Western PA Question

[thebassman]

Hey everyone,

I am heading out to Western, PA for the week after christmas to visit the in-laws and am thinking about actually taking a rod with me. I have messed around on a few very small streams for brookies, but am looking for some info on some streams that are holding some bows and browns. I do not really care if they are wild or stocked....just wanting to get into some fish.

I will be in the Champion, PA area not to far from Donegal. I was thinking about checking out the Laurel Hill State Park or Kooser, but did not know if anyone had any "local" advice to pass on? I have checked the PA Fish site for stream locations but would prefer to get some advice from people who have actually fished there.

Any info would be great!!

Steven

 

[dreamsofstreams]

Laurel Hill both above and below the lake are fair bets for a few fish (DHALO above, ATW below). I would put Dunbar Creek FFO stretch at the top of your list. Kooser run is a relatively small stream that relies heavily on stocking and doesn't have much holding water to carry fish over.

If you're up for a bit of a drive (1/2 hour from Champion) the Yough at Confluence always has fish and Meadow run DHALO holds fish over as well.

Note on the Yough though, check the streamflow data at usgs.gov/water. If the Outflow gauge is 900-1000+ that's too heavy to wade in my opinion. With all this snowmelt and rain, they may have the dam cranking out the water.

One other note on most of these streams - Wear your blaze orange especially if you opt for Dunbar Creek.

 

[troutbert]

The regs area on Indian Creek is in that area.

 

[mario66pens]

In the winter right where Laurel Hill creek enters the lake is a good bet to find trout. Also right below the spillway usually has trout in it. Within Laurel Hill State Park, Jones Mill usually has some fish that hold over. For Indian creek, I have found fish to hold over, but are concentrated only in the deep pools. If you go to Indian Creek and it doesn't work out, Pike Run and Camp Run are both within a mile and are both Class A streams.

 

[esocidae]

Camp run has always been a good bet for me, especially up on the donated Mellon property; the stream diverts into an old concrete pool of some sort, very neat place. Requires a bit of hiking-road access is limited to the very lower end of the stream. Keep in mind that this is a Wild Brook Trout Enhancement stream, and no Brook trout may be killed or had in possession. Another state park option would be Linn run, about 12 mi or so north of Champion on SR 381. Stocked in the spring, usually holds some fish over and a fair amount of natives throughout. If you fish Linn run, be sure to check out Adam's Falls at the lower end of the park. Back creek is about 2 miles from you, try its headwater forks for natives.