If you could live anywhere in PA?

In a van down by the river.
 
foxtrapper1972 wrote:
In a van down by the river.
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I'd be all in for that too - until winter sets in!
 
For strictly fishing, Valley Forge. Undeniably the best trout fishing spot in PA. :-o

I've often thought of where I'd want a camp. I live 10 miles south of Reading, for reference. NC PA is the obvious first choice that comes to mind. But it's a 4ish hour drive from my house...makes weekend trips, leaving Friday after work and coming home Sunday afternoon less appetizing. I'd feel like I'd want to take at least one day off work every time I'd go up to justify the drive.

Poconos has some of the best fishing in the state, especially small freestoners for Gemmies and small Browns, but also a lot of private, posted land, or streams accessed via club membership only. Not really my deal, and it doesn't have the same feel that the central part of the state has...too many Mini Coopers with Broski's from NJ.

I've ultimately landed on the general State College area too. Mifflin County side most likely as it'd be closer to my house and only a 2ish hour drive. 1 hour and change if I leave straight from my office in Harrisburg after work. Heck, I could even commute to work from there during primo hatch season. It'd be an hour or less drive to the "big" limestoners, and just minutes to the less famous Mifflin Co. limestoners and countless small freestoners. Day trips up to the NC from there are now under 2 hours and much more doable. Financially I'm a few years out from this being even remotely possible, but if anyone has land in one of the valleys east of 322 between Lewistown and the top of Seven Mountains they're looking to sell, let me know.

 
Williamsport and lock haven are pretty nice areas, the west branch offers great small mouth and musky fishing. Pine Creek, loyalsock Creek, Lycoming Creek etc are great for stocked trout, hold overs and the occasional wild brown, their tribs are packed full of wild trout. And your well within an hr to fishing Creek, penns, and spring Creek.
 
Right where I am at now...Hancock in 45 minutes, Lackawanna in 15 or less, Lackawaxen in 20. Ask Krayfish2...he makes fun of me because I don't fish the D as much as I should!
 
45 minute drive and you go twice a year....yes, I'll make fun of that. Lol
 
Just outside Carlisle, perhaps Newville.
 
I spent a good amount of time in snow shoe for a summer job I had. Definite NO for me. One summer evening I was fishing south fork beech creek with two friends and had the place to ourselves... until it got dark. Then suddenly the woods were crawling with hillbillies!! It was like a hatch though no mating was observed, thank god
 
You all have my head swimming with possibilities :). I think ideally I would want to live somewhere I could walk to nice fishing waters and have short drive times (1-2 hours) to other waters including different species of fish (thinking summer doldrums).
Again I want to thank everyone for their input. I've been on other forums in the past where strangers would not get so many responses.
Cheers :pint:
 
right here in Tioga county, 1.5 hours to central pa, 1 to finger lake region and western NY. 2.5 to steelhead in NY. all the ,bass, walleye, musky, striper I want within 15 minute drive. trout all around me. miss the beaches but we are thinking of getting truck and camper to run beaches from Maine to Texas next.
 
Creepy Valley for sure. Though I've been digging the Williamsport area as well. Some good brewery's close-by for after the hunt.
 
Not western PA/Pittsburgh. Too crowded and developed. Im about 25 miles NE of PGH and while it not the city, theres still too many people in the general area.

Id head to central PA (Bellefonte, State College, Lewistown, ect) in a heartbeat if I could
 
steveo27 wrote:
Not western PA/Pittsburgh. Too crowded and developed. Im about 25 miles NE of PGH and while it not the city, theres still too many people in the general area.
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Pittsburgh’s better than Philly, by a lot…but yeah, I agree.

I live in Berks County, about a well struck 3 iron away from the Chester County line. In my mind at least, by not crossing that line I think I still live in central PA!
 
So, from a trout fishing perspective:

- SE and SW PA suck. SW is worse as that corner of the state is virtually devoid of wild trout due to the slate/shale geologic base there. Gotta get at least as far east as the Laurel Highlands or North above 80. SE PA has good geology, and thus, some good streams. Just too many people and many of the streams are ruined.

- Anywhere north of 80 is pretty good. Most of it is ancient plateau cut by streams and heavily wooded. Small stream wild trout fishing, with bass and stocked fish in the bigger streams, and the occasional tailwater. Kind of a wilderness feel to it. The exception to this is the Ohio border, which is lower, flatter, more populated and less wooded. However, even there, you are a hop skip and a jump from Erie and it's excellent fisheries, and it's within day trip distance to some wild trout fisheries.

- The State College area kind of has it all. Limestoners. Freestoners. Limestoners with a freestone nature. Smallmouth bass waters in bigger waters. Plus, there's like actual civilization, so you're not out in the boonies.

- Southcentral PA has a number of very historic, classic, limestone streams. And a few freestoners as well. Lots of history and technical fishing, but not as good as farther north overall.

- The Pocono's is an excellent area. The freestoners there are probably better than anywhere else. Plus you have big river tailwater fisheries in the Lehigh and Delaware. The problem is access to much of it. Too much privatization. And private interests there DO post it, unlike much of the rest of the state, though the rest of the state is going in that direction as well. The Pocono's are just further along that path by a good deal.

Bellefonte would be my choice. Spring Creek right on your doorstep, and Big Fishing close enough. Day trippable to Penns or LJR. Also day trippable to the NC region, Lehigh, etc. Small town but only 10-15 minutes and an easy drive from the commercial center of State College, with all the amenities that brings in terms of shopping, restaurants, sports, etc.
 
Anywhere between the dam end of Raystown Lake and Millheim PA and you can do a lot of fishing on some great waters on day trips. Actually, I'll edit that and say if you would draw a straight line on a map between Lock Haven PA and Raystown Lake, you'd have a lot of really good fishing around you.
 
My wife and I picked up and moved three months ago. And fishing opportunities was one of the things we looked at. We ended up moving to White Haven. Within 8 miles we have Francis Walter dam. 8 miles to Nescopeck creek. 6 miles to Hickory run , Forth run is close to. Hell I have A full quarter of A mile to walk and I am on the Lehigh. Then have just A short jaunt to the Pocono area streams being only A half hour to an hour ride. White Haven has everything we need and we can still keep enjoying small town life.
 
I was born and lived in Lock Haven for probably 25 years. I lived in Bellefonte for 3 years, and Williamsport for 5. It all depends on WHAT species of fish you want to catch. I am happiest in Williamsport. I am not a fan of Spring Creek in Bellefonte/State College. Lots and lots of small fish and yuppies. Just not my scene. Now I did really enjoy fishing Bald Eagle through Milesburg. In that Bellefonte/State College area you are pretty much stuck fishing for trout as the rest of the fishing isn't that great. Ice fishing at Sayers lake is a good time in the winter. Lock Haven has Fishing Creek which is still my favorite stream to fly fish since I practically grew up on it. A lot of the small streams around the area also have brookies which for some is a big draw. It is also really nice that the West Branch is coming back (smallies, catfish, a few musky and walleye) but its no where near the fishery the rest of the Susquehanna is. It is also 50 minute drive to Kettle Creek, or any of the smaller streams like Young Womans. Sayers is also about the same distance from Bellefont/State College for some nice ice fishing in the winter. Williamsport though is my favorite. I am 45 Minutes from incredible world class smallmouth bass fishing on the main branch Susquehanna. The West Branch in the spring and fall is great for Smallies and the musky population around Williamsport is pretty high. Lycoming Creek and Loyalsock offer some great fly fishing for trout and their hatches are pretty good. There are just more options in my opinion in Williamsport then the other places.

If you are strictly a trout fishermen then I would choose the Bellefonte/State College area OR Lock Haven (if you want brookies). IF you want more variety go to Williamsport. Heck I'm almost willing to bet if you go down further like Mifflinburg or somewhere between that you can run from Sunbury to Penns Creek THAT would be the ultimate location IF you want to catch the biggest and most of all species.
 
Williamsport sits in a pretty prime spot. Lycoming, Loyalsock and the West Branch border the town. Lower Pine is less than 20 minutes from town. Slate and Cedar Run are about an hour. Potter County areas are pretty much an hour and a half or less. State college is only an hour away. Fishing Creek half hour. Penns is an hour tops. Dozens of wild and stocked trout opportunities within an hour. Dozens of warm water species opportunities within an hour as well.
 
Chester. You're not too far from Valley Creek, and you're also pretty close to the White Clay Ultimate Stocked section. Also pretty close to the Skuke, Delaware, and Brandywine for awesome ww fishing.
 
Also if you are a hunter there are lots of game lands and state Forest that offer solid hunting opportunities as well. Many are less than an hour away
 
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