Need stream advice on a hit-n-run trip back to PA

[Six-Gun]

After nearly 40 years as the chief news photographer for WPVI-TV 6 in Philly, my dad is retiring this coming April. That means I get to come home for a surprise party.

It also means I have a day - April 12 - to kill and remain in hiding until we surprise him the next afternoon...

...which, of course, means that I have a spare day to sneak in a fishing trip! I have every intention of doing so.

I'll be in Blue Bell, PA in Montgomery county, just outside of Philly and can travel about 2 hours out feasibly to fish any stream available. Where would you guys go if you had the choice?

-At the cutting edge of my travel distance, I'm considering the Letort, just because it's well-known and I have never fished it. My big concern (aside from the fact that fickle Spring weather could kill the whole idea) is that this is going to be a Saturday. Not knowing much, I'd expect the water to be fairly busy and I'm a spoiled brat when it comes to having virtually a whole stretch of river to myself. I'd LIKE some solitude, but if the fishing is good, I can deal.

-If there's a legit, Class A brookie stream in my travel radius, tell me about it! I've never caught a brook trout and that needs to change.

At any rate, have it: where do you think I should go? Thanks for the help.

EDIT: Doh! I meant to put this in the Fly Fishing Locations forum, but somehow ended up here by accident. Mods, please move this whenever you can.

 

[BrookieChaser]

If I didn't like fishing around people, and I don't, I would not recommend the popular CV streams.

I don't have any experience on any streams closer to Philly.

 

[gfen]

SEPA regional opening day is 3/29.
The rest of the state opens on 4/12.

There will be no solitude for you anywhere.

 

[pcray1231]

Well, solitude on bookies streams is very achievable, and any in-store water won't be totally crazy.

 

[Six-Gun]

gfen wrote:
SEPA regional opening day is 3/29.
The rest of the state opens on 4/12.

There will be no solitude for you anywhere.

In my short time fly fishing, I've found that there are very few stream crowding issues that can't be fixed by "wet wading" fully nude.

Scratch that: you'll definitely still want boots on.

 

[englishprof]

Check your PM.

 

[Six-Gun]

Thanks for the info, guys. I know this will be a high-demand time period and the weather could be a potential deal-breaker, but when I'm coming to PA anyway, well, it goes without saying that I gotta try. Besides, since I'm moving to Ohio, I need to get my non-res PA fishing license anyway.

 

[MattM]

Crappy weather could be the deal clincher. If its a nice steady rain with temps in the low forties you may find solitude on some of the streams that had a 3/29 opener.

 

[jifigz]

Find a Class A water within your range of places and you will have plenty of solitude. Other fishermen that don't take fishing very seriously will see you over there and say, "Hey, look at that dipshit over there fishing that stream. They don't even put any trout in it." And then they will continue to drive to the streams that are stocked and most likely much more crowded. I find that solitude is very attainable, just look for some good Class A water and everyone else will be on stocked water.