Recommendations for first time at Penns Creek 6/6/25-6/8/25

[cpc1027]

This time next week, I’ll be camping at Poe Paddy with a buddy and (hopefully) fishing Penns Creek for the first time. I've spent the past few weeks diving into the wealth of information here and elsewhere - reading about hatches, fly patterns, mysteriously named holes, riffles and runs, and when to stay out of the water due to the flows. The recent stream reports from a few of you have been especially helpful, and I keep up with Penns Creek Angler’s posts on Facebook.

However, I thought I would ask point blank in case there are any other words of wisdom that folks would be willing to share: if 6/6-6/8 was your first time to fish Penns and you were staying at Poe Paddy, how would you approach it? Especially given the unusually cool and wet month so far, but with a warmup on the way next week...

For a reference, I love a topwater bite, but I’m more confident in my sub-surface fishing than I am dedicating myself to casting dries. We’re also open to hiking a few miles if it means finding better water, but we aren’t looking to trek all day if we would be just as well served by some fishy looking water closer to camp. I love to explore and learn new water, but Penns is 2.5 hours from home and, with baby #2 due next month, I’m just looking for the best way to make the most of these couple of days before my fishing time gets cut down even further.

Thanks for your patience if this is too much of a repetitive topic, but I appreciate any words of advice!

 

[mszoke1802]

I would read the 2 recent posts on penns, tons of info/knowledge

 

[Broodstock]

You will have fun, regardless of the fishing. Penns and that part of Penns is a beautiful place that is removed from roads and brings with it all the great benefits of being in the wild.

That being said - I would expect to see a lot of other anglers in the C&R section next weekend - with Cicadas and lots of other hatches still going. There is no mystery to that section, but it is large enough to find good water and space from other anglers. If it is not blown out, there will be people.

One thing to consider is a game plan for finding the right water at the right time of day. Shade vs sun, fast riffs/runs vs slow pools. Timing this might be helpful to success, and knowing which bugs are hatching in what water and when. You should also try to stop in to see Bruce on your way up if he is back in the shop. Buy some flies and listen to his advice.

Don't slouch on dries this time of year. If you want to practice that game - there is no better classroom.

 

[cpc1027]

I would read the 2 recent posts on penns, tons of info/knowledge

I've been reading them closely, thanks

 

[cpc1027]

You will have fun, regardless of the fishing. Penns and that part of Penns is a beautiful place that is removed from roads and brings with it all the great benefits of being in the wild.

That being said - I would expect to see a lot of other anglers in the C&R section next weekend - with Cicadas and lots of other hatches still going. There is no mystery to that section, but it is large enough to find good water and space from other anglers. If it is not blown out, there will be people.

One thing to consider is a game plan for finding the right water at the right time of day. Shade vs sun, fast riffs/runs vs slow pools. Timing this might be helpful to success, and knowing which bugs are hatching in what water and when. You should also try to stop in to see Bruce on your way up if he is back in the shop. Buy some flies and listen to his advice.

Don't slouch on dries this time of year. If you want to practice that game - there is no better classroom.

With the break in the wet weather, I'm guessing it will be pretty crowded next weekend, but I'll take what I can get.

Good suggestion to stop in to see Bruce. It looks like that detour adds about an hour to the trip, but it's probably well spent for a good push in the right direction on where to start.

 

[Weikertgal]

I see you are coming from Baltimore County. Are you coming up 11&15? If so, I can give you directions to go over the mountain from Bruce’s, which will save you time. It’s stone roads but very well maintained.

 

[cpc1027]

I see you are coming from Baltimore County. Are you coming up 11&15? If so, I can give you directions to go over the mountain from Bruce’s, which will save you time. It’s stone roads but very well maintained.

That would be great, thanks! I'm completely unfamiliar with the area, so I'm just planning to follow the GPS. Just punching in Weikert looks like it is eventually taking us to 11 and then 104 to Mifflinburg, before heading west to Weikert.

 

[Andrwhite610]

I solo camped Poe paddy a weekend last spring for my first and only Penns trip. I’m usually pretty aggressively eager to get into some fish but once I started to get close to Poe paddy I stopped at the fly shop, some of the roadside vistas, chatted with other anglers and really fell into a “go with the flow” state for the whole weekend. It was one of the most relaxing enjoyable weekends Ive ever had.

I tightline nymphed the whole time and caught enough fish to be satisfied. So I don’t have much advice for tactics. Get up early and get to your starting spot by dawn at least one day. You’ll have to take it slow wading and bring a wading staff. Only mistake I made was being just a little short on firewood.

Enjoy

 

[Weikertgal]

That would be great, thanks! I'm completely unfamiliar with the area, so I'm just planning to follow the GPS. Just punching in Weikert looks like it is eventually taking us to 11 and then 104 to Mifflinburg, before heading west to Weikert.

I’ll try to post a screen shot of the DCNR map. You can go from Weikert, over the mountain to 45 without backtracking.

 

[tjsingle]

You'll have no issue finding solitude, while there's usually a lot of guys out fishing there is plenty of water for everyone. I'd definitely be prepared with a variety of dry flies, as there will be a couple of things hatching. Depending on precipitation, it's likely Penns will still be above median flow. Wading can be difficult, so take your time and definitely bring a wading staff. I usually like to have studs in my boots too. I wouldn't recommend trying to cross the creek if its your first time, because the spots you can cross are limited at these flows.

Highly recommend stopping into either Penns Creek Angler or the Feathered Hook, they'll have the latest on what's working and what's not. Like @Broodstock mentioned, timing can really be everything. I was fishing Penns on Tuesday and I found a pod of trout rising for literally 30 minutes and they then shut down for the rest of the time I was at that spot.

Usually at Penns I will fish subsurface until I start to see topwater action. You can use a dry as a searching method too, sometimes a well presented dry will bring fish to the surface.

Penns can be a feast or famine fishery, but you'll have plenty of time to figure it out!

 

[Weikertgal]

Coming from the south, you can take 11&15 up the west shore of the Susquehanna (can be slow depending on the time of day/school buses) or 322 up the east shore, crossing over to 11&15. If you go that later route, the Red Rabbit (a drive in) is worth a stop for lunch or ice cream.



Take 104 all the way to Mifflinburg/Route 45 to Weikert, you will turn left at Boomerang’s Bar & Grill.



If you don’t mind a bit of dust on your car, turn right when you leave Penns Creek Angler until you reach Cherry Run Road. Turn right and go over the mountains to Woodward where you will be back on Route 45. The road it stone but very well maintained, we take this route every time we go to Millheim and State College.

I’ll try to post a map…..

 

[cpc1027]

Coming from the south, you can take 11&15 up the west shore of the Susquehanna (can be slow depending on the time of day/school buses) or 322 up the east shore, crossing over to 11&15. If you go that later route, the Red Rabbit (a drive in) is worth a stop for lunch or ice cream.



Take 104 all the way to Mifflinburg/Route 45 to Weikert, you will turn left at Boomerang’s Bar & Grill.



If you don’t mind a bit of dust on your car, turn right when you leave Penns Creek Angler until you reach Cherry Run Road. Turn right and go over the mountains to Woodward where you will be back on Route 45. The road it stone but very well maintained, we take this route every time we go to Millheim and State College.

I’ll try to post a map…..

Got it, thank you! Always nice to have first-hand advice.

 

[dudemanspecial]

Parking is the worst part when it's busy. As others have mentioned though, if you are willing to walk a half mile or more from the parking lot it's not hard to find open water.

 

[Weikertgal]

I highlighted (in yellow) the route over the DCNR roads. Don’t follow the Bear Gap signs to 45, follow the signs to Woodward.

Whatever you do, DO NOT follow gps from the fly shop to Poe Valley. GPS takes you on Strong Mountain Road. It’s much longer and a rough ride.

 

[cpc1027]

I highlighted (in yellow) the route over the DCNR roads. Don’t follow the Bear Gap signs to 45, follow the signs to Woodward.

Whatever you do, DO NOT follow gps from the fly shop to Poe Valley. GPS takes you on Strong Mountain Road. It’s much longer and a rough ride.

Thank you very much!

 

[[WR]]

I’ll try to post a screen shot of the DCNR map. You can go from Weikert, over the mountain to 45 without backtracking.

Been so long since I've done it, but wouldn't picking up 22 in Clark's Ferry then going north to Thompson Town, then picking up 235 and taking that all the way to Hartleton, then picking up 45 and heading West work too ?

 

[TimMurphy]

Been so long since I've done it, but wouldn't picking up 22 in Clark's Ferry then going north to Thompson Town, then picking up 235 and taking that all the way to Hartleton, then picking up 45 and heading West work too ?

Dear WR,

It works but you gotta drive over several ridges that way. Rte 104 from 11/15 at the Perry/Synder county line seems like an easier way to go to me. My advice to anyone running around up there is to pick up the State Forest maps for the area and just go for a drive or two when the fishing is poor. You can learn your way pretty quickly if you put your mind into it.

Regards,

Tim Murphy 🙂

 

[cpc1027]

Just wanted to say thanks for the tips, everyone! Had a great time camping and fishing for the weekend - we even lucked out with no rain while we were there. Unfortunately, our schedule didn't leave us enough time to get to Weikert and stop into Penns Creek Angler before they closed on Friday, so we just headed right to camp.

This was much bigger water than I am used to and it seemed like tough fishing, at least for a couple of first-timers. Still, the two of us managed a mixed bag of 8 fallfish and trout on Saturday. Around late-morning the cicadas were everywhere, and I was disappointed not to get a bite on a cicada fly. I saw plenty of cicadas on the water, but not many seemed to be getting picked off and my fly drew a couple of looks and swipes, but no takes. Saturday evening though, I caught a nice trout that will definately keep me coming back - on a size 18 nymph.

Here are a couple of photos from the weekend: