Steelie Blue: A COLD WATER PLAYGROUND

                                    PA ALLEGHENY
                                        TROUTING

            The birth of the dry fly was just a start of the technical fly fishing era. Vince Marinaro, Charlie Fox were some of these famous dry fliers . And with Pennsylvania's streams of tail waters to chalk streams, their is no doubt the dry was worked into commission. Cool spring fed streams on just about every mountain turn , has every cold water Trout bum keep coming back. I would still have to say Vermont or Maine being on top of that list. But this is a close second. And historically right their with the best of them.

As a child , i remember reading books and magazines of these streams not far from home. And as close to home as it is, I cant believe it took this long to get their. A good portion of my family resides in Pittsburgh, and they have a few, but majority of these fabled streams are of the State College area.

South west PA has a number of Brook Trout streams of limestone. They also have a good number of tail water and freestone streams that are tailor-made for hulking Browns because of the springs and pocket water these alkaline enriched streams have.

My first stop was to the newly transformed, and revived West Branch of the Susquehanna and to several of it's tribs.

These boulders were just some of the bomb shelters these huge Browns had for cover. The west branch of the Susquehanna has been transformed into a once again amazing fishery thanks to TU, and PA.Boat and Fish Comm. {If only we had that}.

I have to add one of those tribs is Big Run. It was a beautiful, deep spring creek that as you can see ran through a meadow. The picture does not do the size of the stream justice, and the town looks even smaller. But right next door is Punxsatwaney. As in "Phil". That bastard that tells me its going to snow for another 6 weeks.
The west branch of the Susquehanna is clear as glass. As usual the closer to the headwaters you get, the better the clarity and life of the stream. I started in Cherry Tree and fished all the way to Lumber city. All of this area held trout and the temps were around the low 90's. Up and down rt.219 is really good water. Deep pools, and the pocket water is of great . I would have to say being a steelheader by craft that this water would be ideal for working a nymph of it least a 12 . It seemed no problem as well that every fly I threw had some high flash . Which really surprised me. But I guess with pocket water being around 4 feet deep, your good. And through this whole area, Its like this. The headwaters, up to the Curwensville Dam area.
As I talked to PA Boat and Fish Commission area fisheries mngr. Al Womer, he says theirs a lot more work to be done. But with the good groups out their such as Trout unlimited and others alike, he says theirs hope. But I guess when your heart is in it theirs always hope.

The second place I traveled to was well worth the trip. Another PA project that, now has been rejuvenated and water as clear as glass as well. The youghiogheny starts its journey of fishable water at the dam release and empties out after spewing underground. It's waters are no more than 45* on a good day,thus giving it a breeding ground for huge Browns.

I cant remember seeing water that clear. but if you take the drive down 40 to rt 381, you will be in prime water. As from here, down to Ohio Pyle is just that. The 8 hours I had their on a saturday gave me what I came for. Cold water, Big fish and a little solitude. I would also like to add that most of this water for the first 4 miles is mostly swift and shallow,yet tricky as I fell twice in the freezing riffles and pocket water. Oh well, I'll admit it. But dont think I didnt get up and look around to see if anybody noticed. Cause I did.........