Penns Creek Safe Wading water level

[Bopper]

Water levels varied from below 300 to well over 1000 cuft/sec in spring last year. What levels are considered too high for safe wading?

https://nwis.waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/dv?site_no=01555000

 

[PennKev]

600 or maybe a little more would be my upper limit to fish it and that would be with very limited wading.

I much prefer to fish it at 300-400ish.

Also, keep in mind if flows are on the rise or have recently leveled off after some rain, Penns will likely be pretty muddy.

I'm sure there are going to be people that tell you they fish it at 1000cfs or something, but I can't see it. Maybe taking one step in and casting from one specific spot. But actual, normal fishing? nope.

 

[afishinado]

Bopper wrote:
Water levels varied from below 300 to well over 1000 cuft/sec in spring last year. What levels are considered too high for safe wading?

https://nwis.waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/dv?site_no=01555000

It Depends on where you fish. I myself wait until the stream is down into the 400's before I even consdier a trip out there. In the 400's Penns is high but wadeable in many spots. The 300's are close to ideal.

Just as important as the flow is the clarity of Penns. The stream is notorious for becoming muddy with even a modest amount of precipitation. I recommend you check with the fly shops before you make a trip out there.

Good luck.

 

[jifigz]

I will echo what the others have said. There is no direct correlation between cfs/flows and clarity of the stream. I would consider anything around 500 or below fishable. But it could be flowing lower and be muddy. I can handle hung water but fishing "chocolate milk" is difficult. Penns isn't the only stream that muddies easy like this in the area. There are many high quality trout streams that get muddied up very, very easily.

 

[Bopper]

I have reservations at the Poe Paddy campground for mid May. Based on last years USGS data, Penns was above 500 cfs about 40-50% of May. Looks like good fishing conditions will be a matter of luck during my reserved period.

The USGS map that compares current stream conditions to historical shows about the whole state is either above (76-90%) or much above (>90%) normal. Time to move to Montana.

https://waterwatch.usgs.gov/?m=real&r=pa

 

[lycoflyfisher]

Best part of the area is that there are a ton of options, if Penns is blown out try out some of the tribs. There are many class A tribs and they can fish very well when Penns is too high.

 

[afishinado]

Bopper wrote:
I have reservations at the Poe Paddy campground for mid May. Based on last years USGS data, Penns was above 500 cfs about 40-50% of May. Looks like good fishing conditions will be a matter of luck during my reserved period.

The USGS map that compares current stream conditions to historical shows about the whole state is either above (76-90%) or much above (>90%) normal. Time to move to Montana.

https://waterwatch.usgs.gov/?m=real&r=pa

I hear ya ^.

Penns was unfishable because of high dirty water during last year's jam the third week of May. I fished it a few weeks earlier when the levels were good. I would guess fishing Penns has been about 50/50 during our jam in May every year.

The problem with staying at Poe Paddy along the banks of Penns is if it is blown-out and/or off-color, it's a long drive on slow-going roads to hit many of the other streams.

Good luck. Hopefully the fishing Gods are smiling down for your trip.

 

[lycoflyfisher]

Another point, even if Penns is not wadable don't overlook fishing along the banks. This big brown took a streamer I was dabbling along the banks around Cherry Run in August when flows were about ~1200. Also, the kayaking from that day was a lot of fun.

 

[tomgamber]

afishinado wrote:


I hear ya ^.

Penns was unfishable because of high dirty water during last year's jam the third week of May.

nooooooooooooooo, that's so unusual. int: