Youth-Friendly Locations

[JT0802]

New to the forum. I've been reading/searching quite a bit. I'm back into fly fishing after a long break from it for college, getting married, Marine Corps and starting a business. Back into it over the last two years or so and tying for a little under a year. Brand new to smallmouth, never caught one before but they sound like a blast for adults and kids.

I have two children, just turned 10 and about turn 8, and they've done some pond fishing with a fly rod. My 10 year old has done a little nymphing in a special regs trout stream. I'd like to get them into some rock bass, smallmouth, or whatever we can find in a stream setting.

My wife got her first fishing license this year and brand new to fishing. I took them all to an Orvis 101 class last year to get some exposure to the basics. She started tying a few flies during the stay-at-home order.

We're wade fishing for now. We all have boots and waders. I'm not ready to try to manage the four of us on kayaks and fishing at the same time yet.

I realize there's probably lots of good water in the area for it - Hammer, Cocalico, Middle, and Mill Creeks, Conestoga River, etc. While figuring out public access for hunting/hiking/biking is pretty straight forward, finding fishing spots outside of parks and state-owned property is new to me. We're C&R fishing. I haven't kept a fish in over 20 years.

Looking forward to contributing where I can.

 

[JT0802]

Tried a small Kreelex and Clouser at Zook's Mill covered bridge and where Diston View connects to Cocalico Creek Road via a private bridge today. No luck. Not even a bite. Still running a little high and I may not have been getting enough depth for the water speed with a floating line, but I was surprised to not even get a rock bass.

 

[JeffP]

I went past Middle Creek Lake today. A lot of fisherman were out. I was always interested in some of those stretches of the Cocalico. Great hole where Hammer runs into Cocalico. Have caught a trout and a small smallie in that hole so always disappointed but one would think it could be loaded with fish. Just one of those great holes that seems like it should be better.