Jean's Run Access Question

[WeekendNacho]

Planning to fish Jean's Run this weekend with a friend. We backpack and hike a lot, so I'm excited to see how rough of a stream it gets...however I've heard conflicting recommendations on where to park to access the stream.

As of now our plan is to find a pull off along 209, go down the bank, across the tracks and the Nesquehoning, and fish upstream from the confluence of Jean's/Nesquehoning. Once we reach the top the plan is to take the Broad Mt Loop down to return us to 209. We're in for a long day so mileage isn't a big question, just want to make sure we're not missing any other options.

I've heard of others parking along 93 and taking a trail down to fish Jean's? The only two trails I can find on a map from the 93 parking area seem to lead to the very headwaters of Jeans, or leads you past the correctional facility closer towards the bottom of Jeans. The route past the correctional facility seems to make the most sense geographically, it would allow you to fish in the steeper sections, but can you legally walk near the facility? I've never heard the correctional facility mentioned in any other post regarding Jeans so I'm unsure what's best.

Thanks for any help.
Jim

 

[Bamboozle]

PM sent.

 

[Silent Ocelot]

First off you're a spot burning POS... but I'll explain how I do it.

I usually park on top of the mountain, above the correctional facility. Hike down the trail and then walk downstream as far as you wanna go. Fish your way back up. Bring a short rod, 8ft or less (if ya got em'). For rigging go with your favorite searching dry pattern (I use a caddis or stimmy). Attach a dropper if you feel so inclined, I usually run a size 14 PT with around a 2.0mm bead. The hike can be treacherous, though I have never encountered any snakes there. Have fun.

 

[wildtrout2]

Very ironic, I just fished lower Jeans this Wednesday! This stream is as tough as it gets in Pa. You'd be hard pressed to fish Jeans full length in a day. It's tough hiking/fishing when it comes to Jeans. When I fished upper Jeans, I'd hike in from the SGL lot on Rt 93, and hike down to the bridge. Then hike down to "the gorge" and fish upstream. That was usually enough for one day.
Starting at the mouth, I'd access it from Glen Onoka, hike the RR tracks, drop down to the Nesq, and upstream to Jeans mouth.

Sadly, this trip will be my last to Jeans Run. I've fished it more than 40 times over the years, and have some of my very best fishing memories because of it. I've caught my best to date native from Jeans (doubt I'll beat it) at 13.5". I've also caught many 10", several 11", and a couple 12" brookies over the years. Also, my ONLY wild tiger trout came from Jeans. Yes, there are a few wild browns in Jeans. Very few.

Anyway, back to why Wednesday was my last trip to Jeans. Aside from the access issues getting to Jeans, when I fish a mile of stream (Wed) and get 13 dinks, my biggest were a couple 8", I can't justify everything that goes into it. When I first (2009) started fishing Jeans, I always got a couple of good ones, on every trip. Some days I caught several real good natives. Not anymore!

I don't know what has brought on the changes in quality fish here, but Jeans is a mere shadow of it's former self and it's a damn shame. I had perfect conditions on Wed, literally. Perfect flow and a 58F stream temp. That's perfect for native brookies, but the fishing was sub-parr. Even the very best pools/runs were not producing. I'm at a loss as to what is going on. This has been the situation for a number of years now.

It certainly isn't pressure, because in those 40+ times I've fished Jeans, I've seen other fishermen on TWO occasions. One of those was a couple of forum members.

Good luck if you fish Jeans. If nothing else, it's a beautifully remote stream.

 

[wildtrout2]

First off you're a spot burning POS... but I'll explain how I do it.

I like you, but you call him a POS for spot burning, then continue on to describe how YOU get there? lmao

Jeans is hardly an "unknown" stream. It's protected by it's extreme degree of difficulty for access. If you have the balls/stamina to get there, more power to you.

 

[Silent Ocelot]

I like you, but you call him a POS for spot burning, then continue on to describe how YOU get there? lmao

Did I mention I'm bipolar?

 

[jifigz]

Did I mention I'm bipolar?

Yeah.......... Either way....... It is a little distasteful to call someone out and call them a "POS." Within the last year the forum seems to have gained a level of hostility and aggression that I haven't seen in the decade I've participated in it. That's not a positive shift.

 

[Tigereye]

There was some construction going on at the parking lot across from the gun range, that, and the access to gun range were closed Friday.
Not sure if its open yet. May have to park at next lot down. Its only a short level walk back south. The easiest youll have all day.
That is one tough MF stream to hike.

 

[sixfootfenwick]

Very ironic, I just fished lower Jeans this Wednesday! This stream is as tough as it gets in Pa. You'd be hard pressed to fish Jeans full length in a day. It's tough hiking/fishing when it comes to Jeans. When I fished upper Jeans, I'd hike in from the SGL lot on Rt 93, and hike down to the bridge. Then hike down to "the gorge" and fish upstream. That was usually enough for one day.
Starting at the mouth, I'd access it from Glen Onoka, hike the RR tracks, drop down to the Nesq, and upstream to Jeans mouth.

Sadly, this trip will be my last to Jeans Run. I've fished it more than 40 times over the years, and have some of my very best fishing memories because of it. I've caught my best to date native from Jeans (doubt I'll beat it) at 13.5". I've also caught many 10", several 11", and a couple 12" brookies over the years. Also, my ONLY wild tiger trout came from Jeans. Yes, there are a few wild browns in Jeans. Very few.

Anyway, back to why Wednesday was my last trip to Jeans. Aside from the access issues getting to Jeans, when I fish a mile of stream (Wed) and get 13 dinks, my biggest were a couple 8", I can't justify everything that goes into it. When I first (2009) started fishing Jeans, I always got a couple of good ones, on every trip. Some days I caught several real good natives. Not anymore!

I don't know what has brought on the changes in quality fish here, but Jeans is a mere shadow of it's former self and it's a damn shame. I had perfect conditions on Wed, literally. Perfect flow and a 58F stream temp. That's perfect for native brookies, but the fishing was sub-parr. Even the very best pools/runs were not producing. I'm at a loss as to what is going on. This has been the situation for a number of years now.

It certainly isn't pressure, because in those 40+ times I've fished Jeans, I've seen other fishermen on TWO occasions. One of those was a couple of forum members.

Good luck if you fish Jeans. If nothing else, it's a beautifully remote stream.

It could be just part of the natural cycle.
It's been in decline for a number of years. Provided nothing changes, it should also see an upswing in a number of years.

That is a beautiful picture.

 

[sixfootfenwick]

Yeah.......... Either way....... It is a little distasteful to call someone out and call them a "POS." Within the last year the forum seems to have gained a level of hostility and aggression that I haven't seen in the decade I've participated in it. That's not a positive shift.

I didn't like this either but I'm not sure that is true. This place was plenty hostile I'd say just before that decade and back further.
After that it got better, which is about the time you joined I'm guessing.

Could just be part of a natural cycle like Jeans.🤷

 

[wildtrout2]

It could be just part of the natural cycle.
It's been in decline for a number of years. Provided nothing changes, it should also see an upswing in a number of years.

That is a beautiful picture.

I've waited for the last 5 years to see an upswing that didn't happen.. I said I was going to bail on Jeans last season, but I thought I'd give it another shot since it had good conditions. It fell short of my hopes.

 

[WeekendNacho]

Very ironic, I just fished lower Jeans this Wednesday! This stream is as tough as it gets in Pa. You'd be hard pressed to fish Jeans full length in a day. It's tough hiking/fishing when it comes to Jeans. When I fished upper Jeans, I'd hike in from the SGL lot on Rt 93, and hike down to the bridge. Then hike down to "the gorge" and fish upstream. That was usually enough for one day.
Starting at the mouth, I'd access it from Glen Onoka, hike the RR tracks, drop down to the Nesq, and upstream to Jeans mouth.

Sadly, this trip will be my last to Jeans Run. I've fished it more than 40 times over the years, and have some of my very best fishing memories because of it. I've caught my best to date native from Jeans (doubt I'll beat it) at 13.5". I've also caught many 10", several 11", and a couple 12" brookies over the years. Also, my ONLY wild tiger trout came from Jeans. Yes, there are a few wild browns in Jeans. Very few.

Anyway, back to why Wednesday was my last trip to Jeans. Aside from the access issues getting to Jeans, when I fish a mile of stream (Wed) and get 13 dinks, my biggest were a couple 8", I can't justify everything that goes into it. When I first (2009) started fishing Jeans, I always got a couple of good ones, on every trip. Some days I caught several real good natives. Not anymore!

I don't know what has brought on the changes in quality fish here, but Jeans is a mere shadow of it's former self and it's a damn shame. I had perfect conditions on Wed, literally. Perfect flow and a 58F stream temp. That's perfect for native brookies, but the fishing was sub-parr. Even the very best pools/runs were not producing. I'm at a loss as to what is going on. This has been the situation for a number of years now.

It certainly isn't pressure, because in those 40+ times I've fished Jeans, I've seen other fishermen on TWO occasions. One of those was a couple of forum members.

Good luck if you fish Jeans. If nothing else, it's a beautifully remote stream.

Thank you for the info! Unfortunate to hear of the decline but we’ll still give it a go, for the beauty of the stream if nothing else. Will take your advice, likely also going to fish south Jeans. Do you have a preference for the northern or southern section of it? Seems most people fish it from the topside.

Thanks again!

 

[sixfootfenwick]

I've waited for the last 5 years to see an upswing that didn't happen.. I said I was going to bail on Jeans last season, but I thought I'd give it another shot since it had good conditions. It fell short of my hopes.

I get you. It could take longer than that though, I don't know your age but maybe even past your life time.

 

[Swattie87]

I’ve never fished it all in one day. Know some guys who have, or tried anyway, and regretted it. They all only fish half of it at a time now. Take a good look at the topo maps and have a plan. You can’t climb out of the ravine sideways to the east/west. Seemingly vertical walls of rhodo. You gotta go up to the SGL lot, or back down to the Nesquehoning to get out. If you’re gonna try to do it all in one day, I’d plan on being there about dawn to give you max time. It’s not the distance, it’s the gradient, and overall elevation gain. And for most of it there’s no trail. You’re hiking, or more accurately in a lot of spots, climbing, up the stream bed.

It’s been a number of years since I’ve fished it, and it still fished reasonably well the last time I was there. 2014 or so? The upper half has the big waterfalls, the big pools, and the best scenery. The lower half is more pocket water, and a little easier to hike/manage. IMO they fished similarly in terms of numbers caught and size.

 

[wgmiller]

Any of you who have fished it ever seen any bears? That's always in the back of my head on those Poconos streams...

 

[wildtrout2]

Any of you who have fished it ever seen any bears? That's always in the back of my head on those Poconos streams...

Yes, I've seen 5 bears on Jeans. Two years ago, I saw a BIG sow with THREE cubs! They ran right in front of me in the lower section. Thankfully, I was able to quickly get my phone out for some really good video.

It was odd, the sow with just two cubs ran past me at close range and stopped thirty yards from me. I thought it was strange that they stopped so close by without continuing into the next county, which is what they normally do when they see a human. That's why I had time to get my phone out.

Anyway, as I'm filming the momma bear, who's just watching me, while the two cubs are up a tree, about a minute later a third cub crosses the creek. It's running towards mom, sees me at ten yards, stops for a second to look at me, then joins the family. Then they just ran away. It was the coolest encounter I've experienced in the woods!

So, the third cub was the reason for momma stopping like she did. I wasn't in a good spot, being in between a big momma bear and her cub. Sometimes that situation doesn't go well. These events are one of the many reasons I love to fish in remote areas. FWIW Generally speaking, a black bear wants NOTHING to do with a human, at all.

 

[dryflyguy]

Yes, I've seen 5 bears on Jeans. Two years ago, I saw a BIG sow with THREE cubs! They ran right in front of me in the lower section. Thankfully, I was able to quickly get my phone out for some really good video.

It was odd, the sow with just two cubs ran past me at close range and stopped thirty yards from me. I thought it was strange that they stopped so close by without continuing into the next county, which is what they normally do when they see a human. That's why I had time to get my phone out.

Anyway, as I'm filming the momma bear, who's just watching me, while the two cubs are up a tree, about a minute later a third cub crosses the creek. It's running towards mom, sees me at ten yards, stops for a second to look at me, then joins the family. Then they just ran away. It was the coolest encounter I've experienced in the woods!

So, the third cub was the reason for momma stopping like she did. I wasn't in a good spot, being in between a big momma bear and her cub. Sometimes that situation doesn't go well. These events are one of the many reasons I love to fish in remote areas. FWIW Generally speaking, a black bear wants NOTHING to do with a human, at all.

I once found myself in the same position on the Delaware River.
And she was giving me the evil eye.
I was pretty unnerved to even think about getting a picture.

Do you carry pepper spray or other protection?
That incident really got me thinking about it

 

[wildtrout2]

Do you carry pepper spray or other protection?
That incident really got me thinking about it

No, I don't carry any protection. If a bear wants to get into your world, that's what'll happen, regardless of spray. They can be very determined when they choose to be. I imagine a gun would work, but I don't carry one while fishing. 🙂

 

[sixfootfenwick]

No, I don't carry any protection. If a bear wants to get into your world, that's what'll happen, regardless of spray. They can be very determined when they choose to be. I imagine a gun would work, but I don't carry one while fishing. 🙂

Oh I don't know bear spray can really work well, especially on Black Bear rather than a Grizzly, which it can work on also.

 

[wildtrout2]

Oh I don't know bear spray can really work well, especially on Black Bear rather than a Grizzly, which it can work on also.

I imagine it could work under certain cercumstances, but I can also envision it pissing off a determined bear. But, the odds of a black bear actually attacking you are slim to none though. IMO