The first day of trout for a bunch of SE PA counties is upon us in about a month. A buddy of mine and I are looking for an out-of-the-way stream to fish within these counties opening trout on 3/31. Any locals have any suggestions? Thanks in advance!!!
Matt
“Fish too big for tall tales. Trout season in Pennsylvania is now so big, we need two opening days just to kick it off. As if that’s not enough, our waters are so full of trophies that even the stocked trout will be 30% bigger. So on March 31st head to Southeastern Pennsylvania for the first Opening Day of the trout season. Then hit the rest of Pennsylvania on April 14th. More days…bigger fish…what more could an angler want?”
Or, so reads an advertisement by the PA Fish and Boat Commission in this month’s issue of Field and Stream.
With so many big fish, probably every stream in the state is crammmed with monsters, so you should be able to just about go anywhere. 
Matt:
My suggestion is to avoid the counties where the season opens earlier and instead head up to the northern counties like Monroe or Carbon where the season opens in April. Try one of the Special Regulation streams like Mud Run, Hickory Run, McMichaels or the Bushkill in Pike County.
The locals that want to harvest will be fishin’ south that weekend.
Bam… thanks. Question… why would those locals go south rather than fish these streams you’ve suggested? Or… are you suggesting folks will overrun the southern streams the weekend of March 31?
Also… the streams you’ve mentioned, can you camp anywhere near these streams? Do they draw the normal “elbow-to-elbow” 1st day population? I’m trying to “get away” for the first day, and if that means a nice hike to get to the stream, I’m all for it, I’m just not familiar with these locations.
BWA HA HA> If they dump trout in it there will be people fishin it top to bottom.
I’d go to a special Reg area. FFO or something. The meat and bait guys won’t be there.
I know of this one little crick… wild rainbows… read my will for more info.
I know, bob… lol…it’s like trying to find an open ATM on payday in most cases. Problem is, the guys I go with like to dunk worms, so I have to be careful about picking places where it’s FFO… there’d be an uprising.
Hazmat,
I live in schuylkill county, where the opening day is going to be early this year. I work that day or else I would be more than happy to help you, I went out on opening day last year and the stream I was on I saw maybe 15 people in a half mile or so, when I moved to another stream it was about the same.
wire
If you find a clear stream let me know. I haven’t fished a non FFO stream (in PA) for years. The last opening day I remember left a very sour taste in my mouth…we did some hiking to the stream, but that was because there were no spaces on the road to park for about a 1/2mile. If chester co is amoung the early openers I can suggest some streams but haven’t fished them since I was a kid so I’m sure there is better advice out there.
John,
Now don’t be givin’ away all those secrets about jumbo trout here in Chester County. 
hazemat, I too suggest you fish a special reg stream during the middle of March before the season begins. We have several here in Chester County. You won’t be alone, but not nearly as many as on Opening Day. If you do come southeast I know a campground along the Brandywine you can stay at.
Dot
Haz:
The reason I suggest you head north is because in my experience, the opening day crowds are mostly people who harvest trout; therefore I would ASSUME they would head south so they can fill up the freezer. The Special Reg streams in the northern counties should see a few less anglers that 1st opener but I could be wrong. You should check the [url=http://sites.state.pa.us/PA_Exec/Fish_Boat/stock.htm:f1be2]stocking schedule[/url:f1be2] just to make sure if any of them will have been stocked since the fish can be pretty scarce by the end of March.
Worse case, you could legally fish the Class A or Special Reg section of Hickory Run which has plenty of wild fish. Also you can camp at [url=http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/parks/hickoryrun.aspx:f1be2]Hickory Run State Park[/url:f1be2] if they are open for camping at the end of March. If not there are other private campground in the area. That will also put you right near Mud Run. Both creeks are GORGIOUS and fish pretty good too although Mud Run can be slow if they haven’t stocked.
Have fun!
I hit the C and R, special reg streams opening day. My favorite is a no-kill stream near Philly. Generally, I’ve not found these streams to be crowded, and the crowds diminish on the stocked streams by lunch time.
Dear hazmat,
You live in Harrisburg don’t you?
The season opens on March 31st around here too. Why waste the gas to drive out of town?
Trust me when I say there isn’t any magical wonderful undiscovered stream in the 18 counties that open early. You can get much better hoagies and cheesesteaks in WAWA country to the East, but the fishing isn’t worth the trip. :lol:
Best Wishes,
Avalon 
YOCCO’S
'Nuff said.
Dear Heritage Angler,
Jimmy the “Hot Dog” King in the “Uptown Plaza” on 6th and Division Street in Harrisburg is pretty tough to beat. Likewise, “The Spot” downtown is world reknowned for it’s “Mud Dawgs”, plus they serve beer!
Maybe we should have a Chili Dawg war? :lol:
Best Wishes,
Avalon
Go to Boiling Springs… Your worm buddies will have plenty of worm dunking to do , and you can hit the FFO section just across the road…
Dear Heritage Angler,
Jimmy the “Hot Dog” King in the “Uptown Plaza” on 6th and Division Street in Harrisburg is pretty tough to beat. Likewise, “The Spot” downtown is world reknowned for it’s “Mud Dawgs”, plus they serve beer!
Maybe we should have a Chili Dawg war? :lol:
Best Wishes,
Avalon :D[/quote]
Sorry but my vote goes to Coney Island on Cedar Ave in Scranton or Coney Island Lunch in Shamokin. Besides the grub, the atmosphere is classic unaltered 1920’s.
Yocco’s! what does an Italian know about hot dogs? Even Pete’s Hot Dog King in Southside Bethlehem does doggies better!
Thanks, all, for the information.
Avalon… yeah, I’m in Harrisburg. I know I could run out Dauphin-way and fish Clark’s or Stony or a few other places right in my back yard. I just want to go somewhere “different”, I guess. I’m not terribly familiar with what is within, say, a 2-hour drive from the city outside of a few places. I’m looking to expand my horizons as much as I am to fish, I guess.
If we are going to have a hot dog war we better start talking about Jimmy Johns in West Chester… No contest really- I’m not sure if its the same Jims that is in Harrisburg
Dot Man, I had no idea you were in Chester County. I’m from Kennett. I love that area…and mushrooms.
What part of Boiling Springs can you spin fish in? I actually saw a guy pretty close to the allenberry fishing with a spin rod. I wasn’t sure if that was allowed. Can you do it on the breeches…I always thought you couldn’t.
If we’re talking hot dogs, I gotta give The Flamingo on Market Street in Harrisburg a thumbs up. I’ve done Spot and Jimmy several times, but seem to always go back to Flamingo when I have a 'dog jones. Great fries, too.
The “Run” and Breeches down to Allenberry is Catch & Release Artificial Lures Only. It’s been that way for a while.