Hello All!

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Hello All,
I live in Roaring Spring, having moved here about 5 yrs. ago.  I used to live up in Cameron county, and spent much of my time fishing somewhere in the NC region.  I am still learning my away around the area with regards to fishing, but frequent the Littl J, as well as Spring, and some of the smaller waters around here.  I am pleasantly suprised by the trout fishing in the area, and keep on finding new places to explore.
 
Best of luck!

Hey not looking for anyone to give up there favorite spots....but a couple questions about some of the water in the area.......
 
1.  The stream above the Sportsmen's Club in Bellwood.....Is it fishable up to the dam?
 
2.  Is the stream between the dams on Blair Gap fishable?
 
3.  Is the water below Hollidaysburg car shops (I think it is the Frankstown branch) fishable in that area?
 
Not looking to be spoon fed info, as I will go out and explore on my own, but some of the places I asked about look good.......just not sure if they support any fish. 
 
Thanks!
 

sal  I live in cambria county & fish the little j but my favorite stream is spring creek, I started fishing paradise more than 50 years ago when you had to sign in & get a badge & have loved this stream for many years, about 10 years ago I bought a camp on this great stream & now I fish it about a 100 days a year, if you get a chance give it a try & yes I am a fly fisherman

My Dad fished the PAradise when you could only make so many trips per year and had to sign in and all that.  At that time they encouraged keeping 1 fish per trip.  That fish was measured and replaced with a similar sized fish.  They also asked how many fish you caught and they replaced 10% for hooking mortality.  The season ended on July 4th.
 
Each day they signalled the begining of fish hours with a Klaxon horn.
 
When I started to fish the Paradise, at age 4, there was no more keeping of fish and no more Klaxon horn.  My Dad had every Tuesday off and we went to the Paradise every Tuesday.  It was a fairly long trip in those days, since, for you Cambria County folks, we lived in Portage.
 
When it came time to go to college, Penn State was my only choice due to the proximity to the Paradise.  I must say, that I probably fished it at least 3 days per week during the school year and then again every Tuesday during the summer layoff.
 
At one point, Del Graff, trying to add to his resume in a bid to get the promotion to Executive Director (sound familiar Gary Alt fans?), wanted to turn the place that basically introduced America to flyfishing and the Catch and Release philosophy into a two fish use anything including live bait area so that he could push Project Future.
 
At a meeting at the Stackhouse, over 600 flyfishermen, including some that bussed in from various states, were set to address the Fish Commission and Del with regard to their feelings.  However, in a procedural move, Del decreed that since there were only 2 persons there to speak for the change away from the current rules, only 2 persons could speak for those that wanted to keep things the way they were.
 
I was selected by the group (Lord knows why some college kid got that nomination) along with a gentleman that usually also fished every Tuesday and who I can only remmebr as Pat.  Those that were for the changes basically stated that they didn;t want excluded any more form that less than a mile section of water and that Project Future was essential to trout fishing in PA.
 
My little speech centered around how the basic premise of Project Future had been tried in New York in 1924 as outlined in the book "A Complete Brown Trout" or at least I thin that is what the name of it was -- it has been about 20+ years -- and it failed miserably.  Del's answer was that if he couldn;t get this project done in his backyard, then he would have no chance anywhere else in the state.
 
Pat's speech went a little differently.  He outlined that he had been diagnosed with cancer and there was no hope for recovery.  His only theropy was to do something that he loved and that something was flyfishing the Paradise.  By doing so he had beaten the year-to-live sentence he had been given by 3 years at that point.
 
I am pretty sure there wasn't a dry eye in the house when he was done -- except for Del.  He flat out said if they the commissioners voted not to make the changes he wanted, he would have the grass mowing stopped (something that was rather essential because of the no wading rule), would stop all stocking (at that time the Paradise got 50 fish per week for hooking mortality, 150 fish before Memorial Day, and a few worn out breeders after they were used the last time), and that no further repairs would be done to any dams, deflectors, or diverters so that the once deep pools whould become no more than what the stream was above or below.
 
The commissioner voted for no changes and Del said he would make good on his promise.
 
While we had won somewhat, I saw Pat at his car after the meeting.  He was giving away his gear to those that had traveled so far to defend the Paradise.  I asked him what he was doinf and he said, " That man just signed my death warrant and want those that came here today to perhaps use this gear to experience some of the joy that it brought me over the last couple of year.  I know it won;t be here, but maybe somewhere."  He gave me a leather streamer wallet stuffed witht he huge mariboo streams that we used to attract the huge trout up in the woods, where you could only fish from one side.
 
For about a year we continued to go back the Paradise and fight the weeds and brush to fish for a dwindling number of smaller fish, but I never saw Pat again.  One day, I ran into a gentleman that we knew fron Johnstown and asked if he ever saw Pat on the stream.  He told me that he had died less than a month after the meeting.
 
If you would like to hear some other Paradise stories, let me know.

Nice guys. I want to post a story or two of my own, but somehow my journal has felt a need to remain illusive. I usually write things down just after fishing so the details are not lost in time. When I read over them I find those small details are what puts me right back to that moment in time. Many Great Battles have been won and lost in my journal.
As soon as I can locate it I'll write a little something.
That's some read about the paradise. Too bad things have to change.

Nice to have you aboard. I hope you won't be disappointed back in PA with all the great fishing there is to be had out there. As the saying goes "There's no place like home". Holds true for me.
Welcome home as I can see you're already back here in spirit.

I grew up in Potts Grove, near Milton.  Learned to fish from my Dad and Grandpa.  My Grandpa lived in Aaronsburg, so I cut my teeth on Elk Creek and Penns Creek.  I fished Big Pine, Slate and Cedar Runs.  Moved to Hanover 20 years ago and fish the Yellow Breeches, Letort, Big Spring, Clarks Creek and Codorus Creek.  I guided with Matt and Nicole Zito who used to own the Yellow Breeches House in Boiling Springs.  While guiding on the Yellow Breeches I got a chance to meet Ed Shenk, Ed Koch, Joe Humphreys, Charlie and Bryan Meck.  I enjoyed guiding, but don't let anyone try to tell you that it is a great job.  It was fun, but hard work, and you always had to be people oriented.  Matt and Nicole sold their business and moved to Maine.  I have a friend who lives in Huntingdon and I get out there to fish the Little J and Spruce.  In addition to trout fishing, I get out alot in the summer to fish for smallies on the Susky and Juniata.

What a cool thread you guys have here.  It's too bad Terry won't be in on this one, as I'd just have to stop in and read up on what's going on down in SCPA.  Up here in steehead land, it's all troll this, WCO that.  Keep up the great work on this board, salmo.  I think I may just stop in and read up every now and again.

Hello everyone, I grew up in Philipsburg spin fishing the small mountain streams like, Six-mile Run, Black Moshannon, Black Bear, Cold Stream and Bald Eagle with my father. One day he brought his flyrod, and taught me what little he knew, and I basically took it from there, he also had an old fly tying kit, that I still use today. Althought I still enjoy and love those small mountain streams, the minute I turned sixteen my fishing boundaries grew extreamly, Spring Creek, Penns Creek, Logan Branch, and my personal favorite the Little J. I thank the Lord every day that when he placed me on this earth he put me only an hour away from some of the greatest limestone creeks in the country. I'm alway eager to learn new tactics, new pattern, new water.
 
Yeuingling Lager is the necture of the gods.
 
C'mon

Cool- I've never fished for Sea trout. Would like to some time.

i grew up in curwensville, and fished the river just about every day as a kid. joined the service; remember all our vetrans, not just on monday, but every day; lived near south padre island and fished the waters there. moved back to pa.(why????) and live in philipsburg now. fish all the trout streams,(noodle rod w/ ultalight reel and 2# test), also fish sayers,c-ville,shawville,and erie. i don't have a favorite method or fish, but i probably like to fish for big channels at howard. it's a semi-world class fishery, that not alot of people know about.

Go Golden Tigers!

ORIGINAL: SilverKype

I didn't know we had so many H-burg grads here.  Small world I guess.

I moved away in 8th grade, but Duncansville will always be "Home".