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Starting Off In NorthEast Pennsylvania

pmjasper

New member
Hello all.

I recently relocated back to New Jersey after 8 years in the Midwest and want to finally start fishing some northeastern PA trout streams. I grew up fishing Pocono Creek in Bartonsville but never really fished any other of the Pocono streams. I just picked up my 2016 PA license and am ready to start exploring a few of the streams, based on their opening or being opened year-round.

Not looking for anyone's honeyholes, but can someone possibly shoot my in the right direction as to a few rivers/streams worth trying with my 4wt?

Here is what was on my initial list for 2016, staying mostly in the eastern counties of the state:

CARBON COUNTY
-Hickory Run
-Mud Run
-Lehigh River

MONROE COUNTY
-Brodhead River
-Lehigh River
-McMichael Creek
- Big Bushkill

LACKAWANNA COUNTY
-Lackawanna River

PIKE COUNTY
-Lackawaxen River

WAYNE COUNTY
-Lackawanna River
-Lackawaxen River
-Dyberry Creek

Thanks all.
 
I was in a suburb not far from Chicago. I got to fish a few Wisconsin tributaries for salmon, steelhead and large brown trout.
 
Everyone you mentioned is worth a trip to explore. You might want stick closer to home in the winter and branch out further in the spring. Mud run and hickory would each take a day IMHO. Scenery is great but one requires a good hike to decent water.
Hello all.

I recently relocated back to New Jersey after 8 years in the Midwest and want to finally start fishing some northeastern PA trout streams. I grew up fishing Pocono Creek in Bartonsville but never really fished any other of the Pocono streams. I just picked up my 2016 PA license and am ready to start exploring a few of the streams, based on their opening or being opened year-round.

Not looking for anyone's honeyholes, but can someone possibly shoot my in the right direction as to a few rivers/streams worth trying with my 4wt?

Here is what was on my initial list for 2016, staying mostly in the eastern counties of the state:

CARBON COUNTY
-Hickory Run
-Mud Run
-Lehigh River

MONROE COUNTY
-Brodhead River
-Lehigh River
-McMichael Creek
- Big Bushkill

LACKAWANNA COUNTY
-Lackawanna River

PIKE COUNTY
-Lackawaxen River

WAYNE COUNTY
-Lackawanna River
-Lackawaxen River
-Dyberry Creek

Thanks all.
 
Ever visited this site? Flyfishingconnection

It has really helpful profiles (some maybe a little bit out of date) on most of the rivers you mention.

I've only fished a handful of those, as I tend to stay in and around the Catskills, but I've fished the Lackawaxen and Bushkill extensively and both are very friendly and accessible put-and-takes with some holdovers and great spring hatches. Not super difficult fishing, although even stockies can get selective during big caddis hatches.

I know a guy who's done really well on the Lackie in the winter, but last time I spoke with him it was following an extremely cool summer, which allowed the previous year's stockies to stick around. I think the fall and winter fishing on that river really varies from year to year - probably more so than the Big Bushkill.
 
I absolutely have referred to the fly fishing connection website and their hatch charts.

My biggest thought behind posing this questions was for finding a few places that offer sufficient parking, legal access to the river and a place where I will see other anglers but not necessarily be right on top of them.

For me, I'm probably past the days of trudging up a steep mountain to fish for wild 9 inch brookies. That stated, I'm not looking to park the truck at the river bank, open the door and fish right there.

I've experienced a few different things by fishing in both New Jersey and Wisconsin. In New Jersey, I wasn't really comfortable fishing through someone's farm or back yard, even if the legal access was at a river crossing and you were allowed to stay in the stream and wade on through. In Wisconsin, it was common place to wade through someone's property, as long as you gained access from a public road, at a river crossing, and no one gave you a hard time for doing so.

In researching PA rivers, my first concern is to make sure I can access the river I am fishing with no issues and that my truck is able to be parked, legally, without fear of being ticketed or towed.

Over the years, I've had guys tell me this spot is great, just park in the library parking lot or behind the 7-11, only to find out that their cars were ticketed or towed for doing so. That's just something I wish to avoid.

Pocono Creek comes to mind because years ago it was a pretty nice place to fish, however, places to park and access the river were very limited. I'm rambling, but I hope you guys can see my point.

Thanks to all for sharing some insight and I cannot wait to begin checking out the PA rivers.
 
Ever visited this site? Flyfishingconnection

It has really helpful profiles (some maybe a little bit out of date) on most of the rivers you mention.

I've only fished a handful of those, as I tend to stay in and around the Catskills, but I've fished the Lackawaxen and Bushkill extensively and both are very friendly and accessible put-and-takes with some holdovers and great spring hatches. Not super difficult fishing, although even stockies can get selective during big caddis hatches.

I know a guy who's done really well on the Lackie in the winter, but last time I spoke with him it was following an extremely cool summer, which allowed the previous year's stockies to stick around. I think the fall and winter fishing on that river really varies from year to year - probably more so than the Big Bushkill.

I thought the Lackawaxen was the most technical water in the east coast......I heard that on this website.....:)
 
Parking:

Look for Super Market parking lots, athletic field (baseball) parking, & parks.

PA has an extensive recreational trail system along many of its rivers and streams. Look for parking at these trailheads.

Bing and Google maps aerial views are your friend.
 
Fished the Driftless once, staying at a local lodge with a proprietor who assured me the rivers were not blown out after a couple days of rain. Only one river was fishable and I managed a few trout on a caddis imitation.

The Driftless was about 3 hours away and the Lake Michigan tributaries were an hour away, so I opted for fishing salmon, steelhead and browns. I had a boat as well and trolled during the late spring, summer and early fall.
 
For me, I'm probably past the days of trudging up a steep mountain to fish for wild 9 inch brookies. That stated, I'm not looking to park the truck at the river bank, open the door and fish right there.

I've experienced a few different things by fishing in both New Jersey and Wisconsin. In New Jersey, I wasn't really comfortable fishing through someone's farm or back yard, even if the legal access was at a river crossing and you were allowed to stay in the stream and wade on through. In Wisconsin, it was common place to wade through someone's property, as long as you gained access from a public road, at a river crossing, and no one gave you a hard time for doing so.

In researching PA rivers, my first concern is to make sure I can access the river I am fishing with no issues and that my truck is able to be parked, legally, without fear of being ticketed or towed.

Over the years, I've had guys tell me this spot is great, just park in the library parking lot or behind the 7-11, only to find out that their cars were ticketed or towed for doing so. That's just something I wish to avoid.

Pocono Creek comes to mind because years ago it was a pretty nice place to fish, however, places to park and access the river were very limited. I'm rambling, but I hope you guys can see my point.

Thanks to all for sharing some insight and I cannot wait to begin checking out the PA rivers.

Actually, based on what you're saying, the Lackawaxen is pretty much perfect. (Highly technical though, yes. :) )

Tow Path road runs the length of the lower, tailwater part of the river, and you can park anywhere along the road. There are a few spots where you could cast from the hood of your car, or roll out the passenger door into a nice quiet eddy, but the river still rewards a little bit of walking along the bank, since the fish spread out during the high flows and then stay put, while the more popular holes (dollar hole, blooming grove, meredith's hole(?) (might be remembering that one wrong)) all get hammered.

If Charlie Bright is still manning his tiny fly shop on the side of the river, he'd point you to some less popular spots.
 
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