Camping/Fishing north of Dubois - Next weekend 27-29 July 2019

[Millsertime]

I'm planning to meet a friend in Dubois next weekend and then traveling north for a camping/fishing weekend. I seldom leave Monroe/Carbon counties for fishing so I'm looking for some suggestions.

A traditional campground with running water, showers, and nearby stores for food/beer would be nice but it's not an absolute priority.

Fishing....I know it's a bad time of year for fishing. We will likely be wet wading and fishing early mornings and perhaps evenings. During the day we'll likely cook, hike, BS, and drink. Stream temp's will be monitored. I prefer brown trout over brookies and I don't like low water streams where the trout are really "skittish". Yes, I'm aware it's the summer and nobody can predict flows for streams a week from now.

I prefer not to drive more than 2 hours from Dubois. I'm currently looking at Moshannon State Forest or further northeast towards Elk or Susquehannock State Forests. Allegheny National Forest appears to be closer to Dubois but I haven't researched it yet.

PM's are fine. Any opinions or suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[RLeep2]

PM sent..

AS an afterthought, if you're basing in Dubois, I really wouldn't bother researching the ANF. The most worthwhile wild trout fishing is in the northern half of the ANF and from Dubois would be pretty close to the 2 hour limit you've set. And once you were there, it probably wouldn't be half as good as the fishing in the westernmost slopes/basins of the Susquehanna basin in Elk and Cameron Counties all of which would actually be closer to Dubois.

 

[Dave_W]

I'll echo Rleep's advice.

If you're camping vicinity Black Mosh, you're correct to focus on points east and northeast. You can get over to Bellefonte fast on 80 and a slower drive will get you up into the Sinnemahoning watershed. The bigger trout waters in that watershed will be warm, but mountain creeks should be pretty good with strong flows.

If wet-wading big waters are your preference, another option, would be to head west on 80 and hit the lower Clarion for SMBs.

 

[troutbert]

Check out Parker Dam State Park.

 

[Millsertime]

Don't want to fish Bellfonte area as I've been there before.

If fishing is slow, floating the Clarion river is Plan B. Looks like there are rentals and shuttles in Ridgway. SMB would be fun but not as much shade as trout fishing. I hate prolonged sun and a sweaty back!

Thanks for the PM Rleep and info other's have posted.

 

[Prospector]

East Br Clarion a few miles north of Johnsonburg will have temps low enough for trout fishing. It has far more rainbows than browns. If you want to avoid central PA you should probably focus on SM bass. The gauge on Kettle shows max temps in the last 7 days between 71 and 78 degrees, so trout fishing there is over.