My Little Juniata Fishing Experience

As many of you already know, the “Little J” is one of the most well-known trout streams in North America. This high class trout water is loaded with thousands of native trout, making it a great environment for fly fishing.

I have been to the Little J twice in my life, and both times were great experiences. The first time I was spin fishing and the second time I tried fly fishing for the first time in my life. Both times I went exceeded my expectations of not only how great the water was, but the scenery as well.

Both times I went we rented a cabin right on the water which was extremely nice. We could fish until dark, and then get out of the river to be in our back yard. The cabin fit about ten people comfortably, so we rounded up several buddies to join us on our trips.

Spin fishing is a little tougher to pull in fish at the Little J because of the native trout so you have to work extra hard to make every detail on your lure perfect. I used mainly Joe’s Flies when I went, and pulled out only a couple trout (one really nice rainbow).

We weren’t very familiar with the area when we went so we were just driving around looking for places to fish along the river. When we saw a nice spot, we would get out and fish it for about an hour (depending on how nice the water was).

The second time I went to the Little J was my favorite because I got to try out fly fishing. We rented a guide to teach us the basics and guide us around to the hot spots for the day. It was very hot this day, so we didn’t get many hits until the hatch at nightfall.

We went to a spot in the evening and stayed there until dark. When the hatch started happening, it was unbelievable how many trout were surfacing to the top of the water. I got over 30 hits that evening which was a blast.

Both times I went to the Little J, I had great experiences. It is by far the nicest trout water that I have ever fished, and the amount of native trout that are in the water is unbelievable. I would recommend this river to anyone if they want a great experience fishing for smart, native trout.

 

 

 

 

The Youghiogheny River Experience

As mentioned in a previous post, the Yough River is one of my favorite rivers to fish for a number of reasons. Not only is a great place to catch fish, but there is a canoe service offered on the river where you can float down the river for the day while fishing/hanging out with friends.

The canoe service is called Hazelbakers Canoe Services. You park your car and sign in, they drive you several miles upstream and you float back down to where your car is. Not only is it cheap, but the class one rapids are minor enough for families and children of all ages. It is a great way to get outside and enjoy the day/scenery.

While floating down the river, there will be stretches of water that are great for fishing, and a few slow areas where it’s better to enjoy the company of your friends and family. The best fishing areas are at the beginning of the trip and at the end. I have caught some great rainbows on this float as well as smallmouth bass.

The total time of the trip is about five hours, which is the perfect distance for a fun-filled day. About halfway through the float there is a huge rock in the middle of the river where many people stop, get out of their canoes and make a camp fire to cook lunch. This great for getting out of the canoe to stretch your legs.

Aside from the people who you go on the trip with, there are a number of other people who will most likely join you on the trip. This is great for fishing because you can get advice on what lures are getting hits, and how deep the fish are.

Also, there is a bait shop in Hazelbakers where you can find the latest information on the hatch that is happening on the river that night. At the shop, there are fishing supplies and live bait that works great on the river. There is always a fisherman working the desk with great advice about what bait to use while on the river.

This trip is extremely safe. As previously mentioned, the rapids are only class one which means they are the calmest rapids out there. Also, there is a set time limit on how long you should be on the water for. If you are not back before sunset, they send people out looking for you. There are rarely any injuries that happen on the trip which is why is it family oriented.

I would recommend visiting The Yough for the day if you want great fishing and a fun-filled day. Not only are there numerous spots throughout the float which are great for fishing, but fishing them with family and friends makes the experience even better.

Typical Opening Day in the Keystone State

Opening day of Trout season is much like a holiday in Pennsylvania. There is a buzz throughout the whole state about where the new hot spots will be, what rivers got heavily stocked and where the least crowded spots are that will contain the most trout. The day is much anticipated by anglers all over the state and when it finally arrives; thousands of people swarm the rivers and streams.

For a lot of the die-hard fishermen, this day becomes a week of vacation; worrying only about where they will fish next and what the hatch will be for that specific night. Making a small vacation out of the day is a common thing in the Tyrone/State College area, mainly because of the prestigious Little Juniata River which people from all over the nation come to fish.

If one is unfamiliar with the area/stream that they are fishing, scouting the day before opening day can play a big role on your success. The best spots are going to be the most crowded, so it is crucial that you find a good spot that you think won’t attract a lot of people.

Camping out the night before the season starts is a tradition that many families experience together. There will be camp fires, tents, camp food and stories told in the tent throughout the night as the sun quickly approaches. The season starts at 8am almost every year.

Waking up on opening day is extremely exciting. When you get ready to head to the stream, all you can hope is that your spot isn’t already taken. There are countless die-hard fishermen who wake up in the middle of the night to go reserve their spot for the morning.

If you’re lucky, the section you are fishing won’t be too crowded, but the more popular streams are almost always shoulder-to-shoulder conditions. Throughout the day it is common to move from spot to spot, which is exciting because there is a lot of scenery to see and you can find out how other fishermen are doing.

After a long day of wading around through different streams, it is finally time to take your catch (hopefully) home to eat. There is nothing better than cooking up a meal over the camp fire with your friends and family surrounding you.

Opening day in Pennsylvania is unlike any other. It is extremely exciting seeing all the people who surround you just as excited about the event as you are. There are a countless number of die-hard anglers who wouldn’t miss this day for anything, and that’s what makes it a great day in the Keystone State.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pennsylvania Trout Fishing: Rivers/Streams (more difficult)

The great thing about trout fishing in Pennsylvania is there are many beautiful streams throughout the state, some suited for beginners and some that would test the ability a fisherman with years of experience under his/her belt. Now, I am going to tell you about a few of the most difficult streams/rivers that I have fished in the Keystone State.

The rivers that I am about to mention take a little more time, patients, research and of course, luck in order to catch fish. They are all a little harder to get to than the beginner streams that I mentioned in my previous post, but are well worth it if you’re looking for a challenge.

The Little Juniata River (Altoona, PA) is arguably the most prestigious trout stream in Pennsylvania. People from all over the nation gather throughout this river to catch native brown and rainbow trout, along with to enjoy the sights of the world class waters. Since there are only native trout in this stream, it makes it extremely difficult to fish. This stream runs anywhere from 10-40 yards across, and 3-10 feet deep.

Drury Run (Clinton County, PA) is by far the most difficult and fun trout stream that I have ever fished. This stream runs through steep mountains, making it difficult to navigate up and down the stream. The stream is 5-15 feet wide, and only gets up to a few feet deep. The crystal clear water, rugged terrain and native trout all contribute to the level of difficulty that is associated with this stream. Drury Run contains native brown and brook trout.

Laurel Hill Creek (Somerset, PA) is located only a few miles away from Seven Springs Mountain Resort. It is easily accessible, but the water is fairly tough to fish. There are a lot of small rapids that aren’t very deep, but every so often you will find a nice hole to fish. If you choose to fish this stream, you will be walking a decent amount in order to find a spot to throw your line out, but it is worth it when you’re reeling in rainbow, brown and brook trout. Laurel Hill Creek is 15-35 yards wide, ranging anywhere from 1-6 feet deep.

Stony Creek (Somerset, PA) is another one of my favorite streams to fish, but some parts are extremely difficult to get to. It is located in a ravine, with steep mountains on both sides of the river. Once you get down to the stream, your best bet is to wade in the river until you’re ready to head home. The water is very fast moving in some parts, and the trout tend to lurk at the bottom of the stream. Stony Creek is about 15 yards wide, ranging anywhere from 1-15 feet deep.

Out of these four trout streams, Drury Run is not only the hardest stream to fish, but it is also my favorite. The tough terrain and native trout make it a challenge for even the most experienced fishermen out there.

All of these rivers are great places to go. If you’re looking to test your fishing ability physically and mentally, I suggest checking out one of these streams.

Pennsylvania Trout Fishing: Rivers/Streams (beginners)

Yough River

I have been trout fishing across Pennsylvania for the past 11 years, and have come in contact with some first-class trout streams. There are streams that I have fished which were geared toward more advanced fishermen, while others were geared more toward beginners. I am going to talk about the rivers which I’ve found easiest to fish in Pennsylvania.

The following rivers have a laid back atmosphere, and you will find people of all ages fishing in these locations. They all are stocked somewhat frequently, making it a lot easier to catch fish. Also, there are ways to access river conditions for all of these locations which makes it easier to decide which river you want to fish, and when to fish them.

The Youghiogheny River- Lower (Perryopolis, PA) is the first river that I am going to mention, because it is the easiest to fish. It runs, on average, 50 yards wide which makes getting caught up in trees difficult.  The Yough runs for 134 miles through West Virginia and Maryland, in addition to Pennsylvania. The Perryopolis section has class one rapids scattered throughout it, and gets as deep as about 12 feet. This river is heavily stocked with rainbow trout, with a mix of brown/brook trout. Also, you will run into smallmouth bass.

Kettle Creek (Renova, PA) is also a great river to fish if you are a beginner. Similar to the Youghiogheny, Kettle Creek is a very open stream where it is tough to get hung up in trees/brush. It runs about 50 miles long and is on average 30-40 yards wide. There are small rapids throughout this stream, with areas of calm water which are great holes for a beginner to fish. Kettle Creek is stocked with primarily rainbow trout throughout the season.

Chartiers Creek (Pittsburgh, PA) is a local stream that I enjoy fishing. It isn’t as big as Kettle Creek and the Yough, but it is still an easy fish. This stream runs about 20 yards wide, and on average 3-4 feet deep (making it easy to wade), throughout Allegheny/Washington County. You may want to avoid going to this stream on opening day because of the shoulder-to-shoulder like conditions. Also, this is one of the most polluted streams in Pennsylvania, so it is recommended that you catch and release. This stream is stocked with rainbow trout, and you will find smallmouth bass here as well.

Enlow Fork is a very scenic stream to fish, being located in Greene Country (corner of Pennsylvania State Gamelands). This stream is a little more difficult to fish, being about 15-30 yards wide. It is difficult to wade in some parts of the stream because of the steep banks and 10 foot depth, but other parts are shallower and easier to wade. Enlow fork is extremely difficult to get to, and there is no cell service so it is best to fish with a friend for safety purposes. Enlow is stocked frequently with mainly rainbow trout, with a mix of brown/brook trout.

Out of these four rivers/streams, my personal favorite is the Yough. This is where I have caught the most fish, mainly because of the amount of smallmouth bass mixed in with the trout. Also, you can rent a canoe/kayak at the local bait shop, making it easy to fish the middle of the river. 

All of these rivers are great for beginner fishermen of all ages. You will find a lot of great holes to fish out of, along with small rapids where trout tend to hide.