Pine Creek (Tioga County) - Smallmouth Fishing in the Canyon?

[Swattie87]

I have a trip planned with my father and father in law to Tioga County in a couple of weeks. The plan was to try to fish some of the tribs to Kettle and Pine for some prespawn Brookies and Browns. In scheduling the trip, I was probably remembering the good flows in the smaller streams this time last year as a result of the floods, and forgot that's really not the norm in terms of streamflow for late September. Things are low now, and I'm not really seeing any significant rain materializing in the 10 day forecast...still too early to tell though. A well timed T-Storm that weekend could change that for us.

Anyway, the cabin is booked for a long weekend and we're going one way or the other, so I'm starting to consider my options for backup plans in the event of low flows. My initial thought was to just fish Pine for Smallmouth...say from Gaines down through the Canyon section. I've only ever fished Pine in the Spring though, and that was mostly fishing the hatches with dries...I've only ever caught stocker Trout. Just from my experience with similar streams, I assume it must have a decent Smallmouth population and therefore should fish well for them once the water has warmed. That is nothing but an assumption though.

Not looking for specifics or anything like that, just wondering if a few local guys could confirm this is a viable option as a backup plan in the event flows stay as low as they are. Feel free to PM if you prefer, but again not looking for anything too detailed here.

Thanks gang.

 

[The_Sasquatch]

Dude...the Pine RULES for SMB.

 

[The_Sasquatch]

http://www.slaterun.com/article_list.php?table=article&mode=search&type=News&archived=false

 

[Swattie87]

Thanks Squatch...I had a hunch! The more I think about it, I'm kinda hoping things maybe stay a little lower making this an option. Ideal case would be we get up there Friday lunch time with low flows and fish Pine Friday, then rain Saturday bringing the small streams up.

Good to have options either way though.

 

[The_Sasquatch]

Honestly, I could be happy going up and fishing the Pine all weekend. Every now and again, I love being on big water like that. The setting, especially this time of year, the water, don't care whether its SMB or big stocked trout. Very few other places in the State rival it, in my opinion.

 

[sandfly]

Pine has been good with clouser crawfish, and chub imitations (olive over white with silver flash)
small streams are fishing well with caddis or a small stimulater..

 

[Swattie87]

Thanks Sandfly, good info...I have a white Bugger with Grizzley hackle that's my go to Chub imitation...I'll make sure a few extra of those make it in the box.

I know the stream (and the individual hole) in your pics well...it's one of my favorite small runs up there. I saw some pics from that stream in another one of your posts recently too. This Spring my brother in law hooked, but lost a very large Brookie in that hole...north of 10" easy. Was it still there?

We'll try to stop by the shop while we're up there if you'll be in.

 

[Chaz]

There are plenty of options for NC PA, trout all over the map and bass in the larger water.

 

[NedZeppelin]

It's not unreasonably far to drive down to Fishing Creek (the Narrows) from Pine either.

 

[sandfly]

from where he is staying yes it is, over an hour. there's tons of fishing within 15 minutes from where he will stay..

 

[troutbert]

How far upstream are there plenty of smallmouth in Pine Creek.

I've fished for smallmouth in Pine Creek near Cedar Run and on downstream and had some decent smallmouth fishing. But haven't fished for them further up.

The OP mentions fishing for them at Gaines. Are there still plenty of smallmouth as far up as Gaines? The whole way to the dam in Galeton?

 

[The_Sasquatch]

I haven't fished up for them that high (above Gaines). Gaines is about as high up as I have gotten. If memory serves me correct, its better below Gaines, though I seem to recall still catching them as high up as that rest stop area in Gaines.

 

[Swattie87]

Our cabin is right on Pine, between Gaines and Ansonia, so I'm sure we'll fish there a little bit just out of convenience...after dinner, early morning if everyone isn't up yet, etc. If we choose to dedicate a whole day to Pine we'd probably park at the top of Canyon and hike downstream a few miles and fish back up.

 

[sandfly]

smallies will run right to galeton, seen a few over 3 lbs. this year. a few have gone near 5 lbs. too.

 

[Swattie87]

So in typical fashion Mother Nature through a curveball and some pretty significant rain did materialize in the forecast. Looks like the area we'll be staying and fishing in got about 2 inches of rain from this system. I'm thinking it was steady, soaking, and long enough in duration that it shouldn't be all 100% run-off. Stream guages in the area are spiking now, so it looks like we'll catch them on the fall. Should be plenty of water in the small streams for this weekend now, but thanks for the Smallie advice on Pine gang. We may still give that a try too depending on conditions by Sunday.

 

[Love2fish]

I have still yet to check out the fishing up that way even though we own 17+ acres in Ward Twp. Hopefully next year I will have the time.

 

[sandfly]

had just about 2" inches of rain here yesterday. small streams are in great shape now with the cooler temps and water. will be checking pine today, going goose hunting along it and will report later. temps are in the lower 60's on pine. Bass have been active since the last rain and should really turn on now. Have a buddy coming up for weekend and we'll be on the streams sat. and Sunday.

 

[csoult]

Love how squatch calls it "The Pine". Kills me every time.

 

[The_Sasquatch]

Uh oh! I'm not trying to be funny!

I just realized, Coty, that's a "Jerry-ism". My dad puts "the" in front of just about anything and everything. Must have rubbed off on me!