October PA Fly trip, where to?

[tabasco_joe]

It's time to plan my annual fall camping/fly fishing week in early October. I'm considering three locations this year. (Although I'm always on the lookout for other options.)

1. Camp at Ole Bull and fish the north central streams Slate,Pine, Kettle, Cross Fork etc.

2. Camp at Pine Grove Furnace and fish the spring creeks. Maybe slip over and check out some of Sal's York County streams. I'm also looking for camping alternatives in the Adams/Cumberland area for this trip.

3. Camp at Hickory Run and fish the Pocono streams in the area.



Any other ideas? The only one of these I have fished in the fall is the Potter/Tioga area which I did last year. There were lots of fiesty Brook Trout around. How do the streams in the Adams/Cumberland county areas hold up in the fall?

 

[mattd]

The spring creeks in Cumberland County hold up well. With the lack of rain this year you will find better water levels in them compared to the freestone streams. I wouldn't say that out of the three places you listed that this area is the best, but it does depend on what your looking for. Staying at Pine Grove furnace gives you the option of fishing a variety of stream types. You have Mountain Creek and a few of its tribs right there. If you plan to fish mountain stay within the park and upstream, below Laurel lake is marginal in the fall. Just hop over the mountain and you will hit Yellow Breeches. In the fall you can catch plenty of stocked and wild trout in the upper parts of the stream. Lower stretches get too warm in the summer to hold over trout. Just a little further and you could hit Letort. A good chance at some large wild browns here. There is also Big Spring, Green spring, Trindle spring, Middle spring. All of which can offer good spring creek fishing. You will also not be too far from Falling Springs. .You can find trout in most of Cumberland counties spring creeks in fall. Cumberland Co. gives you plenty of options that some parts of the state can't. Freestone or Limestone you can find them here.

 

[beeber2]

tabasco_joe,

Ole Bull is very nice at that time of year. I did that once and loved it. Very good dry fly fishing.

Another option might be central PA, Spring/Penns/Fishing Creek.

Bill

 

[tomgamber]

Anywhere the leaves are changing...

 

[tabasco_joe]

I'm starting to lean towards Franklin, Adams, Cumberland County area. I did Tioga/Potter last year and that is a great area. My mother lives near Penns and I also have a cabin near there so it doesn't seem like a get away when I go there. (I want some level of new exploration.) A spring creek week is probably my destination this year so I'll be looking for info on Big Spring, Green, etc.

 

[dryflyguy]

Oct is one of my favorite times to fish.
I usually fish the big central PA limestoners - fishing, spring, penns, and the little juniata - you can't go wrong with any of these streams.
I'm also planning on maybe driving up the Delaware river this fall-
you can catch some really nice fish there.
I'm on vacation the first week of october, and plan on hitting most of the steams mentioned

 

[jayL]

I'm going to fish the great lakes tribs in NY in october. Salmon, lake run browns, and maybe some steel.

I'm not sure what the fishing's like in the PA tribs, but it might be similar.

 

[LeboFish]

I hope to be fishing @ Ole Bull, (Kettle) and Slate Run the first week in October. For those who have fish NC PA in the past any suggestions on patterns would be helpful.

Many thanks.

 

[tabasco_joe]

I camped at Ole Bull last October. I had success with Elk Hair Caddis and Patriot drys, and a green nymph pattern similar to a green weenie which I picked up at the fly shop just below Cross Fork. Check in there and at the shop on Slate Run. I suspect any good attractor fly would have success. Things were slow on the main branch of Kettle but Cross Fork, Slate, and Cedar were active. Also some of the feeders off the upper end of Kettle, above Ole Bull, have good populations of brookies.

 

[tabasco_joe]

BTW I did decide on the Cumberland Valley trip and will be staying near Carlisle. Partly because my brother is coming up from Va and partly an interest in exploring new waters.

 

[Chaz]

I myself am going to Maine the first week of Oct. I like to plan ahead for fishing, but during years when the rain has been so scare, things get dicey. I'd wait a couple more weeks before deciding. After looking at the rainfall totalsI'd say the Poconos might be your best bet right now. But that can change pretty fast.

 

[Maurice]

Joe,

The cumberland valley sees the fall foliage spectacle in late October. The trip from Mt Alto (MD line) to Newville (Big Spring) on Rt 233 is spectacular. If you make it the first week. give a shout if its during the week (Mon - Thurs) If you want to fish York County.

 

[tabasco_joe]

I think we are going to concentrate on the spring creeks on this trip. Maybe even go into the mountains to the west.

I used to go out to Cordorus a lot with my boat, fished and camped at the park. I'm guessing that park or Pinchot would make a good base camp for York Cty fishing trip? Maybe in April. I've read Sal's posts on York with interest since I get out there quite a bit. My daughter goes to Penn State at Harrisburg and my nephew is at York. I might take a side trip next time and do some exploring.