Lehigh Rail Trail fishing (on a bike)

[jgarofalo]

I took one of those bike rides down the Lehigh rail trail a number of years ago and wanted to know if anyone has done the same w/ rod in hand? I saw so many good looking fish haunts during that trip.

Thanks,
Jamie

 

[GenCon]

That is a great way to do it. When we go a buddy of mine brings his bike and has a great time doing it. I really lie to hike so I walk. I like to be able to go up and down as I please. But I am thinking about biking for next year just to reach places too far to walk.

GenCon

 

[Millsertime]

There's no better way to cover fishing ground on the Lehigh than with your rod tube zip tied to your bike and boots hanging from your handlebars.

 

[PhilC]

Agreed...it's a good move if the river is wade-able which it almost is at the moment. It's especially good when the hatches are in the evening since its not always possible to time a float so you end up where the risers are at dusk.

 

[BeastBrown]

Not trying to scare you from enjoying the Lehigh or be a know-it-all, but there are a ton of snakes this year. Their favorite place to sun is on those banks with all the rocks, especially amongst the rhododendron.

It is a very tricky place to spot these snakes, because the lighter phases blend in with the leaves that get stuck at the base of rhododendrons and there are still coal seams showing that the blacks sometimes rest on, so take your sun glass off until you hit the water so you can really see where you are walking.

And I am pretty sure I don't get cell service through a lot of the Gorge, so be super careful with snakes and wading. Let someone know you are going down there. The DCNR does drive the bike trail in peak season, but they will not see you in the Gorge, they would have to do a search sweep or hear you if you broke a leg or passed out from a snake bite.

The ticks are not bad down there for some reason.

 

[AugustWest]

No cell service in the gorge for me. A bike is a great way to cherry pick and explore.

 

[henrydavid]

backpack and bike, perfect for Lehigh River travel.

If you're an old geezer like me you carry a wading staff which is perfect for poking around in front of you so you don't step on a serpent, or just get a long branch and "feel" your way down the bank, this is prime time for snakes as mentioned above. I'll also toss some small stones down to spook out any snakes that might be on the banks.

A good length of strong rope can come in handy as well.

 

[AugustWest]

Def need a wading staff. Good idea to toss stones.

 

[geebee]

I would think that hanging boots on your bars is going to cause you to fall off . Better tied together and hung round your neck no ? Or in a small back pack.

As to snakes, I normally sing so they can hear me coming.

 

[BeastBrown]

henrydavid wrote:

A good length of strong rope can come in handy as well.

Haha, I have thought about taking rope with me before. There are a few places where the old retaining wall wood beams from the railroad bed create a sheer wall right down to the stream. You'd have to repel down them and hang off the wall to get a good drift upstream.

 

[jgarofalo]

Lol.. Lots of good info here. I'm thinking milk crate and zip ties for gear. For snakes, not sure yet.

 

[PhilC]

The gorge is looking great for wading right now

There are sulphurs in the evening and Cicadas as well

 

[trout48]

I don't know when you were there that you say the ticks are not bad but fished it on Monday the 24th and found about 10 ticks on me when I got home. Always get a false positive cause I have had Lymes before not fun. The fishing turned on in thr afternoon caddis.

 

[blueheron]

250cfs is ideal for wading and the temps are still low. I'm there.

 

[vcregular]

Blueheron is right. Sure air temps are hot, but the reservoir still has a considerable amount of

 

[SBecker]

Not floatable in the upper river though. Lol I found that out when they dropped in from 750 to 236 on us.

 

[BeastBrown]

Supposed to be getting rain Thursday thru Sat in inches. I saw 3 inches forecasted for certain parts of central Pa, and 1.6 for Wilkes-Barre, didn't notice what Carbon's was, but it is something.


Ticks were light up high in the Gorge for me in April and May, guess they picked up wherever you were. Supposedly takes up to 24 hours for a deer tick to transfer the bacteria from their gut into your blood to get it.

And......I saw a card that gives you actual tick sizes and deer ticks are so small. The female deer tick, which is the larger of the sexes is the size of this letter > m < . Most of what I pick of off me must be dog or wood ticks. But showering down after a trek and scraping your scalp with your finger nails and a ton of shampoo should dislodge them, if they are there in that supposed 24 hour window.