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Brodhead Creek, in Northeast Pennsylvania, is a well-known
and productive trout fishery. Its famous waters consist
of prolific hatches and mostly stocked trout, but there
are some wild trout here too. Going back as early as
the 1950s, anglers flocked here to try their luck. In
recent years, some areas of the river have become private,
but you'll still find miles of public water that make
the trip a worthwhile fishing experience.
Below the SR 1002 Bridge down to Analomink, the river
is swift with beautiful riffles and runs accompanied
by large pools. This stretch is stocked and has nice
holdover trout year round. There is parking by the
SR 1002 Bridge, which provides some access to this
stretch of the river. |
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The boulders scattered throughout the creek help provide
cover for the trout here. Wading can be difficult in
this area, so be careful. Felt-bottom wading shoes are
preferable here and those with studs will ensure proper
footing. The long riffles provide the trout with oxygen
as well as a feeling of security. Good-sized fish in
the 13- to 17-inch class, are fairly common here.
The area where the Brodhead reaches Stroudsburg is
very built up and doesn't attract many anglers. Below
East Stroudsburg, the creek begins its journey through
a deep gorge, winding through high mountain terrain
and descending along its way to the Delaware River.
This is a pristine valley where beautiful tree-lined
slopes rise up some 200 feet from the creek. Fast rapids,
interrupted by large pools, make this a good stretch
to fish and add much-needed oxygen to the water. You
can gain access by parking in a couple of different
places underneath Route 80 and walking down to the
river. On the lower stretches of river, water temperatures
get fairly high during the summer months, but the influence
of a few cold feeders keeps it fairly cool and hold
over fish most of the year.
A floating and sinking line will help you fish this
diverse river. Early season in higher water, a sinking
line with a short leader for streamer fishing will
help you get down into some of the deeper pools. Olive or
black Woolly Buggers produce, as well as Sculpin and Matuka patterns.
Fishing with nymphs in the heads of pools early in
the morning also works well. Look for tight, deep seams,
formed from the boulders scattered throughout the river,
to drift a large Stonefly nymph behind. Hatches on
the Brodhead are prolific and here you'll also find
a good number of the Mayflies usually found on the
East Coast. Hendricksons, Blue
Quills, Gray
Fox, and Cahills are
some of the bugs that hatch on this river. Terrestrials
and Caddis are a must later in the year, so try to
carry well-stocked fly boxes.
The next time your near the Delaware Water Gap, be
sure to stop by the Brodhead and give it a try. |
