Pine Creek Gorge

[pcray1231]

Now, I lived in Coudersport for a while, but it's been a REAL long time, and I never focused much on the gorge section of Pine. Making a trip in early June, weekend after memorial day, 2 weeks after the jam.

Just a weekend trip - arrive Friday midday, leave Sunday. Trying to figure out how to extend it another day but we'll see, work and such. My lady friend will be with. Will be camping in Cedar Run (Pettecote Junction), river side site. With kayaks and bikes and waders and fishing gear. Trying to figure out best way to kind of get the whole experience in too short of a time.

Friday will probably include setting up camp, going sightseeing, overlooks, fishing in the evening. Saturday will be the real adventure day and looking to incorporate some floating, biking, and a touch of fishing along the way.

One way is simple but rather conservative. Leave bikes at camp, drive kayaks to Blackwell, float back to the camp, stash the yaks, grab the bikes and bike back to the car. But Blackwell to Cedar run is only 4.5 miles. Depending on water levels, that may only be a 1.5 hr float and less than an hour of a bike ride? Start at 8 a.m. and our adventure is over at 11, lol. And missing the main gorge.

Tiadaghton to Cedar Run is a 12.8 mile float and veeerrrrry inviting. Just make that our Saturday, do biking Friday or Sunday morning. Wade fish in the evening. But how easy would it be to get 2 kayaks down to Tiadaghton to put in, and what are my chances of finding a shuttle? Anyone have any info on typical speeds at various water levels?

Further, how will Pine fish in early June right from the campground at Cedar? Could literally have a fire behind us for the evening hatch. Or better to drive down to the special reg area on Slate?

 

[Swattie87]

Now, I lived in Coudersport for a while, but it's been a REAL long time, and I never focused much on the gorge section of Pine. Making a trip in early June, weekend after memorial day, 2 weeks after the jam.

Just a weekend trip - arrive Friday midday, leave Sunday. Trying to figure out how to extend it another day but we'll see, work and such. My lady friend will be with. Will be camping in Cedar Run (Pettecote Junction), river side site. With kayaks and bikes and waders and fishing gear. Trying to figure out best way to kind of get the whole experience in too short of a time.

Friday will probably include setting up camp, going sightseeing, overlooks, fishing in the evening. Saturday will be the real adventure day and looking to incorporate some floating, biking, and a touch of fishing along the way.

One way is simple but rather conservative. Leave bikes at camp, drive kayaks to Blackwell, float back to the camp, stash the yaks, grab the bikes and bike back to the car. But Blackwell to Cedar run is only 4.5 miles. Depending on water levels, that may only be a 1.5 hr float and less than an hour of a bike ride? Start at 8 a.m. and our adventure is over at 11, lol. And missing the main gorge.

Tiadaghton to Cedar Run is a 12.8 mile float and veeerrrrry inviting. Just make that our Saturday, do biking Friday or Sunday morning. Wade fish in the evening. But how easy would it be to get 2 kayaks down to Tiadaghton to put in, and what are my chances of finding a shuttle? Anyone have any info on typical speeds at various water levels?

Further, how will Pine fish in early June right from the campground at Cedar? Could literally have a fire behind us for the evening hatch. Or better to drive down to the special reg area on Slate?

I really like the stretch right where you’re camping. Mouth of Cedar down to the bridge is really nice water. Starts off with a couple nice fast, deep runs just below Cedar that tailout into a massive hole that is very deep by the bridge. East bank of that hole is shallow and gradually gradients out to being deep along the west side. Good for dry fly fishing. Great mix of water in a short stretch.

There may be more fish down by Slate just because of the Slate Run Store’s stockings, but there’s also a ton more people that fish that stretch. Pine gets a ton of fish put into it. I personally prefer the stretch right where you’re camping, and I wouldn’t drive down to Slate to fish the evenings when I could walk right from a campsite at Pettecote.

I’ve been up the first week or two in June many times and Pine is usually still in good fishing shape. That’s actually prime time up there IMO. A couple weeks behind Central PA, unless we get a realllly hot May. Expect Sulphurs and Slate Drakes.

Don’t have enough floating intel to accurately give you any advice, I do know that the road down into Tiadaghton is in really rough shape though. If it’s dry, it’s nothing your Outback can’t handle, but if it’s wet it gets really muddy. That thick deep, rutted mud, and it seems worst at the steepest stretch. Last time I went down in there it was a semi controlled slide down at the steepest part in my 4Runner. Going up was fine, but down was definitely some “clenching” moments.

 

[lycoflyfisher]

Pine creek outfitters should be able to hook you up with shuttle. If stopping to fish along the way, Blackwell to campground could take half a day. Great fishing at mouth of cedar, or bike a short distance upstream for less people. Should be good dry fly action nightly.

Petticote junction has great amenities, but will be crowded. Hit up slate run store for sandwich and ice cream.

 

[pcray1231]

Would they shuttle from Tiadaghton?

I will likely fish a little from the yak. But its a multipurpose trip. Floating and fishing will be somewhat separate endeavors. Float, then wade fish in the evening at Cedar Run. Would like to get her floating up in the canyon for scenery purposes but the full 21.5 miles from Ansonia to the campsite is a bit much.

Strongly considering driving down into Tiadaghton, leaving the car. Floating to Cedar Run. 12.5 miles. Jump on the bikes and pedal back up to get the car. 12.5 miles. Back to campsite and fish in evening. Seems ambitious but do-able. I don't have a great feel on how fast Pine paddles. I recognize it depends on flows but was hoping for some insight.

On some slower rivers around here 2 mph is typical paddling, I've been on others where 4-5 mph is more typical. Thats a huge difference when planning a float like this. The difference between the float part taking 6+ hrs or 3ish hrs. And thats before a 12+ mile upstream bike ride.

Starting in Blackwell is only 4.5 miles. That might be not enough. Start at 7 a.m. and be done with the paddle and bike back to the car by 9 a.m. lol. Looking for a morning to dinnertime type adventure, enough to feel like we did something substantial but not kill ourselves. We're not 20 anymore, or even 40, and I want her to keep doing stuff with me, lol.

 

[poopdeck]

Leave the car overnight in Tiadaghton and do The bike ride on Sunday morning to get the car. Or, try an Uber on Saturday.

 

[troutbert]

I recommend floating from Ansonia to Blackwell. That's a very scenic stretch.

 

[pcray1231]

I recommend floating from Ansonia to Blackwell. That's a very scenic stretch.

How long does it take to go the full 17 miles at say, normal June flow?

I did 18 miles on the skuke one day. Included 2 lakes with portages, and I know the skuke has those long slow pools so its slower going. But it took about 12 hours! And thats without much stopping. She'd kill me, lol.

 

[Millsertime]

Pray..I'll be at pettecoat jnctn 3-5 June. Is that the same weekend you'll be there? I'll be with my 2 sons but might be able to work out a shuttle for you.

 

[pcray1231]

Leave the car overnight in Tiadaghton and do The bike ride on Sunday morning to get the car. Or, try an Uber on Saturday.

Not gonna trust having service to order said uber, ability to get one if I did, or drivers willingness to go down that road, lol. And not allowed to leave vehicles at Tiadaghton overnight.

 

[pcray1231]

Pray..I'll be at pettecoat jnctn 3-5 June. Is that the same weekend you'll be there? I'll be with my 2 sons but might be able to work out a shuttle for you.

Yes! Awesome!

 

[troutbert]

How long does it take to go the full 17 miles at say, normal June flow?

I did 18 miles on the skuke one day. Included 2 lakes with portages, and I know the skuke has those long slow pools so its slower going. But it took about 12 hours! And thats without much stopping. She'd kill me, lol.

I've done this float twice, and both times we did it as a one day float. Kind of a long day as I recall. Figure about 2 miles per hour, or 2.5 miles per hour if you push it, or if the water is up.

You don't really have time to fish.

But multi-tasking is way over-rated. Boat the canyon one day. Do fishing and other stuff another day.

 

[lycoflyfisher]

If you call Pine Creek Outfitters they will be able to provide you float times based on various flow conditions. I am not sure if they shuttle to Tiadaghton, but they may.

If you want a scenic float, I would go Ansonia to Blackwell if flows are sufficient. It will take much of the day, but you should have time for an evening fish. PCO used to have a service where they would shuttle your vehicle to your takeout location like valet parking. Not sure if they still do this.

If Cedar Run Gauge is 2.5 I have found the floats to be fairly quick, but I almost always am stopping to fish along the way when I have kayaked Pine up there so my times wouldn't compare well.

Another option is Blackwell to Slate Run, especially if your going first thing, it adds a few miles and wouldn't be as cumbersome to retrieve you vehicle as going back up to Tiadaghton.

 

[kirby]

We did this trip last year at the end of May. The advice received here was very helpful, so I will share what we did. We floated Ansonia to Tiadaghton on day 1. PCO will not shuttle to/from Tiadaghton, so we left one vehicle at the campground there, drove back to where we were staying in Gaines, and left our boats overnight. The next morning we started at Tiadaghton and floated to Blackwell/Rattlesnake Rock. We did utilize PCO to drive a vehicle and leave it at the takeout.

Flows were low and we stopped quite a bit to fish each day, so each day was a full day. My opinion is that floating Ansonia to Blackwell with any significant stops to fish will be a very long day.

The road down to Tiadaghton was dry so it was a non issue and very easy, but I can see how it can get snotty.

Fishing was almost entirely swinging/slow stripping wets and nymphs with very little action on top, but that was our experience.

Make sure you budget an hour or more to stop in the fly shop in Ansonia to pick up some flies and listen to a cautionary tale or two!

 

[Drifly]

I’m pretty sure that the owner of Petticote offers shuttle service, I know for a fact he does when you rent his canoes or kayaks. Just talk to them, very friendly folks, I’ve stayed there every summer for the last several years for the bike riding and rattlesnake viewing.