Winter Browns

[guyonabuffaloh]

Hello all,

Fairly new to PA from North of the border. Been doing a lot of exploring and searching for trout. I am in the SE and have some great summer streams, but am on the search for hold over browns and rainbows for fall/winter fishing. I know it will be a bit of drive for me from the SE so makes exploring a little tougher.

Any recommendations on good streams for big browns? Not afraid to drive a few hours or even out of state. Just looking to be pointed in the right direction.

Also caught my first Steelhead on the fly in NY this past weekend!!

Thanks for any info!

Justin

 

[Swattie87]

Welcome to the U.S. and PAFF. The guys on here who have been able to consistently locate big Browns in the Winter will probably be pretty hesitant to share their locations, for obvious reasons. So don’t take it personally if you don’t get many (or any) specific responses.

If you found some nice Trout water in the Summer, odds are the fish are still there. Those places would be a good start. Generally, bigger fish live in bigger water. Look at bigger streams, downstream of where you caught or would expect to find Trout in the Summer. Look for larger streams that you’d think would just be marginal for Trout, and may be more suited for Smallmouth Bass. That kind of water is where a lot of the really big rogue Browns in PA show up.

 

[Prospector]

Oak Orchard Creek in NY from about Oct 20 to Nov 20 is one of the top destinations in the world for big browns. Lots of people speaking foreign languages there. People from Alaska even come to Oak Orchard just to fish for browns. Experienced people, of which I’m not, can catch a dozen browns over 24 in one day.

 

[gulfgreyhound]

Oak Orchard has a reputation for big Browns but, there are others in that area that have great runs as well. You can often find more open space in one of the other lesser known creeks. GG

 

[Dave_W]

Welcome Justin to PA and to PAFF - your new favorite place out of the water.

I'll echo Swattie's post above.

For large wild BTs you will have the most success in the mountainous sections of central PA and on larger streams (the upper Delaware has them) or limestone streams. Also, "large" is, of course, relative. Here in PA I regard 15" as a large wild BT on most streams. On the Cumberland Valley streams near where I live there are 20+" fish, but they are very tough and something of a specialized game.

Night fishing, and dark rainy days are game time, even in the colder months.

 

[salvelinusfontinalis]

Swattie for the win
+1.


I will say that the winter was and is my favorite time to stalk larger fish from pure limestone streams.
Less vegetative, less hiding spots, frozen marshes etc....

Go chuck a sculpin around the Letort for awhile. Even if you catch nothing, it is worth it.

 

[guyonabuffaloh]

This is awesome info guys, definitely don't need any ones honey holes but even this info is super helpful. It gives me a good starting point so thanks for all those that contributed. I'll definitely be doing my research and getting out there!

Tight Lines