Who Is Fishing Slate Run?

[Ard]

There were many places I fished in PA. some I would have to be water boarded before I ever mentioned their locations on a forum but others that are quite well known. I used to fish the run in the title way before the movie came out and before Jeep introduced the Orvis Edition Cherokee.

I was in PA. last May 2012 for just a few days and did go up the run. Numbers seemed to be down a bit, have there been events in those mountains that effected the population?

Anyway, I've started a thread topic now and will beinterested to hear the replies. If you guys want to know things about Alaska you're welcome to ask and I will answer as I can.

Ard

 

[sandfly]

I go maybe once a year anymore Ard. Just not the same, to many people and pressure. hatches have been down and fish are harder to find. I think most streams should be closed longer than they are like from dec.1st to opening day especially up here in the northern territory. to much stress on them in the winter months. state should say all streams above rt. 80 closed for winter.

by the way nails in a board would be used hear along with battery and cables..

 

[raftman]

You mentioned that you fished it before the movie came out and the Orvis edition.. could you shed light on this for me. Was there a movie made about Slate Run?

Thanks!

 

[sandfly]

He means A River runs through it
brought alot of attention to certain streams.

 

[Chaz]

Slate Run is a tough stream at times, but I've been there when there was a fish on for every cast.I think the numbers may be down over the last couple of years, but I haven't hit it during prime time. I plan on going there this year and fishing it from the mouth up during prime time so we'll see.

 

[tulenkot]

I've seen it decline over the last decade. Summer flows and temps have beat it up a little. However, summer of 2013, atleast the fisrt half when I was up there, was kind to the run. The fish were there and were holding where in placeswhere I had not seen them in a long time. I hope that it's just cyclical.

 

[DaveS]

It took me a long time to get around to Slate and Cedar. I was cautioned by Tom at Slate Run Tackle, that the fish could be tough. But I did OK when the conditions were favorable. Not great, but a few nice ones up to maybe 18". But this was in maybe 2000-2001, so clearly not the good old days. I love that country. I love the fact that the mountains and streams are all around you up there, for miles and miles.

I have to pick your brain about the fishing in Alaska... I have been there twice and need to get back there as well.

 

[Ard]

Actually I thought it was still OK in 2000 - 2001 but not as good as some earlier years. Having it made a 'Heritage Stream' helped it I believe. Does it still have that designation? Back in the 'good old days' an 18" fish was seldom returned and honestly, I never liked the lower creek and so can not say that I ever caught an 18" fish from Slate.

I always considered 14" to be a real dandy when fishing there and I always estimated size with some reality thrown in to go with my estimates. There could have been a couple larger ones who came unbuckled from my hooks but 14 - maybe a 15 or so were big fish. I'm talking about brown trout when I site those sizes., I can count the wild brook trout over 15" that I ever caught in PA. on my fingers and maybe need just one toe to sum up the fish. I did catch one that was killed and measured a full 18" back in 1973 but not at Slate Run. Do you guys really believe that the number of big brown trout that drew so many anglers to those holes behind the old Manor Inn and upstream for the first 2 miles were getting that big and populous by natural means? :-o

Sure some fish from Pine come in to spawn in the fall but there were always too many reports of way too many huge fish being caught by out of the area anglers who had hired a guide for me to believe. Fish like brown trout who grow to 18 or 20 inches in a small creek like Slate don't get caught every day by some guy standing at the shoreline casting a San Juan Worm, not unless the fish are planted ........... I believe I know the rest of the story there but it would be a case where I would need to be water boarded before I would tell all on a forum :-D

Any way it's good to find Bob on his home forum board and good to hear from all you other fellows.

Ard

 

[Fishidiot]

Ard wrote:
Having it made a 'Heritage Stream' helped it I believe. Does it still have that designation?
Ard

Yes, it still has that designation although they are typically just called "fly fishing only catch and release" today. Slate has had some form of special regs since the Depression era and has been managed as FF only with C&R for most of its length since the 1950s. It's always been tough - even in the 1950s when the stream was still stocked anglers averaged less than a fish an hour.

I tend to get schooled pretty hard whenever I visit.

 

[Ard]

I wasn't aware of the history of the regulations there although I fished the stream from the early 80's until I left PA in 2004. I can tell you that there was always a significant level of poaching on the upper main stem and Francis Branch. I caught several fish which had a snelled bait hook stuck in their gullets and successfully removed them. In certain areas where there are pools, finding the 'old forked stick' pushed into the soil at streamside was not unusual either.

The stretch between Devils Den and Big Foot camps was always the worst.

That is what I meant when I mentioned large fish not being returned. it was Fly Fish Only when I began fishing it but was changed to Heritage sometime in the late 80's. It should still be possible to do well there, last May although I felt the numbers were down since I had last been there I was able to catch 5 brook trout and 1 small brown in a short time. Maybe the next time down I'll remember to contact you through this forum and you'll go fish it with an old guy. Warning, I don't do indicators If you want to find out a little about me click the drop box at my name and you can visit a web site to see some pictures from here.

I'll get the picture posting thing figured out here and do a thread of landscape photography here. I loved Pennsylvania but my life here is much different. I came in 1989 but only stayed a year for a job then bounced back and forth for another 14 years before making this the place where I'll make my last cast.

Thanks for the lesson on Slate Run,

Ard

 

[dsmith1427]

I went to your profile and connected to your website. Beautiful pictures! Thanks for sharing.

Don

 

[PatrickC]

I wanted to fish Slate once…. Tim Robinson ruined that :-D That was an inside joke. I hope she returns to her former glory. My extremely brief experience with her is that she is a beautiful creek. I hope I can fish her someday the way you describe her former glory.

I do not wish for the creeks north of I-80 to be closed for the Winter. It's my favorite time of year to trout fish. But I get why you believe that would help Sand.

 

[Fishidiot]

Ard,
I misspoke in my earlier post. SR became FF only in the 1950s but catch and release didn't become mandatory until more recent years - which is probably what you recall when the regulation name change was adopted.

With respect to poaching, I'm sure it still happens. In more recent years, however, the main concern isn't the upper reaches but rather the lower when Pine Creek warms and fish concentrate at the mouth of SR. There have been efforts to protect these fish during the summer with angling restrictions - it is legal to harvest them in Pine so this isn't legally poaching obviously - but such efforts have not come to fruition as far as I know.

 

[The_Sasquatch]

The problem I have with Slate now is that there are always people fishing it! There are literally hundreds and hundreds of wild trout streams in that area of the state, and dang it. I ain't driving up there to fish with a stranger! I fished Slate in the late 90s and enjoyed it very much. I'd like to return there, and I've been in the area several times, but I always opt for streams with no one else on them.

 

[FiveWeight]

Been fishing Slate for the last 30 years or so. I fish it mid week usually and hardly ever see but a handful of guys each time I go. I realize most can't get away like that all the time in the middle of the week but, if you're gonna plan a vacation shoot for mid week if fish'n around others bothers you. I do fair on it, it can be frustrating at times. I'd rather fish Cedar myself to tell the truth. The stretch from the mouth at Pine up to at least the Mine Hole is one of my favorites. From there up the the Fauny ain't too shabby either. I kinda always thought Slate was a bit over rated. But, that's just my opinion.

 

[troutbert]

The_Sasquatch wrote:
The problem I have with Slate now is that there are always people fishing it! There are literally hundreds and hundreds of wild trout streams in that area of the state, and dang it. I ain't driving up there to fish with a stranger! I fished Slate in the late 90s and enjoyed it very much. I'd like to return there, and I've been in the area several times, but I always opt for streams with no one else on them.

Me too. With hundreds of wild trout freestoners to choose from, I see no reason to focus on one "famous" stream, where you are likely to be bumping elbows with other anglers, or fishing it soon after someone else.

 

[Chaz]

the heritage Designation Ended when they made the changes to some of the other FFO areas, around 2005. SR is Catch and Release FFO. As recently as 2003 I've had excellent days there and since then some good days, but more recently since maybe 2010 I have neither had a good day nor fished it during primetime, so I don't know if it as good as it was in say 2005.
If I fish it on weekends I try to fish afternoon, because by noon everyone is going home that's up there for the weekend. But most of my trips there are during the week.

 

[Stenonema]

Beautiful stream with nice trout. Nice Wild trout. I'm not fishing behind anyone when it comes to wild trout. Not if I can have a choice. Wild trout don't suffer fools and fishing behind someone is well, foolish. To see what Slate is capable of would be to get it to yourself on a hatch. I came close one weekday on the Hendricksons, if I remember right. I got through a sequence of maybe two pools and as many riffles. The fish were accepting my imitation very well without refusal. I caught many and began to think of what I day I was about to have when a young fellow walked quickly by me heading upstream walking too close to the stream. Needless to say he put the fish down boogering the whole deal. I fished on trying to prove something otherwise or hoping that he may have walked around sparing a pool. That was it for Slate that day. I haven't been back not because of this instance. I got married eighteen years ago. I'm getting ready to make a return trip.

 

[Chaz]

Oh I forgotto mention it wasn't until the 90's that stocking ended on Slate Run.

 

[wildtrout2]

That's interesting Chaz. You have to wonder why they would have stocked it at all? (put's gun to head) lol