Beginner looking for info on locations

[Clewell_]

Hey everyone!

New to the forum and new to fly fishing. Has anyone fished the little Lehigh creek or the Lehigh river in and around Jim Thorpe in the summer months? Was looking at taking a day to visit one of the two but have never fished them in the summer months. Are these some okay locations to hit?

 

[Tigereye]

If I were to fish at this time of year I would focus on stocked fish, or bluegills. Especially this year, with the warmer weather and water, trout are suffering thermal stress. Catching and playing a trout could kill it. Catching and keeping a few stockies is fine. Fish early morning or evenings.

I can't offer much on the LL, but as for the Lehigh, extend your foray up to White Haven, you can park at the little strip mall, the trailhead near the hardware store, or at the launch area. Walk down to the river and fish those sections which are heavily stocked. I also believe there is/was a contest going on. If you catch a tagged fish you may win something?

Try terrestrials, attractor patterns, light colored caddis or mayfly patterns. Size 14 thru 18.

 

[Clewell_]

If I were to fish at this time of year I would focus on stocked fish, or bluegills. Especially this year, with the warmer weather and water, trout are suffering thermal stress. Catching and playing a trout could kill it. Catching and keeping a few stockies is fine. Fish early morning or evenings.

I can't offer much on the LL, but as for the Lehigh, extend your foray up to White Haven, you can park at the little strip mall, the trailhead near the hardware store, or at the launch area. Walk down to the river and fish those sections which are heavily stocked. I also believe there is/was a contest going on. If you catch a tagged fish you may win something?

Try terrestrials, attractor patterns, light colored caddis or mayfly patterns. Size 14 thru 18.

I appreciate the info. I have been fishing all my life but have just recently started acquiring and trying to use fly gear. This will be my first actual attempt at getting some fish. All the knowledge I can gain is appreciated

 

[Kms]

I appreciate the info. I have been fishing all my life but have just recently started acquiring and trying to use fly gear. This will be my first actual attempt at getting some fish. All the knowledge I can gain is appreciated

I’m also quite new, welcome! The only place I’ve heard of near there that would be cold enough to trout fish in summer is the Pohopoco below the dam. I haven’t fished there (yet) so that’s the limit of my knowledge.

 

[Clewell_]

I’m also quite new, welcome! The only place I’ve heard of near there that would be cold enough to trout fish in summer is the Pohopoco below the dam. I haven’t fished there (yet) so that’s the limit of my knowledge.

Appreciate it! I'm much closer to whitehaven so I may give that a shot as tigereye recommended. Best of luck in your adventures!

 

[6xAdams(Jones)]

I've found some good information by searching the stream reports for a particular creek or county on this forum. (Usefulness can be widely varied.)

 

[IlyaP]

Appreciate it! I'm much closer to whitehaven so I may give that a shot as tigereye recommended. Best of luck in your adventures!

I was wondering if your fishing trip took place?


I am new to FF. And plan to visit for 3-4 days for Jim Thorpe and fish starting mid week. I plan to try the section of the Lehigh River under the railroad and Gorge Trail bridges, and a trib. Also the Pohopoco cr.
This will be my first time out fly fishing. Any information would be of interest.

Plus I'm not really familiar with the local regulations yet. Fishing regulations I have studied. But the water and private property issue is not fully understood.
Can I go downstream of Pohopoco creek from the USGS Station? If the creek runs along private property lines, I can't go out on them, but can I walk on the water or not?

 

[Clewell_]

I was wondering if your fishing trip took place?


I am new to FF. And plan to visit for 3-4 days for Jim Thorpe and fish starting mid week. I plan to try the section of the Lehigh River under the railroad and Gorge Trail bridges, and a trib. Also the Pohopoco cr.
This will be my first time out fly fishing. Any information would be of interest.

Plus I'm not really familiar with the local regulations yet. Fishing regulations I have studied. But the water and private property issue is not fully understood.
Can I go downstream of Pohopoco creek from the USGS Station? If the creek runs along private property lines, I can't go out on them, but can I walk on the water or not?

Hi,

I haven't had the chance to get out yet unfortunately. As for the private property. You can legally wade through waterways deamed navigable that run through private property as long as you stay in the water. You must enter a waterway through a public access area or and areas that is not private property. I have not personally been to pohopoco so I am unsure on what the area there looks like.

 

[nymphingmaniac]

Hi,

I haven't had the chance to get out yet unfortunately. As for the private property. You can legally wade through waterways that run through private property as long as you stay in the water. You must enter a waterway through a public access area or and areas that is not private property. I have not personally been to pohopoco so I am unsure on what the area there looks like.

Sorry, that is not true. The rules are arcane, but only if the waterway has been deem navigable, through a ruling of a court, does this apply. For a recent case with details Google the case. Here is information on the forum.

Thread 'Little J Case goes to bed! Yeah!'

Feb 9, 2008

For those of you who have been following the case of Pennsylvania's suit against parties who were claiming ownership of what the Commonwealth has established is a navigable river:


As you may recall, last year around this time the Huntingdon County Court decided strongly in favor of the Commonwealth plaintiffs. Judge Kurtz ruled that the Little Juniata River is navigable-in-fact, and therefore the Commonwealth is the owner of the river bed in trust for the benefit of the public. Consequently, the defendants Donny Beaver, Connie Espy, Spring Ridge Club, Paradise Outfitters, et al...

• Chaz
• Replies: 23
• Forum: Paflyfish General Forum

 

[Clewell_]

Sorry, that is not true. The rules are arcane, but only if the waterway has been deem navigable, through a ruling of a court, does this apply. For a recent case with details Google the case. Here is information on the forum.

Thread 'Little J Case goes to bed! Yeah!'

Feb 9, 2008

For those of you who have been following the case of Pennsylvania's suit against parties who were claiming ownership of what the Commonwealth has established is a navigable river:


As you may recall, last year around this time the Huntingdon County Court decided strongly in favor of the Commonwealth plaintiffs. Judge Kurtz ruled that the Little Juniata River is navigable-in-fact, and therefore the Commonwealth is the owner of the river bed in trust for the benefit of the public. Consequently, the defendants Donny Beaver, Connie Espy, Spring Ridge Club, Paradise Outfitters, et al...

• Chaz
• Replies: 23
• Forum: Paflyfish General Forum

Sorry if the info is incorrect. I got the inform from fish and boat commission website. Guess they should update it.

 

[Tigereye]

There are plenty of areas throughout the state to fish without concerning yourself with private property issues. Why poke the bear? The fishing is just as good if not better. Your time is better spent fishing than trying to decipher private property rights on some streams.
In some cases, you may be in the right but it will cost you time, money, and aggravation to have it proven in court. Is a trout worth it?

 

[Clewell_]

There are plenty of areas throughout the state to fish without concerning yourself with private property issues. Why poke the bear? The fishing is just as good if not better. Your time is better spent fishing than trying to decipher private property rights on some streams.
In some cases, you may be in the right but it will cost you time, money, and aggravation to have it proven in court. Is a trout worth it?

Could not agree more

 

[HopBack]

Sorry if the info is incorrect. I got the inform from fish and boat commission website. Guess they should update it.

It’s all in theory, the historical navigability will likely be tested in court.

 

[IlyaP]

There are plenty of areas throughout the state to fish without concerning yourself with private property issues. Why poke the bear?

I asked this question because I have no experience of living in America and therefore do not know the local rules and traditions.
I was interested in a particular creek Pohopoco.
On which many forum members fish. And I wanted to know if, after entering the water near the USGS Water Monitoring Station, I can only go up the creek toward Beltzville lake or down it too.
I looked at the map, the land from Beltzville lake to Samwill run (a little below the station) is State park land. And I understand that I can be on it. But below that is already private property. And that's where I don't know. I can only be in the water, or with the owner's permission, or not at all. So the question is, can I go in the water below Samwill run?

So everybody who fishes on Pohopoco does it from the station to the lake? Or with the permission of the private landowner, on his section of the creek?

 

[Nymph-wristed]

I asked this question because I have no experience of living in America and therefore do not know the local rules and traditions.
I was interested in a particular creek Pohopoco.
On which many forum members fish. And I wanted to know if, after entering the water near the USGS Water Monitoring Station, I can only go up the creek toward Beltzville lake or down it too.
I looked at the map, the land from Beltzville lake to Samwill run (a little below the station) is State park land. And I understand that I can be on it. But below that is already private property. And that's where I don't know. I can only be in the water, or with the owner's permission, or not at all. So the question is, can I go in the water below Samwill run?

So everybody who fishes on Pohopoco does it from the station to the lake? Or with the permission of the private landowner, on his section of the creek?

The landowners bare some burden of posting property they don't want you on, and most will do so. The easiest way to stay on the right side of the law, at least to start, is just obey posted signs and purple paint on trees. Don't park in posted sidings and lots. There is plenty of public fishing access in PA and most of the private is posted up quite clearly. The Po will be clearly posted where you don't belong.

As far as the Lehigh River, be aware of the whitewater release schedule, subject to change. Here are August proposed dates:

• August: 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18, 24*, 25*, 31*

 

[hemlock]

https://corporate.findlaw.com/business-operations/navigable-rivers-are-public-rivers.html

Lehigh Falls Fishing Club v. Andrejewski, 735 A.2d 718 | Casetext Search + Citator

Read Lehigh Falls Fishing Club v. Andrejewski, 735 A.2d 718, see flags on bad law, and search Casetext’s comprehensive legal database

casetext.com

 

[Dave_W]

Hey everyone!

New to the forum and new to fly fishing. Has anyone fished the little Lehigh creek or the Lehigh river in and around Jim Thorpe in the summer months? Was looking at taking a day to visit one of the two but have never fished them in the summer months. Are these some okay locations to hit?

Hi Clewell,
Many of our readers are tight lipped about fishing locations but well known waters like the Little Lehigh or Lehigh River have much more content written about them here. To find this, use the Advanced Search button and you can search by stream name and/or county. Most of this info is in the Locations or Reports forums.

Please don't refresh old threads that are more than about a year old as this causes confusion and the info is dated.

 

[Clarmy]

Below the Marine Center you can park and walk in. On Poho drive you can park next to guardrail a few hundred yards down the road from turnoff to state park.

 

[6xAdams(Jones)]

Hi Clewell,
If you're new to flyfishing -AND- new to wading in moving water, please be less concerned about the "best places" for fishing. You'll find those on your own when you get out and look or strike up conversations with someone already fishing there. PLEASE fish in moving water with a friend at least until you know the water levels and flows that permit safe wading. This is my advice from a father of boys who thought (and still sometimes think) they were invincible and wound up neck deep a time or two.
Thanks.

 

[Oregon_OwlII]

The Lehigh near Jim Thorpe will probably be too warm to safely handle trout at this time of the year. The tibs like Hickory Run and Mud Run up near White Haven. On the other hand, the Little Lehigh is fed by cold springs. Water temps are usually good there, but it is heavily fished, so fishing may be easier than actual catching.