Naive question about PA streams and the Lehigh River

[SNJChef]

I am sure there is a very simple answer that I do not know to this question. I often read books and articles and I always hear the best streams in PA are Pine, Slate run, Fishing creek, and Spring creek Penns, and the Juniata. Is the Lehigh not considered equal to any of the above mentioned streams? Or is the Lehigh a "step child" and just over looked? Seems to me and I could be wrong the Lehigh has the same issues as some of the mentioned streams. I fish the Lehigh and enjoy it as I have Pine, Slate run and Penns.

 

[SBecker]

It's horrible. Stay in Jersey. Stop fishing it.

 

[SNJChef]

Haha to expensive to run to the canyons every weekend for Tuna. I need a back up plan. Don't be hating on us Jersey people. We still have 2 cabins in Pa that has to count for something.

 

[Fishidiot]

It's a recovering and emerging river over the past generation.

Keep in mind that much of the literature about PA FFing dates from the mid Twentieth Century and the outdoor writers of that era focused on Letort, Slate, Pine, Penns, etc where hatches were prolific or FFing technique could be innovated.
Back then the Lehigh, like the Yough below Confluence, was polluted. Today, these are great (I'd call 'em world class) fisheries and have become well known... but much of the buzz still accrues to the old classics.

I think to some degree this speaks to the psychology of PA anglers today: even though we generally have more and better wild trout fishing opportunities now in PA than has existed virtually in the lifetime of any living anglers in the state...we continue to embrace a view of the good ole days on the state's great waters of the past (Many of these waters themselves are also better and now have wild rather than mostly stocked fish).

We have trout fishing riches, but like our nostalgia as well....Best of both worlds in a way I suppose.

 

[SBecker]

Fishidiot wrote:
It's a recovering and emerging river over the past generation.

Keep in mind that much of the literature about PA FFing dates from the mid Twentieth Century and the outdoor writers of that era focused on Letort, Slate, Pine, Penns, etc where hatches were prolific or FFing technique could be innovated.
Back then the Lehigh, like the Yough below Confluence, was polluted. Today, these are great (I'd call 'em world class) fisheries and have become well known... but much of the buzz still accrues to the old classics.

I think to some degree this speaks to the psychology of PA anglers today: even though we generally have more and better wild trout fishing opportunities now in PA than has existed virtually in the lifetime of any living anglers in the state...we continue to embrace a view of the good ole days on the state's great waters of the past (Many of these waters themselves are also better and now have wild rather than mostly stocked fish).

We have trout fishing riches, but like our nostalgia as well....Best of both worlds in a way I suppose.

Sounds good to me.


Bob,

I thought you would have got my hint after I slashed your tires. Lol

 

[SNJChef]

Becker I knew it was you!!

 

[Swattie87]

I agree that a lot of what makes a certain list of streams “The Best in PA” has a lot to do with angling heritage in PA. Sure Spring, Penns, BFC, LJR, and the CV limestoners are terrific wild streams, but Pine and Kettle are primarily stocked fisheries now, except for their extreme headwaters.

I understand the history of Slate and Cedar Runs, but truth be told, there are countless watersheds of similar size and fish biomass in that area that see a heck of a lot less pressure than Slate and Cedar do. IMO the fishing experience is just as good (if not better) on those streams that are a bit more off the radar.

They don’t get talked about too much when talking about the best streams in the state, but I think a good case could be made for the Poconos area. There’s some streams there with as much biomass as the big limestoners, and my best fishing days in PA, numbers wise anyway, have come from that area of the state.

I don’t really think there is a legit “Best Streams in PA” list. The bottom line is there are many different types of streams that offer a different angling experience, all of which are found in one state, and a half day’s drive or less away. I think the best thing about PA is that there are so many good options, many of which have never even been brought up in PA angling literature…except maybe for the occasional mention on PAFF.

 

[Chaz]

The best trout streams in PA are where you are enjoying yourself and catching fish, not necessarily the streams you are reading about, though they are pretty good trout streams.
What is good to one person is not necessarily good to another person though.
So go to your cabins and find the streams near there and check them out.

 

[wgmiller]

I'm no Shane Becker when it comes to the Lehigh, but if I'm not mistaken, it faces issues with warming in the summer months due to the cold water pool being depleted. No? Not that Pine doesn't warm in the summer as well... Also, the erratic water flows due to summer WW releases screws with the fish. As I'm sure you're aware, there are plenty of "feeder" streams along the length of the Lehigh to give it shots of cold water.

I remember seeing a thread about attempts to make the Lehigh a "world class" fishery. Perhaps a search may yield some results. Personally speaking, I think it's a heck of a fishery (not like the UD, etc.). It's not for the "faint of heart" though as wading is treacherous at best.

Here's a Link to something I found.

 

[troutbert]

Trying to determine what are the best streams is kind of like trying to determine the best foods.

 

[SBecker]

Bacon /thread

 

[Skeet6]

troutbert wrote:
Trying to determine what are the best streams is kind of like trying to determine the best foods.

Oh, that's easy... Lamb Vindaloo! (Indian).
Mike B

 

[blueheron]

The Lehigh is not as condensed a fishery as say Penn's or Spring, there are sections with a good level of fish but also spots where the fishing is tough. People don't want to put the effort in to actually seek out the good areas, they want to be led to the good holes instead of putting the time in learning the river. That being said, the fishing is better (easier) in the center of the state, really not much of an argument there, the Lehigh is a different type of water than Penn's.

 

[dryflyguy]

I've fished the Lehigh a few times. And it reminds me a lot of the yough river - big brawling stream that can be quite intimidating, and filled with mostly stocked trout. Although the fish do hold over, and get to be nice size.
Pretty nice fishing. But still a notch below the central PA limestoners IMO - where you can catch nice size wild trout, that rise to better hatches

 

[Millsertime]

Yup. All trout in Lehigh are ugly raceway stockies. No wild trout.

 

[vcregular]

The lehigh is not for everyone, but I think it is a great river. The hatches can be blanket. The fish rise readily. There is a ton of water and variety. You can boulder hop in the gorge or float a drift boat downstream. How many miles of trout water is there? 50? It is usually vacant of anglers. More and more access will be coming on line in the next few years. It has a lot of good things happening. How many rivers can you say that about in PA? Not to mention it is big water. Which goes against just about all of PAs trout water. There is something special about catching trout in a western size river in PA. Some folks will never get it, and that is fine with me.

 

[PhilC]

I agree the history is just not there.
The scenery can be awesome, the fall colors attract tourists but there is still much industrial blight...it doesn't have the "Gods country" handle like Pine