Southern Tier anglers are lucky to enjoy not one, but two opening days, provided they’re willing to pay up for an additional license. For $62.40, New Yorkers can pick up a Pennsylvania non-resident fishing license with a trout/salmon stamp. While that’s a significant addition to the $29 resident NY state license fee, it's well worth it. The Keystone state is known for its excellent stocking program and trout fishery management practices.
The Northeast Region of regulated trout waters in Pennsylvania covers the following 11 counties and over one hundred regulated trout waters, all within 2 hours drive of Binghamton, NY. For more details on these waters, check the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission’s home page.
- Bradford - Gaylord Creek, Little Schrader Creek, North Branch Mehoopany Creek, North Branch Sugar Creek, Schrader Creek, Seedly Creek, South Branch Towanda Creek, South Creek, Sugar Creek, Sunfish Pond, Towanda Creek, Tuscarora Creek, and Wysox Creek.
- Susquehanna – Canawacta Creek, East Branch Tunkhannock Creek, East Branch Wyalusing Creek, Fall Brook, Gaylord Creek, Horton Creek, Lackawanna River, Martins Creek, Meshoppen Creek, North Branch Wyalusing Creek, Quaker Lake, Riley Creek, Salt Lick Creek, Silver Creek, Snake Creek, South Branch Canawacta Creek, Starrucca Creek, Tunkhannock Creek, and West Branch Meshoppen Creek.
- Lackawanna - Aylesworth Creek Lake, Eston Wilson Lake, Gardner Creek, Lackawanna Lake, Lackawanna River, Lehigh River, Merli-Sarnoski Park Lake, Roaring Brook, South Branch Tunkhannock Creek, and West Branch Wallenpaupack Creek.
- Wayne - Dyberry Creek, East Branch Dyberry Creek, Equinunk Creek, Hollister Creek, Jones Creek, Lackawanna River, Lackawaxen River, Long Pond, Rose Pond Branch, Shehawken Creek, Upper Woods Pond, Van Auken Creek, West Branch Dyberry Creek, West Branch Lackawaxen River, and West Branch Wallenpaupack Creek.
- Pike - Bush Kill, Decker Brook, Fairview Lake, Lackawaxen River, Lake Loch Lomond, Lake Minisink, Lily Pond, Little Bush Kill, Little Mud Pond, Lower Lake, Masthope Creek, Middle Branch Bush Kill, and Saw Creek.
- Monroe - Appenzell Creek, Brodhead Creek, Buckwha Creek, Bush Kill, Hidden Lake, Lake Creek, Lehigh River, McMichael Creek, Pocono Creek, Princess Run, Snow Hill Dam, Tobyhanna Creek, and Tobyhanna Lake.
- Carbon - Aquashicola Creek, Buckwha Creek, Drakes Creek, Francis E. Walter Reservoir, Hickory Run, Hickory Run Lake, Lehigh Canal, Lehigh River, Mauch Chunk Creek, Nesquehoning Creek, Pohopoco Creek, and Sand Spring Run.
- Luzerne - Big Wapwallopen Creek, Francis E. Walter Reservoir, Harveys Creek, Harveys Lake, Lake Frances, Lake Irena, Lake Took A While, Lehigh River, Lily Lake, Moon Lake, Nescopeck Creek, Pine Creek, Wapwallopen Creek, and Wright Creek.
- Columbia - Beaver Run, Briar Creek, Briar Creek Lake – Fishing Creek, Huntingdon Creek , Little Fishing Creek, Mugser Run, Pine Creek, Roaring Creek, Scotch Run, South Branch Roaring Creek, West Branch Briar Creek, and West Creek.
- Wyoming - Bowman Creek, Horton Creek, Lake Winola, Leonard Creek, Martins Creek, Mehoopany Creek, Meshoppen Creek, Oxbow Lake, Riley Creek, South Branch Tunkhannock Creek, Tuscarora Creek, and West Branch Meshoppen Creek.
- Sullivan - Double Run, Elk Creek, Hoagland Branch, Hunters Lake, Kings Creek, Little Loyalsock Creek, Loyalsock Creek, Mill Creek, Muncy Creek, North Branch Mehoopany Creek, Pole Bridge Run, Schrader Creek, Shanerburg Run, and West Branch Fishing Creek.
And for those anglers looking for a bit more solitude on opening day, these Pennsylvania waters in the Northeast region are open to fly fishing only:
- Monroe County:
- Bush Kill – 6.1 miles; on the Resica Falls Scout Reservation property except 200 yards on each side of the falls.
- Wayne County:
- Dyberry Creek– 0.8 miles; from 300m (0.19 mile) downstream from the third bridge on Dug Rd. (SR 4009) upstream of the mouth, downstream to the second bridge on Dug Rd. (SR 4009) upstream from the mouth.
- Wyoming County:
- Bowman Creek– 1.0 mile; from the vicinity of SR 0292 downstream to near the confluence with Marsh Creek.
Although the forecast for the opener is for rain, proper preparation can make the best of even the worst Mother Nature can throw at an angler.
Comments