Biking and Fly Fishing

[dryflyguy]

I've been bike fishing for quite awhile now. And its well worth doing - although not in the winter time IMO.
The first year I ever tried it - I didn't have my own bike. And used my daughters barbie bike - of which the frame was an aqua color, with hot pink tires. I biked into into the grand canyon of pa from black well. And was very glad I didn't run into anyone that I knew there. But it worked out quite well.
Shortly after that, I bought a bike of my own. Nothing fancy - just a cheap huffy 10 speed from K-mart. And it does the job.
I added paper boy baskets on the back to carry my gear in - and strap the rod tube to the cross bar. Put a good light on the handlebar for biking out at night after fishing the evening rise. And a fishing bike was born. It's 20 years later now, I'm still using that same bike

 

[JakesLeakyWaders]

I like to hit up Stony Creek on my bike. There's lots of miles up in there. There's also a rail trail in York Co. along a stream that is open year round. I have a full suspension Mongoose. I added a big cushioned seat for long rides, nice smooth ride over stones and rocks.

 

[wildtrout2]

My mountain bike is a very important tool in my fishing adventures. I also use my Giant Iguana to pull my kayak so I can access tribs to the Lehigh River. It works beautifully!

 

[raftman]

bikerfish - not sure which 29er you're looking at, but I have karate Monkey that I absolutely LOVE. Great versatility.

 

[dryflyguy]

I received a pm with a good question - asking if I wear my waders while biking. No I don't . That can be pretty uncomfortable - especially on a hot day. I pack them into those paper boy baskets, and put them on when I get to where I want to fish.

Another good point was brought up by jake. No bike that I've seen - cheap or expensive - comes with a good seat. You want to get a well padded one with coil springs to cush your tush. The one I'm using now even has gel pads added on - and it makes for a nice comfy ride

 

[blueheron]

Where did you get a giant iguana and what does he eat?

 

[Bosshog]

Comfort from a seat doesn't come from the cushion it has. It has more to do with the shape. I've spent hundreds of miles of riding on the seat on my bike without problem.

 

[DJBerg]

man you guys are making me want to go knock the dust off my old rock hopper and get some pedaling in! sweet spot on the clarion that would be perfect for it. even older sport comfort riders could get around up there.

 

[bigslackwater]

I was wondering about the waders too...Do you bring along full chest waders and boots or do you have boot foot hip waders? Seems like changing in and out would be time consuming. I could see doing some riding with the waders on for short distance. I've been very interested in biking/fishing. There are many places in my area I'd like to try that would be easier to stash a bike than to find a place to park a car.

 

[blueheron]

I wear my waders rolled down to waist highs even in the summer when I bike in.

 

[dryflyguy]

I wear stocking foots. I really don't see much difference between putting on waders, and boots, at the car - or tossing them into my baskets, and putting them on along the stream where I want to fish.

Most streams that I bike fish are large, and I usually stay put at a favorite hole or section of it.
If the fishing doesn't pan out there like I want - and I decide to move just a short distance away - I will leave the waders on for that while biking.

I usually try to avoid biking on rainy days. But sometimes, you do get stuck in a downpour after already biking in somewhere. I'll usually leave my waders on during the bike ride out then, to try to stay dry

 

[BradFromPotter]

Been riding in the canyon along Pine for 20 years now.

 

[tomitrout]

Used to pedal out to the Letort a bunch, now I just walk over since I've moved closer. Was always wet wading off the bike, so never dealt w/ boots or waders, just neoprene socks w/ water shoes. Made a simple sling for the rod tube from para-cord, stashed it in the bushes with the locked up bike.

Took the rod along for an overnight once, that was a fun trip.

 

[CLSports]

I would be up for a bike trip. I have biked many sections of the Delaware and Lehigh Rivers as well as the Perkiomen & Schuylkill trails and packed a rod with me on many occassions.

I have never seen too many bike-able trails along smaller trout creeks, so I will generally just hike in on those.

I generally do those in the summer months for smallies or carp and I will not carry waders with me. I wet wade all summer. I just carry a small pack and a rod.

I would be interested in biking Pine Creek canyon or Penns Creek.

 

[pcray1231]

I've been tempted to do this for some time. The one thing holding me back is a way to transport the bikes. I used to have a truck and it was no big deal, you just threw em in the back. Now, no truck.

My Subaru has multiple options to outfit it for bikes. I could get the cross bar for the roof rack and a bike rack to fit. I could put a tow hitch on it and get one of the racks that fits in those. But bottom line is I'm looking at around $500 to outfit the car to carry a bike. And the desire was just never great enough to pull the trigger.

But there are a lot of places it would be nice. Oil Creek. Penns. Pine. And many more.

 

[dryflyguy]

Tomitrout -

I've been kicking around the idea of bike camping in the pine creek canyon for quite a while now. Thought about maybe getting what's called a kiddie caboose to haul in the camping gear, along with a cooler full of food and beer.
One of these days I'm gonna try it...........

 

[troutbert]

pcray1231 wrote:
I've been tempted to do this for some time. The one thing holding me back is a way to transport the bikes. I used to have a truck and it was no big deal, you just threw em in the back. Now, no truck.

My Subaru has multiple options to outfit it for bikes. I could get the cross bar for the roof rack and a bike rack to fit. I could put a tow hitch on it and get one of the racks that fits in those. But bottom line is I'm looking at around $500 to outfit the car to carry a bike. And the desire was just never great enough to pull the trigger.

I'd also be interested in info on how to transport bikes with small cars, without spending big bucks. There's got to be a way.

 

[TimRobinsin]

dryfly - I think it would be killer to ride own the canyon for an overnighter. esspecially if you did something like ansonia down to tiadaghton for the night and then down to blackwell? anyway, if you guys wanted to do a ride n' fly meet up sometime i'd be down!

 

[Swattie87]

wt2 - I recognize where your rig is parked in that second picture...very cool stream. I wouldn't have thought to use the bike for that one...that was probably a bumpy mile and a quarter!

I have two or three pretty remote places I have my eye on to try to get into this year for day trips. More than likely my wife's mountain bike (I only have a road bike) will be part of the plan for me getting in there.

 

[mpschramm]

pcray1231 wrote:
I've been tempted to do this for some time. The one thing holding me back is a way to transport the bikes. I used to have a truck and it was no big deal, you just threw em in the back. Now, no truck.

My Subaru has multiple options to outfit it for bikes. I could get the cross bar for the roof rack and a bike rack to fit. I could put a tow hitch on it and get one of the racks that fits in those. But bottom line is I'm looking at around $500 to outfit the car to carry a bike. And the desire was just never great enough to pull the trigger.

I have a Honda Civic and currently use a Thule roof mount rack for bikes, surfboards and other stuff.

I used to use a trunk mount rack to haul my bike. It was a little easier to throw my bike onto the trunk mount (hitch mount should be the same). It is kind of a pain to put my bike onto the roof rack. You have to make lift the bike up, throw the back tire into the channel, line the forks up with the skewer, all the while making sure you don't drop the bike onto the roof off your car, or your face.

The benefit is that I don't have to worry about someone rear ending me and taking my bike out (only a worry if your bike is valuable). I also did not have a good way to lock my bike to the trunk mount rack, which I can do with the the roof rack.