Fishing The Lehigh

[Brianh]

I'll be driving out towards Bloomsburg tomorrow morning and would like to fish the Lehigh on the trip out. What would be the best place to wade fish ? On the map I see Whitehaven, Hayes Creek and Lehigh Gorge State Park. Would you suggest any of these places for a first timer to the river? I'm not looking for any secret spots, just a place to wet a line and maybe land a fish.
Thanks

 

[trout48]

If you don't know the river I would stick with Whitehaven.

 

[bradtheflyfisherman]

The water temps are still a bit too high but it is cooling off, and likely the water in the gorge is a little cooler from the tribs dumping in this time of year. Most likely very early morning is the best time to fish when its still cool out - waters temps probably fluctuating a bit between 67.5-68 degrees. But it warms up quickly.

If you want to properly catch and release fish without them dying from stress, I would suggest you wait till the water temps cool off just a bit more (they're almost there). There is great fall fishing to be had on the Lehigh.

Whitehaven is also your best bet if you are unfamiliar with the river. It is precarious to fish/wade in the gorge.

Additionally, the dam is predicting a weekend flow of 1700 CFS Saturday and 1000 CFS Sunday, which makes the river essentially un-wadable/ almost unfishable. With the predicted rain in the forecast, they might even bump the outflow even more.

I would avoid it altogether and hit a mountain stream or maybe even the Brodhead.

 

[Tigereye]

All good advice above. Lehigh fishing is not at its best, nor fun when flows >1000.

May want to take a look at fishing creek near Bloomsburg. A lot easier wading and, provided the rain gods don't dump too much more on us, it should be fishable.

Haven't ventured out that way in a number of year's, but always found some decent fishing north along 487 between Orangeville and Benton.

I believe access is a bit tricky now with some private clubs setting up shop, but a quick visit to a local fly shop should yield some good pointers. When I did fish it, the clubs and private property were well marked with posters. Access and parking were pretty good at the bridges along or right off 487. Behind the school in Benton was also open to fishing.
Perhaps some others here can help.

A new post on here requesting access help for Fishing Ck Columbia Co, may help open things up for you.

Good luck.

 

[Brianh]

Thanks for the suggestions. Friday morning at the Tannery was tough with heavy rain and some thunderstorms.
Conditions and fishing Saturday on Big Fishing creek in Columbia county were better. Amazing how much damage that area suffered from the flooding a few weeks ago.

 

[phiendWMD]

I never see people fishing the Gorge. But when I'm there it's a dam release weekend with high water and a billion rafters. Actually I did see someone fishing a week or so ago at Glen Onoko. I was there during the week to practice rolling a kayak in the eddy after the take out.

Most of the people I see fishing are around the mouth of the Pohopoco give or take a mile or two up and down stream. Most seem to be catching more smallmouth according to what they tell me when I ask how they're doing...which is pretty much every fisherman I float past.

 

[trout48]

I fish the gorge regularly often at table rock and below. I am always carefull walking the railroad tracks don't much care for snakes. I often do well thru there not often crowded.

 

[Tigereye]

This time of year SMB are pretty active and targeted by anglers here. They are however second to the more popular game fish, trout, and angler numbers reflect this. You may see an uptic in anglers as weather cools in the next month or two but still not the angler numbers as would be seen April May and June. Then, too, alot of anglers hang up their rod in exchange for bow, rifle and shotguns come October and November.