Just booked Sinnamahoning (need help)

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greenhead55
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2011/01/30 17:45:43 (permalink)

Just booked Sinnamahoning (need help)

Just booked our stay in Sinnamahoning and need some advice on streams. The owner stated that the following are nearby: 1st Fork, Wycoff, Driftwood, Brooks run, Kettle 14 miles, Gary run and Hix run. Which ones do you recommend ? Are there any others nearby ? I will be bringing a 9 ft rod w/ 5 wt reel. We are going May 13th-17th. What advice can you guys give me ? Thanks for your help !
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    PeteM
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    RE: Just booked Sinnamahoning (need help) 2011/01/30 20:55:05 (permalink)
    The first fork dhalo is nice. Actually, the large majority of surrounding creeks are very good. I had good luck with several green drake patterns, royal wulf variations, and some ambiguous looking nymphs as droppers. I don't know which creek it was, but it was in Austin, behind the ice cream/gift shop/bar that was very productive and fun.

    9ft 5wt. should work very well. Maybe a little cumbersome if you head up some smaller creeks and runs, but that is a matter of personal choice.

    #2
    worm_waster
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    RE: Just booked Sinnamahoning (need help) 2011/01/31 18:51:07 (permalink)
    There are dozens of streams within 25 miles of there...
     
    Did you book at Guiest's???  I have stayed there a couple of times.  It is a great place for the price.  It's not the Hilton, but it beats living in a tent.  We still go there for a $0.75 shower since my camp lacks such facilities.
     
    Now on to the cricks....
     
    First Fork is a good stream for stocked bows and browns.  It has pretty good access and is, for the East, pretty big water.  It does have wild trout, but they are up past Austin.  While I have had good success at the DHALO stretch (inclusing my personal best inland brown) I find the dry fly fishing to be better in the general water.  The fish seem to be much easier to catch their. 
     
    Brooks Run and Jerry Run are fairly close.  Both of these streams are about as small as the state stocks.  Because they are high gradient, there are lots of holes to fish.  Jerry Run only gets stocked preseason.  We once fished there in May and caught a few trout that appeared to be starving to death.  It held fair amounts of natives about 20 years ago, but when I visited a couple of years ago, I could not find one.  Brooks Run gets more fish and pressure, but is almost identical to Jerry.  They stock Brookies and there are natives their as well. 
     
    Wykoff Run is bigger than Brooks and Jerry, but not a whole lot.  It is stocked with brookies and browns several times per year.  There are natives in the stocked stretch and above.  There is supposed to be wild browns there, but I have never seen any.
     
    The Driftwood Branch is a bit larger than First Fork, and some folks float it.  It has stocked browns and rainbows as well as smallmouth.  Any wild trout on the Driftwood Branch will be above Emporium. (About 20 miles from Sinny) If you ride down Rt. 120, be sure to watch for the polite PA Trooper that likes to sit right before the golf course....
     
    Kettle Creek, in the stocked section is nearly a mirror to First Fork.  Hatches are very similar and the fish make up is the same.  It seems upper Kettle has better wild trout fishing in a public setting, where as First Fork is flatter and has more private land.  The distance to Kettle from Sinnemahoning is deceiving, because most of the better fishing takes place above the dam a ways up from Rt. 120.  Baldachinnos (sp) Flyshop is a good place to stop if your in the area.  It is near Cross Fork, another well know wild and stocked stream.
     
    Hicks Run is fairly small and contains mostly stocked trout in the lower end and some wild up higher.  At Hicks Run there is a good chance of seeing an elk.  If you don't see one there, the Windlsow Hill Elk viewing area is right over the hill.
     
    Young Women's, in recent years seems to lack the wild trout that it was known for and most of the catching in the section is for stocked rainbows.
     
    Nearly every ditch that hold water year round has native brookies.  Some internet searching will get you into some good water in the area.
     
    My favorite stream is called *************** Run.  My camp is next to it, and it kicks out a pretty good number of fish over 9" every year.  There is another stream called ***************** Run that is good too and right over the mountain.  There are also some opportunities for stillwater brookies in the area.
     
    A 9' 5wt. is good for all of the larger streams.
     
    For the smaller streams, a rod 6-7.5 will be much better.  If a new outfit is out of the budget, just get a shorter 4 wt. rod and use your existing reel and line.  You will be much happier.
     
    A hatch chart for Kettle will get you close for the area's large stream hatches.
     
    For the smaller streams I like a #14 Adams Parachute, and will occasionally tie one on Friday night and take it off Sunday noon when it's time to go home. 
     
    If for some reason you feel the need to use a nymph on a Brookie stream in May, may the Lord have mercy on your soul.w_w.
     

    If it has fins and gills, I'm there.

    #3
    woodnickle
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    RE: Just booked Sinnamahoning (need help) 2011/02/01 10:20:59 (permalink)
    "For the smaller streams I like a #14 Adams Parachute, and will occasionally tie one on Friday night and take it off Sunday noon when it's time to go home. "




    I ,ll validate that  !

    #4
    Skip16503
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    RE: Just booked Sinnamahoning (need help) 2011/02/01 11:08:44 (permalink)
    Greenhead  You should have all the info you need now from Worm............   Well all except the Encryption code and Thats like our weapons.........  You know the ones you will have to pry from our cold dead fingers  

     



    #5
    Cold
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    RE: Just booked Sinnamahoning (need help) 2011/02/01 12:44:58 (permalink)
    If for some reason you feel the need to use a nymph on a Brookie stream in May, may the Lord have mercy on your soul.w_w.


    Thanks for making me laugh out loud at work and get Coke in my sinuses.

    I only got to see that area in late November...fishing was tough on the streams that had names. On ********* creek and ********* run, though, the water was full of feisty natives.
    #6
    DarDys
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    RE: Just booked Sinnamahoning (need help) 2011/02/02 11:52:04 (permalink)
    ORIGINAL: anadromous

    see you at the Willows for a sasparilla. I will tell you why I sold my soul to the Devil in order to nymph fish.

     
    and to buy a snazzy set of zippered waders.

    The poster formally known as Duncsdad

    Everything I say can be fully substantiated by my own opinion.
    #7
    worm_waster
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    RE: Just booked Sinnamahoning (need help) 2011/02/02 17:18:48 (permalink)
    What size are they Dennis??  My Redington CPS are leaking right around my pants pockets after 4-5 years.  I think my next set is going to be Simms G3s.
     
    I am by no means a purist, but ploppin a nymph in a hole like a nightcrawler for a trout that will most likely rise with authority loses something.
     
    Oh....While enjoying your stay in Sinnemahoning, stop at the Sinnemahoning Tavern and get a pound or 2 of cheese.  They have a regular that I like, but they have smoked as well.  It is some of the best cheese I have ever had.  And they sell beer there too.  The Willows has better food.  The Tavern has typical grease and griddle fare.  The Sinnemahoning Sportsman's Club has decent meals including breakfast, but you must be a member to buy alcohol there. (I think it $10 per year and you have to wait to be voted in.)
     
    There is a bar up at the Lakeview by the Dam, but I have only been in there twice.  Make sure you have ca$h, because many places around there do not take credit cards.  The Club has an ATM open to the public.w_w.
     
     

    If it has fins and gills, I'm there.

    #8
    woodnickle
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    RE: Just booked Sinnamahoning (need help) 2011/02/02 19:11:06 (permalink)
    What Skip told me, you bob like a cork. lol

    #9
    dano
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    RE: Just booked Sinnamahoning (need help) 2011/02/03 11:48:46 (permalink)
    Is FF Sally still at Kelly's Bar????
    #10
    Eriefisherman69
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    RE: Just booked Sinnamahoning (need help) 2011/02/03 12:04:36 (permalink)
    .
    post edited by Eriefisherman69 - 2011/02/03 12:05:06

    Get educated, Get smart, And help. 

    Move up or Move Over


    Don't wait do something now



    #11
    worm_waster
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    RE: Just booked Sinnamahoning (need help) 2011/02/03 19:52:13 (permalink)
    ORIGINAL: dano

    Is FF Sally still at Kelly's Bar????

     
    I don't know about Sally, but I bet April is.
     
    Don't laugh John....I bet I am the only human alive to swim the West Branch using one hand in Redington waders.  (No zipper Dennis)  That takes skill.w_w.
     
     
     
     

    If it has fins and gills, I'm there.

    #12
    Skip16503
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    RE: Just booked Sinnamahoning (need help) 2011/02/03 20:26:58 (permalink)
    ORIGINAL: worm_waster

    ORIGINAL: dano

    Is FF Sally still at Kelly's Bar????


    I don't know about Sally, but I bet April is.

    Don't laugh John....I bet I am the only human alive to swim the West Branch using one hand in Redington waders.  (No zipper Dennis)  That takes skill.w_w.






    I never laughed so hard after watching a guy Almost Die 

     



    #13
    DarDys
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    RE: Just booked Sinnamahoning (need help) 2011/02/07 10:18:25 (permalink)
    "nymphing is an art in and of itself"
     
    Yes, it is a black art, practiced by those that have turned to the dark side.

    The poster formally known as Duncsdad

    Everything I say can be fully substantiated by my own opinion.
    #14
    Skip16503
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    RE: Just booked Sinnamahoning (need help) 2011/02/07 10:32:03 (permalink)
      My mouth is watering just thinking about that Cheese...........

     



    #15
    Accountant
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    RE: Just booked Sinnamahoning (need help) 2011/03/23 20:16:34 (permalink)
    Might as well throw in that I will also be matriculating up to Potter county in May to fish the sinnemahoning. Itll be my first trip to north central pa so I'm really excited.

    Are there any smallies in the first fork or any of the other branches of the sinnemahoning?
    #16
    greenhead55
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    RE: Just booked Sinnamahoning (need help) 2011/05/03 17:53:00 (permalink)
    Guys I am in desperate need of your expertise.  I am booked to go on the 13th of this month for a week of fishing and this weather and the current levels are crazy.  I have no idea what is fishable levels up there when looking at the usgs site.  How many days of no or little rain will it take for these streams to drop to fishable levels ?  We can't wait until the day before to decide because of having to cancel our vacation days at work.  I can probably get away with Monday or Tuesday of next week.  What do you guys think/know ?   Appreciate the help !!!!!!
    #17
    Esox_Hunter
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    RE: Just booked Sinnamahoning (need help) 2011/05/03 18:46:41 (permalink)
    Take a deep breath, things will be fine.  I heard guys were doing very well this past weekend on the DW Branch and Kettle, both of which have continued to fall since then.  As I mentioned in another thread, water levels will drop quickly now that green up is upon that area. 

    Use your head when wading and fish the soft seams and I don't think you will have any trouble getting into fish. 

    If water levels come back up beyond fishable levels on the big creeks, do some research and find some smaller alternatives to check out.  There is quite literally always somewhere to fish in that area which will produce. 

    This site should get you started: http://fishandboat.com/county.htm

    EDIT:  I just realized your trip is 10 days away.  Man, you are going to pull every hair in your head out trying to predict water levels 10 days from now.  Depending on where the water levels are when (if) we get another big rain event the bigger waters will fish in 1-3 days afterwords, but the little ones can be fantastic immediately afterwords. 

     
    post edited by Esox_Hunter - 2011/05/03 18:57:52
    #18
    greenhead55
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    RE: Just booked Sinnamahoning (need help) 2011/05/18 13:51:30 (permalink)
    We ended up making the trip.  Saturday waters were just a tad up which we hoped would turn out to be a perfect week.  Fishing 1st fork hard Saturday and didn't do too bad considering the conditions.  We caught just as many nymphing as dry's.  Every few hours the sky would spit a bit but nothing to accumulate.  Headed to camp at dark to prepare for Sunday.  Woke up to a downpour but decided to stick it out.  Fished hard all day despite the crap weather.  Rained all day and we only ended up with 3 fish amongst four of us at Kettle Creek.  In the evening we headed to 1st fork and the water was on the rise.  Monday we headed to Driftwood to find it very high and off color.  With the reports of downpours for Tuesday we packed up early and headed home.  The owner of the camp reported the few nice days two weeks ago anglers did pretty well.  Thanks for all that helped with info etc.  Guess we will try again next year.
    #19
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