jersey ocean fishing.
 
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