Venango and Crawford County Wild Trout Streams

[chuckyblack09]

Could anyone PM me or give me some info regarding access or streams with wild trout in these counties? I know of some I want to try, but am not sure where to access. Thanks!

 

[nomad_archer]

Here is the link to the class a wild trout streams.

http://www.fishandboat.com/Fish/PennsylvaniaFishes/Trout/Documents/classa.pdf

 

[chuckyblack09]

Yeah, I've looked at this, but I'm always discouraged when the percent public ownership says 0. Like does that mean that it's necessarily all private or can you still fish it?

 

[pcray1231]

Means it's privately owned. Doesn't tell you whether it's posted though.

 

[chuckyblack09]

Ahh, well that's a big game changer, for me at least. I was always under the impression that if it said 0 that none of the stream was accessible, ever.

 

[nomad_archer]

Another think I have learned is even if the little trickle or stream doesn't happen to be on the class A list doesn't mean it is devoid of native trout. I stumbled across a list of streams that support natural reproduction some time ago and there was a huge number around my camp in forest county. I plan to try those streams. They may surprise me.

http://www.fishandboat.com/Fish/PennsylvaniaFishes/Trout/Documents/trout_repro.pdf

Here is the trout water classification page. Tons of info there.
http://www.fishandboat.com/Fish/PennsylvaniaFishes/Trout/Pages/TroutWaterClassifications.aspx

 

[steveo27]

Knock on some doors. Ask for permission.

There are a few class A/B streams on public land in that areas, do some research, stare at some maps, and go fish the streams

 

[pcray1231]

On some, it lists private open and private closed. Can't say it's up to date, of course. And zeroes often mean nobody has checked.

 

[RLeep2]

With the exception of the wild trout pops in a number of the stocked trout streams, pretty much all the "listed" wild trout waters in Crawford County are in one of the following categories: 1) Posted up tight and they mean it (about half..) 2) ostensibly posted, but access *may* be possible with permission and a gentle approach to the landowner (about a third..) 3) The balance are a grab bag: too small or alder-clogged to be enjoyable or even fished, other than to prove a point. Some of these are not posted and see a few bait guys each year and a few of them have short sections of less brushy water away from the bridges where fishing is possible. But even on these streams, it is probably best to always ask permission.

Actually, probably the best wild trout fishing in Crawford County from an assured access point is in the upper halves of some of the stocked streams.

 

[salmonoid]

From the header of the list:

Important Note to Anglers:
Many waters in Pennsylvania are on private property, the listing or mapping of waters by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
DOES NOT guarantee public access. Always obtain permission to fish on private property.

Even if it was listed as "100% Private Open", land ownership or attitudes towards anglers may have changed since the time the stream was surveyed. If you show up and it's posted, citing the Class A list isn't going to get you out of a potential citation.

Rleep2 pretty much nailed it. There are some real sleepers there. Access is generally tough (both from a landowner perspective and from an alder perspective). But it is worth beating the brush.