SW PA truly is a trout "desert"!

[rrt]

I'll echo Post 16. I used to drive to Young Woman's Creek -- before it was stocked. I thought of it as an exotic stream, probably the loveliest of the streams I have fished. Now, at 74, I don't have the dedication or energy to drive two hours, then fish for two or three hours, and then drive two hours back home.

Before it was stocked, I didn't mind the relatively small size of the trout, catching beautiful brook trout up to about 9 inches and browns up to a foot or a little longer. They were lovely wild trout.

Perhaps someday I'll drive up there again, just to see how it looks. But, I would not be thrilled to catch stocked trout in that lovely stream. I can catch them around here by driving five minutes out of town.

 

[TimMurphy]

Dear Board,

A spent 11 years selling heavy equipment across the Southern Tier of NY and the Northern Tier of PA. I know all too well what local highway departments did to the creeks and streams in the region. I nearly fainted when I saw the Town dozer push a load of gravel and logs out of Horton Brook into the Acid Factory pool on the Beaverkill. They straightened out every tributary that Spring. It was awful. But dozers in cricks up there along the border are still SOP any time there is a high water event.

Regards,

Tim Murphy

 

[TimMurphy]

I'll echo Post 16. I used to drive to Young Woman's Creek -- before it was stocked. I thought of it as an exotic stream, probably the loveliest of the streams I have fished. Now, at 74, I don't have the dedication or energy to drive two hours, then fish for two or three hours, and then drive two hours back home.

Before it was stocked, I didn't mind the relatively small size of the trout, catching beautiful brook trout up to about 9 inches and browns up to a foot or a little longer. They were lovely wild trout.

Perhaps someday I'll drive up there again, just to see how it looks. But, I would not be thrilled to catch stocked trout in that lovely stream. I can catch them around here by driving five minutes out of town.

Dear rrt,

I visited Young Woman's a couple years ago in the Fall. I stopped by the stream gauge, it was a place I had spent entire weekends sleeping in my truck. I looked into the pool trying to figured out how a broken Wiffle Ball bat made its way into the pool? Then I looked closer and saw it was 2 palomino trout. I almost cried remembering what once was.

Regards,

Tim Murphy

 

[Swattie87]

I'll echo Post 16. I used to drive to Young Woman's Creek -- before it was stocked. I thought of it as an exotic stream, probably the loveliest of the streams I have fished. Now, at 74, I don't have the dedication or energy to drive two hours, then fish for two or three hours, and then drive two hours back home.

Before it was stocked, I didn't mind the relatively small size of the trout, catching beautiful brook trout up to about 9 inches and browns up to a foot or a little longer. They were lovely wild trout.

Perhaps someday I'll drive up there again, just to see how it looks. But, I would not be thrilled to catch stocked trout in that lovely stream. I can catch them around here by driving five minutes out of town.

Just wait until about this time of year until you go up. The vast majority of the Trout you catch by now will be wild. And after this weekend in particular, the angler usage drops to near zero.

 

[troutbert]

Dear Board,

A spent 11 years selling heavy equipment across the Southern Tier of NY and the Northern Tier of PA. I know all too well what local highway departments did to the creeks and streams in the region. I nearly fainted when I saw the Town dozer push a load of gravel and logs out of Horton Brook into the Acid Factory pool on the Beaverkill. They straightened out every tributary that Spring. It was awful. But dozers in cricks up there along the border are still SOP any time there is a high water event.

Regards,

Tim Murphy

In the northern tier of PA a local person told me that the gravel dug out of the streambeds is often used to fill in potholes in the dirt and gravel roads.

So, that is another incentive to dig out the streams. Basically mining gravel from the streambeds.

 

[Cougarbaby]

I live in the top end of that dessert and take a 2 hr commute to ridgeway johnsonburg area every weekend to fish 4-5 hrs or to little Juniata which is the same 2 hr commute Trout fishing here stinks unless your into following the white truck 🤮at one time back in the late 70s to mid 80s Deer creek would harbor held overs year round because we had to mines that settled there iron in big ponds and then dumped the water into the creek I’m talking 2 -30 inch pipes flowing full bore into the stream back then you could kayak and we did , but now it drys up every year to barely a trickle, we didn’t have any reproduction going on but had trout year round , we would catch and move them upstream and catch them again next year and so forth till the water supply stopped around 1985 or so ,today the commission dumps trout in 3 Spots and call it DHALO area 😂😂

 

[Bamboozle]

For a number of years I spent Memorial Day Weekend (Thursday - Tuesday) fishing in Potter, Tioga & Clinton Counties on bunch of different wild trout streams. The drive was well over 3 hours each way and even on Tuesday the traffic on the drive home was heavy. Still, I used to think it was worth the hassle.

I always caught a lot of wild fish fish over 5 days, (even a bow or two at one creek) but I always said I can consistently catch bigger and more wild fish in the county where I live and a few neighboring counties. Maybe there aren't as many wild brook trout (if I cared) closest to home, but I don't have to travel too far if I feel I desire to catch a few.

The biggest difference for me is hatches. I needed two extra trays added to my Richardson Box when I was in NCPA to cover all the flies I might encounter. Back home, I really only need a handful of flies to represent the few number of flies that I encounter.

However, I actually enjoy fishing the water and targeting the fewer risers I encounter when there isn't a hatch versus catching 20 little gemmies for every 8" - 10" fish which seems to be the norm when I fish in "God's Country." Of course we have no Green Drakes or other memorable hatches other than Sulphurs & Tricos, but I really don't care...

I'll never argue about the beauty & solitude I find in NC, but yesterday I was on a train excursion through Schuylkill County and the scenery and solitude in places in the Skuke is pretty amazing too and that's barely an hour away.

For me most often, closer is better...

 

[Cougarbaby]

I would venture to say that depends on where your close is 😂 it’d be great to call little J Penns ,Spring creek close to home I’d even take the Yough as close to home

 

[TimMurphy]

For a number of years I spent Memorial Day Weekend (Thursday - Tuesday) fishing in Potter, Tioga & Clinton Counties on bunch of different wild trout streams. The drive was well over 3 hours each way and even on Tuesday the traffic on the drive home was heavy. Still, I used to think it was worth the hassle.

I always caught a lot of wild fish fish over 5 days, (even a bow or two at one creek) but I always said I can consistently catch bigger and more wild fish in the county where I live and a few neighboring counties. Maybe there aren't as many wild brook trout (if I cared) closest to home, but I don't have to travel too far if I feel I desire to catch a few.

The biggest difference for me is hatches. I needed two extra trays added to my Richardson Box when I was in NCPA to cover all the flies I might encounter. Back home, I really only need a handful of flies to represent the few number of flies that I encounter.

However, I actually enjoy fishing the water and targeting the fewer risers I encounter when there isn't a hatch versus catching 20 little gemmies for every 8" - 10" fish which seems to be the norm when I fish in "God's Country." Of course we have no Green Drakes or other memorable hatches other than Sulphurs & Tricos, but I really don't care...

I'll never argue about the beauty & solitude I find in NC, but yesterday I was on a train excursion through Schuylkill County and the scenery and solitude in places in the Skuke is pretty amazing too and that's barely an hour away.

For me most often, closer is better...

Dear Bamboozle,

Yesterday I ran the whole circuit through Schuylkill County, from coming down the Frackville Mountain off I-81 to running Rte 443 from Schuylkill Haven back to I-81 outside of Pine Grove.

It was a weird trip, as I took my mother to see her dying brother in hospice care at his home. I could have run the shortest and fastest route to Saint Clair from my head based on the hundreds of times I have done it. But I took the long way around, as much for me as it was for my mother. To hear my mother say, I haven't been out this way for 50 or 60 years made the trip much more tolerable given the circumstances surrounding it.

In the process I pretty much decided I need to go fish Locust Lake and Tuscarora State Parks for bass and panfish, and whatever the Hell bites going forward. The days of chasing fishing are winding down for me.

Regards,

Tim Murphy

 

[The_Sasquatch]

You boys are making me miss PA. NCPA will always feel like a home to me. My favorite spot in the entire world to fish. But I also love Schuylkill Co. and miss fishing that area as well.

I probably won't make it up to Potter this yer. Even after moving to WV, we made the 7 hour drive to stay at the cabin for about 10 days. Instead, I'll be spending our Fall vacation in Deutschland w/ my inlaws (and hopefully going to a Bundesliga game). Not planning on doing any fishing for native brownies, though. As great as Germany will be, I'm going to miss Potter.

I'll be back in the 717 for the next 10 days. Driving up super early tomorrow morning. I'm going to try and fish as much of my old territory as possible.

 

[Bamboozle]

Dear Bamboozle,

Yesterday I ran the whole circuit through Schuylkill County, from coming down the Frackville Mountain off I-81 to running Rte 443 from Schuylkill Haven back to I-81 outside of Pine Grove.

It was a weird trip, as I took my mother to see her dying brother in hospice care at his home. I could have run the shortest and fastest route to Saint Clair from my head based on the hundreds of times I have done it. But I took the long way around, as much for me as it was for my mother. To hear my mother say, I haven't been out this way for 50 or 60 years made the trip much more tolerable given the circumstances surrounding it.

In the process I pretty much decided I need to go fish Locust Lake and Tuscarora State Parks for bass and panfish, and whatever the Hell bites going forward. The days of chasing fishing are winding down for me.

Regards,

Tim Murphy

Any time you want to fish Locust Lake or Tuscarora for bass & sunfish, PM me...

I'll buy you dinner and take you to some of the best barrooms in Rush & Ryan Townships on my dime as long as Yuengling is good enough...

 

[TimMurphy]

Any time you want to fish Locust Lake or Tuscarora for bass & sunfish, PM me...

I'll buy you dinner and take you to some of the best barrooms in Rush & Ryan Townships on my dime as long as Yuengling is good enough...

Dear Bamboozle,

I'm Pottsville born, is there any other beer than Yuengling when it counts? We can go dutch, I know more barrooms west of Pottsville to Shamokin and Mt Carmel anyway.

Seriously though, would you be willing to fish from a float tube or kayak? I have both and can get both of us off dry land.

Regards,

Tim Murphy

 

[Bamboozle]

Dear Bamboozle,

I'm Pottsville born, is there any other beer than Yuengling when it counts? We can go dutch, I know more barrooms west of Pottsville to Shamokin and Mt Carmel anyway.

Seriously though, would you be willing to fish from a float tube or kayak? I have both and can get both of us off dry land.

Regards,

Tim Murphy

I have a float tube...

BTW - I'm old school and prefer Yuengling Premium.... I know a few places that sell/sold $ .50 drafts, Dunsavitch (long closed) near Locust Lake SP comes immediately to mind.

I still remember drinking in a bar, I want to say at Center Street & Mauch Chunk in Pottsville and the locals were busting my ball$ because I was drinking Premium while they were all a drinking Coors which was the new kid on the block at that time.

BTW - We need a barroom with hot bologna and pickled beet eggs appetizers...

 

[TimMurphy]

I have a float tube...

BTW - I'm old school and prefer Yuengling Premium.... I know a few places that sell/sold $ .50 drafts, Dunsavitch (long closed) near Locust Lake SP comes immediately to mind.

I still remember drinking in a bar, I want to say at Center Street & Mauch Chunk in Pottsville and the locals were busting my ball$ because I was drinking Premium while they were all a drinking Coors which was the new kid on the block at that time.

BTW - We need a barroom with hot bologna and pickled beet eggs appetizers...

Dude,

I still buy the Premiums a lot. I curse Dick Yuengling for dropping the pounder Premium returnables often. My parents who are a little older than him and from Pottsville and Saint Clair always said he still has the first nickel he ever made, that's how *&*^%&( cheap he is.

We could always go to the Club 18 on Market Street in Pottsville. My late Uncle Andy used to take me there 30 plus years ago.

Regards,

Tim Murphy

 

[wgmiller]

And where did this map come from ?
Syl

It’s the trout steams map from the PFBC website with natural repro and Class A layers toggled on.

 

[Bamboozle]

Dude,

I still buy the Premiums a lot. I curse Dick Yuengling for dropping the pounder Premium returnables often. My parents who are a little older than him and from Pottsville and Saint Clair always said he still has the first nickel he ever made, that's how *&*^%&( cheap he is.

We could always go to the Club 18 on Market Street in Pottsville. My late Uncle Andy used to take me there 30 plus years ago.

Regards,

Tim Murphy

I miss those returnables too, especially when I used to be able to get a case for several bucks less than a case of 12 oz cans or NR's.

I often took cases of pounder returnables with me on party boats out of Cape May, cardboard box and all with a cooler to chill six at a time. Once served me "double duty..."

While fishing off the side, a bluefish I caught & stashed on deck, triple bagged in a trash can liner had bit through and had hold of my lower pants leg. Without missing a beat, I grabbed an unopened pounder out of the box and used on the bluefish as a 16 ounce priest.

Yuengling also discontinued the 16 oz. Premium cans and quart bottle NR's a few years back. Coincidentally on Friday I picked up several of 12 oz cans because it's still my favorite American Adjunct Lager and it has a low ABV which I prefer if I'm going to drink before, during or after fishing.

Due to the popularity of the Lager, it is rare to find Premium on draught, even at certain places in the Skuke where Genesee is still popular. At the places with no draught, I would always buy a quart and drink it at the bar but sadly, with no quarts of Premium any more even that isn't possible...

 

[coyoterahn]

Those 16oz Premium returnables were best served by my friends father who was a hard working farmer. After a long afternoon baling hay or straw, he would break open some pounders which really hit the spot! I don’t think it had anything to do with us being completely parched and maybe a bit underage! 😳

 

[falcon]

A bar in Winterdale, PA (Wayne Co.) sold Genny in cans for $1.50. I have not stopped in a year so maybe its more now. They were open 5 days a week ... now 2 days.

 

[caddisflyer]

Many people refer to wild browns as "holdovers."

It's a PA tradition.

I think a LOT of the bigger fish people were catching years ago from Big Fishing Creek and Penns and others were stocked or hatchery escapees. I can't say about recent years. Theres a few streams in NC region that have same situation.

 

[Mike]

If you’re referring to 20” fish as the “big fish,” then the that’s historically, including more recent history of less than or equal to a decade ago, been rarity in the special reg area of Penns. There is a section of Penns that did impress me for larger fish years ago, but I forget if we collected any 20”ers. I also recall a public meeting within what I believe was the past decade or less from which it was somewhat shockingly reported that anglers indicated a preference for Penns numbers over size.

I’ll never understand why anglers prefer numbers over size given the relatively low number of streams in Pa that have the habitat to consistently produce good numbers of large BT. Streams that produce avg to smaller BT are a dime a dozen in Pa, but big fish producing streams are not, even if you're talking 16” and over as being big. (I mention 16” because as with the abundance of 9” and larger ST in Pa, 16” and larger BT represent about 1-1.5% of the statewide population).