Favorite Place To Fish

[DFoster 0]

21 hours ago, SalarMan said:

My driveway to parking spot...52 miles. That creek is no more than 20 feet wide, is a spring creek and has some rather sizable trout thanks to lots to feed on.

My other SE Pennsylvania favorite (no pictures unfortunately) is a smallish tailwater. When the flow levels are right (175 - 225 cfs) the fishing is great...and always with dry flies!! This one is closer to home, that meaning it is only 50 miles from driveway to parking spot - HA HA HA

So not so close -LOL- but still not all that bad of a ride.  I'm fortunate to have a few wild trout streams within a 30 to 60 minute drive. Granted they are not trophy producers although I do have the Swift River at about hours drive.  The Swift is the best brook trout fishery in Mass and arguably the second best overall trout fishery as it has some huge bows and browns.  The down side is that it's heavily pressured and on a typical day at the better pools you will have other fly anglers all around you.  But if you don't mind the company you do have the chance to catch some really big trout there.  I fish the more popular areas of the Swift a few times per year but on most days I prefer the solitude of a blue line even if the fish are small.

[DFoster 0]

22 hours ago, flytire said:

 

 

 

22 hours ago, flytire said:

Nice water and fish Norm!

 

[flytire 0]

trouts dont live in ugly places 😁

[SalarMan 0]

2 hours ago, DFoster said:

So not so close -LOL- but still not all that bad of a ride.  I'm fortunate to have a few wild trout streams within a 30 to 60 minute drive. Granted they are not trophy producers although I do have the Swift River at about hours drive.  The Swift is the best brook trout fishery in Mass and arguably the second best overall trout fishery as it has some huge bows and browns.  The down side is that it's heavily pressured and on a typical day at the better pools you will have other fly anglers all around you.  But if you don't mind the company you do have the chance to catch some really big trout there.  I fish the more popular areas of the Swift a few times per year but on most days I prefer the solitude of a blue line even if the fish are small.

True about not a bad ride. As a retiree I have whatever time I need.

Now if want to talk close...10 minutes from where I sit is Valley Creek which is a spring creek that runs through Valley Forge National Park. It has an interesting story over the last 30 years or so. The state used to stock the creek, but when it was discovered it was polluted with PCB's from the Paoli railyards near the source the stocking was halted. The stream was posted with signs making it clear no fish were to be kept and/or removed from the watershed due to the toxic chemicals. Despite the issue, the trout spawned and the stream proved to be a wonderful fishery. Due to its location, it gets fished hard and the trout are very tough to catch. Unfortunately I no longer have the picture of a scene that makes the stream unique...sort of. In the foreground there are 2 trout rising to the olives coming off along with deer in sight. The area is a beautiful classic wooded spot that is the kind of place almost anyone would love to fish. In the background you can see the tractor trailers going by at the top of a rise on US Route 202. Like I said...unique.

However...due to a nerve disorder in my lower legs, I am no able to wade and fish. The places I have fished are strong in my memory and it has been a good run so no complaints. Those places include Bonefish & Tarpon in Belize and bonefish in the Bahamas; some fine Largemouth Bass in Florida; Stripers over in New Jersey; Trout in Montana, Wyoming, New York, Pennsylvania & New England; Trout while fishing the Test and The Itchen in England; and finally Atlantic Salmon on a dozen different rivers in Quebec, New Brunswick & Nova Scotia.

To repeat myself...no complaints!!!

[DFoster 0]

1 hour ago, SalarMan said:

True about not a bad ride. As a retiree I have whatever time I need.

Now if want to talk close...10 minutes from where I sit is Valley Creek which is a spring creek that runs through Valley Forge National Park. It has an interesting story over the last 30 years or so. The state used to stock the creek, but when it was discovered it was polluted with PCB's from the Paoli railyards near the source the stocking was halted. The stream was posted with signs making it clear no fish were to be kept and/or removed from the watershed due to the toxic chemicals. Despite the issue, the trout spawned and the stream proved to be a wonderful fishery. Due to its location, it gets fished hard and the trout are very tough to catch. Unfortunately I no longer have the picture of a scene that makes the stream unique...sort of. In the foreground there are 2 trout rising to the olives coming off along with deer in sight. The area is a beautiful classic wooded spot that is the kind of place almost anyone would love to fish. In the background you can see the tractor trailers going by at the top of a rise on US Route 202. Like I said...unique.

However...due to a nerve disorder in my lower legs, I am no able to wade and fish. The places I have fished are strong in my memory and it has been a good run so no complaints. Those places include Bonefish & Tarpon in Belize and bonefish in the Bahamas; some fine Largemouth Bass in Florida; Stripers over in New Jersey; Trout in Montana, Wyoming, New York, Pennsylvania & New England; Trout while fishing the Test and The Itchen in England; and finally Atlantic Salmon on a dozen different rivers in Quebec, New Brunswick & Nova Scotia.

To repeat myself...no complaints!!!

I hate hearing about physical limitations sideling a passionate fellow angler.  You are fortunate to have fished so many wonderful places, perhaps you will again someday. I wish you well.

 

[SalarMan 0]

18 hours ago, DFoster said:

I hate hearing about physical limitations sideling a passionate fellow angler.  You are fortunate to have fished so many wonderful places, perhaps you will again someday. I wish you well.

 

Thanks for your thoughts Dean. I know I've been fortunate fishing the places I have, and through sites like this and my tying classic salmon flies I am still connected to the sport. While my LAD (Leg Amyotrophic Diplegia) will not go away...it also will not get any worse. Time to put my camera to work as well I suppose. 😎