riding a bicycle to fishing spots

A

AFISHN

Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2009
Messages
685
Location
SE PA
Thanks to the influence and helpful advice of my good friend,Ed (Heritage Angler),I bought a bicycle in April 2015 to get to the fishing spots on the LR that were a bit too far to walk to after I parked.

Well,there's no doubt about it that it opened several new and often very productive spots on the LR.

FYI:I only used the bicycle on 6 or 7 of my 30 total LR trips in 2015,but would like to do more in 2016

I'm posting here for several reasons:
a) to find out if there are any other forum members that ride a bicycle to their fishing spots

b)to get suggestions about other streams that have appropriate bicycle paths/access that I should explore in different parts of the state.( e.g Pine Creek)

c)to find out if anyone wants to join me on a bicycle trip on the LR or their favorite stream this year to fish.
thanks
Tom
 
Penns.
 
c)to find out if anyone wants to join me on a bicycle trip on the LR or their favorite stream this year to fish.
Click to expand...

I would love to man! Shoot me a PM sometime.

Sometimes I take the bike and ride along Stoney's in order to access some spots.
 
I remember when we were younger, we'd ride along the Yough upstream from Confluence during the summer and fish for bass. i havent done that in 15 years though
 
I started using a bike this year, usually to ride back to my car to save me a long walk after fishing long stretches of streams. I enjoy it. Not a fan of riding in wading boots though!
 
Andy:I don't ride in my boots.
In the set up I have,I folowed Ed's advice very carefully:So ,I bungeed a milk crate to my back wheel rack and put my stuff in there,including my multi piece fly rod,vest,waders n boots
 
I need a back wheel rack so I can do that. Right now the stream I've done it on are smaller, so I can do it in hip boots. I keep sneakers in the backpack portion of my chest pack harness, then when I get to my bike, take the hippers off, cram them into the backpack pouch thing, put the sneakers on, and ride. I did ONE time in my wading boots and that was enough!
 
On the western side- Yough, Casselman, Frankstown Branch, Oil creek all have rails to trails. I have ridden my bike on all these. Good way to go.

I'm too lazy , so I just rig up and ride. Sometimes it's hot but I rather not deal with being another bag to change into wafers.

I almost killed myself on Penns once , rode back to Poe Paddy from rainbow riffle in the pitch dark after green drake hatch. It was drizzling with fog, my headlamp was useless and almost bit it hard on a few grapefruit sized rocks.
 
Tully, Big Pine, Penn's, Oil, Yough are a few off the top of my head. Even Spring in the canyon.

It works well if you are biking into an area where you'll stay. I struggle with Penn's, for instance though. I get in there fine. But then I move while I fish. At the end of the day I'm as far from the bike as the car, lol. And then you gotta bike out. Just doesn't work for a full day. But if you're goin in just for a spinner fall or something and plan to set up shop, it's great and makes longer distances worth it for a short outing.
 
I have always wanted to do it on Penns. I might give it a shot this year.
 
Tom I park at Fishermen's Paradise on Spring Creek and ride up stream about a mile or two now you can go clear up to Benner Springs
We should do that this spring
 
I love biking to fishing places. I threw a rear rack and a crate on my mountain bike..hauls all of my gear just dandy.
 
opens up a stream. I have one of those rod holders that attach to the front wheel. working on setting up a second bike for my wife this winter.
 
I started bike fishing about 25 years ago now.
Originally tried it to gain easier access to the Pine Creek canyon, and the Yough river. And it was well worth it.
Since then, I've also bike fished Oil, Spring, and Penns creeks, the Frankstown Branch, and the Delaware and Lehigh rivers.
Some tips from my experience:

Biking in waders is not very comfortable - especially in warm weather. So, packing them in - then putting them on when you're ready to fish is the ticket IMO.
I did the milk crate thing at first. But I could never seem to get the thing mounted securely, and it wobbled around.
Then, my wife found the old paper boy baskets at a local bike shop, and got them for me. They're a lot more secure - plus I have two sides to pack gear in. Plenty of room to carry waders, boots, drinks, and lunch.

I usually always stay late to fish the evening rise. And have to bike out in the dark. So a good light is essential - one that mounts on the handlebars.

A good seat is also a must. And none of the bikes I've bought came with a good one. You need to get a wide one, that has springs built in to it. And the ones that have gel cushions built in too, are even better yet.

Bike fishing is well worth the effort IMO. It opens up streams with limited access - without the hassles of floating. No need to meet up with someone else, so that you have two vehicles to shuttle around with. Plus, you're free to move back and forth along streams. And stay and fish holes as long as you want - and not have to leave to get the entire float in before dark.

Good luck!

 
I have seen rods mounted various ways on bikes, but never a fly rod. I have a travel fly rod that I have carried on the rear rack when taking three week bike trips. I have seen other riders mount their rods beneath the top tube or along the seat tube in between the rear tire and the seat tube. I would not advise that. Regarding the milk carton, however, I have seen individuals place the reel end in the carton and run the rod or rod sections straight out the back. That should keep other bikers from drafting. If anyone else has a suggestion that works well...keeps the rod relatively safe and is quick to mount and dismount...please post it.
 
I always bike with the rod in its tube - no worries about breaking it.
I have velcro straps to attach it to the cross bar, which is level on my older bike. However, on newer bikes, the crossbar is usually slanted down. And that would cause a problem with a longer tube.
But a travel rod would be fine.
I usually just stick my 4 piece rod in those paper boy baskets
 
When I'd bike across town to the Letort instead of driving (I'm now close enough to easily walk) I used some paracord to make a sling for my rod tube and just carried it strapped across my back. I'd stash the bike off the side of the rail trail in the brush and wrap a cable lock around it and thru the sling on the tube for peace of mind. Worked great, but I wasn't biking from spot to spot while fishing so never worried about tearing down the rig to move from one place to the other...would wet wade also during those times, so no wader concerns while pedaling.
 
Same here. When travelling to and from, I take the tube across my back.

That said, once fishing, if you go back to the bike and just move a short distance, I usually don't stow the rod and just hold it in my hands, facing forward. Wouldn't want to cover big distances that way but for short rides it's not a big deal if you have a decent bike trail.
 
For LR tribs. Works great.
 

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I would put a rod on a carrier behind the seat, still in the rod tube.
Pine Creek is a good place to use a bike.
 
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