Classic Pennsylvania Waters


The Lehigh River

The Lehigh River, a tributary of the Delaware River, is a 103 mile long river located in eastern Pennsylvania. The river flows in a highly winding course through valleys between ridges of the Appalachian Mountains. Its lower course forms the heart of the Lehigh Valley, an historically important anthracite coal and steel-producing region of Pennsylvania.The river rises in the Pocono Mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania, in several ponds in southwestern Wayne County, approximately 15 miles southeast of Scranton. It flows initially southwest,through southern Lackawanna County, through Francis E. Walter Reservoir. Near Middleburg,it turns south, following a zigzag course to Jim Thorpe, then southeast, past Lehighton. Southeast of Lehighton, it passes through Blue Mountain in a narrow opening called the Lehigh Gap. From the Lehigh Gap, the river flows southeast to Allentown, where it is joined by the Little Lehigh Creek,then northeast past Bethlehem, where it joins the Delaware River in Easton, along Pennsylvania's border with New Jersey. Anyone who has ever fished the Mighty Lehigh can tell you that wading is no easy task. It takes a good understanding of what flow conditions are wadeable at which locations to make for safe wading. Still, cautious and strong waders can be treated with excellent trout fishing from April through June with the fishing picking up again in mid to late September and continuing well into November. Winter fishing is possible but highly discouraged as a slip into the Lehigh during the winter months could prove dangerous.

The Little Juniata

The Little Juniata River, sometimes called the "Little J," is a river in central Pennsylvania. It is a 35 mile tributary of the Juniata River in the watershed of the Susquehanna River and is formed at Altoona by the confluence of several short streams. It flows northeast in the valley between the Allegheny Ridge to the west and Brush Mountain to the east.At Tyrone, the river turns abruptly southeast, passing through a gap on the north side of the Brush Mountain ridge. Approximately 6 miles northwest of Huntingdon, it receives the Frankstown Branch Juniata River. The river flows southeast past Huntingdon and joins the Raystown Branch Juniata River 3 miles southeast of Huntingdon to form the Juniata.In Colonial America, the river provided the farthest canoe-navigable headstream along the Alleghenies of the Juniata River, allowing a portage over the ridge through the Kittanning Gap. In the 1830s, its valley was used as part of the Pennsylvania Main Line Canal, which connected to the Allegheny Portage Railroad at Hollidaysburg, along a tributary of the Little Juniata southeast of Altoona. It is a good spot for fly fishing; trout inhabit its waters. Former President Jimmy Carter is said to enjoy fishing at Spruce Creek on the river's lower half.

The Little Lehigh Creek

The Little Lehigh Creek is a tributary of Jordan Creek, approximately 24 miles long, in eastern Pennsylvania. It is also sometimes referred to as the Little Lehigh River. The river flows in a winding course through the Lehigh Valley. It originates in Longswamp Township in Berks County and flows through Lower Macungie Township and Salisbury Township. In the city of Allentown it joins Jordan Creek, which soon flows into the Lehigh River. It has 88.8 square miles of drainage area in Lehigh County and 18.7 square miles of drainage area in Berks County.

Penns Creek

Penns Creek is a tributary of the Susquehanna River in central Pennsylvania in the United States. Penns Creek flows from near Centre Hall to the Susquehanna River, approximately 3.6 miles downstream of Selinsgrove. The creek is unusual in that it is born a stream that one can paddle, gushing from a spring whose origin is the black labyrinth of Penns Cave. Penns Creek is regionally well-known as an excellent location to fly fish.

Tulpehocken Creek

Tulpehocken Creek (known locally as the "Tully") is a tributary of the Schuylkill River, approximately 24 mi long, in southeastern Pennsylvania. An important transportation route in the early United States, the creek drains a limestone hill country area of Berks County south of the Appalachian Mountains and is considered one of the finest trout streams in southeastern Pennsylvania. The valley of the creek was known in colonial times as the Tulpehocken, stretching west of Reading. It was inhabited by the Lenape and was a destination for early German-speaking settlers. The name comes from a Lenape word Tulpewikaki, meaning "land of turtles." It rises in western Lebanon County, Pennsylvania and flows generally east, in a winding course, through Myerstown, entering Berks County, passing north of Womelsdorf. At Womelsdorf it turns abruptly north, then flows southeast, through the Blue Marsh Lake reservoir and joins the Schuylkill at Reading. In the 19th century, it provided an important early transportation route with the building in 1828 of the Union Canal along the river, connecting from its headwaters to those of Quittapahilla Creek in Lebanon County. The creek is impounded for flood control above Reading by the earthen Blue Marsh Dam, completed in 1979 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to form the Blue Marsh Lake reservoir. The bottom-release design of the dam allows for the discharge of a cold water at a constant temperature,
resulting in an ideal habitat for rainbow trout and brown trout, which are stocked annually in the stream.

Yellow Breeches

The Yellow Breeches Creek is a creek in central Pennsylvania which flows into the Susquehanna River. The creek arises on the northwestern side of South Mountain, in the Michaux State Forest, and collects the drainage of several hollows along the mountainside. It flows north through Walnut Bottom and turns east to run down the Cumberland Valley, paralleled by an ex-Reading Railroad line.

It passes through Huntsdale, site of the Huntsdale State Fish Hatchery. The creek begins to meander, and swings around the north side of Mount Holly Springs. Just below the town, it is joined by Mountain Creek. Old Town Run enters just before the creek passes along the south side of Boiling Springs and the spring-fed lake that gives the town its name. The creek passes through Williams Grove and meets Dogwood Run just downstream. Below Williams Grove, it forms the boundary between Cumberland and York Counties. It flows through the campus of Messiah College, then joins Stony Run and enters a series of sharp meanders as the railroad line swings away to the north. Pippins Run joins it, and it flows east to Lisburn, where it makes a sharp turn to flow northwest. It turns north, and then makes a number of meanders to turn east, cutting through the suburbs of New Cumberland. Cedar Run enters near the top of the northernmost meander. It cuts east, then north again, emptying into the Susquehanna.Known for its great fishing, the Yellow Breeches is a popular spot for fly fishers who flock to the mile
long catch and release section near Boiling Springs. The Yellow Breeches is stocked by the PA Fish and Boat Commission.

Le Tort Spring Run

Le Tort Spring Run is a stream in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, near Carlisle. Its length between Pennsylvania State Route 34 and Conodoguinet Creek is a designated Pennsylvania Scenic River. It is a well-known fly fishing stream, where anglers fish for brown trout. Located along its banks is LeTort Park,owned by the City of Carlisle. The Letort Spring Run is one of the famous limestone streams in the Cumberland Valley. The Letort is well known for its challenging currents and prolific reed beds reminiscent of the English chalk streams, which requires difficult and technical fishing methods. The Letort is also noted for holding large wild brown trout who are educated in the ways of the angler. Vince Marinaro in A Modern Dry-Fly Code (1970) writes, “All of it began when, as a young man from the raw mountain country of western Pennsylvania, I looked for the first time on the fair face of the Letort… In essence, my approach to the fishing on these waters was contained in the stalking habit that I learned as a boy... Standing for long moments, surveying the ground or water where the quarry lives, avoiding sudden movements, approaching slowly and carefully, and using all available cover… It was and still is the only successful way to approach the wild and fearful trout of the Letort. It was and is the only way to observe and resolve the mysteries of fly-fishing…”