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The Lackawanna River, in Northeast Pennsylvania, has
been an ongoing restoration project and anglers have
been awed by its success. A few years ago, the river
was noted as a toxic mess. Like the Housatonic River
in Connecticut, with the improvement of sewage treatment,
the numbers of fish and entomology have returned in great
numbers. Wild browns are found throughout most of the
river, and quality-sized fish in the 13- to 15-inch range
are caught quite often. Larger fish also are here, with
more and more stories of browns in the 18-inch class
heard each year.
The Lackawanna begins at Stillwater Lake as a top-water
release and follows Route 171 from the Dam to the town
of Forest City. This section of river is filled with
many nice pockets, riffles, and pools, which provide
oxygen and cover that enable trout to hide. However,
as a top-water release dam, the upper Lackawanna's
water temperatures get somewhat warm during the summer
months. That's why it's a good idea to look for deeper
pools in the upper stretch during the summer, or head
downstream below the spot one of the old coal mines
dumps in. Water temperatures around these coal mine
discharges are very cold and provide relief for the
trout in the lower sections of river during the summer. |
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From Forest City, Route 171 migrates away from the Lackawanna
until it reaches the town of Simpson. At Simpson, the
water is cooled by the first coal mine drainage. Water
temperatures below this outflow are very favorable to
the trout. Holdover stocked trout and wild browns are
in very good numbers throughout this stretch. The river
is narrow here and offers some nice areas of fast-moving
pockets and riffles before it heads into the town of
Carbondale. Carbondale is one of the larger towns along
the Lackawanna. |
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Here, the river runs through high, cement walls with
surrounding buildings. You'll find places to park and
can climb down into the river. Fishing is good here,
but most people venture below the town where it's a little
more scenic.
Approximately five miles below Carbondale, the special
regulations area begins in Archbold and offers some
of the finer wild brown trout fishing. These 5.2 miles
of Trophy Trout Projects water
extend from Gilmartin Street Bridge in Archbold downstream
to Lackawanna Avenue Bridge (S.R. 0347) in Olyphant,
and hold substantial numbers of wild browns. Excepted
is a mid-section area extending .7 miles from Depot
Street Bridge in Jessup, downstream to the foot bridge
in Robert Mellow Park. The Trophy Trout Projects area
is the largest section of noted trout water on the
river, and is approximately 50-70 feet across throughout
most of this stretch. This area offers some beautiful
pools, followed by long runs and riffles. Although
this is a dedicated Trophy area, be sure to take a
water temperature reading during the summer, because
at times it can reach a little more than 70 degrees.
Below Oxyphant, the river is overtaken by acidic and
warm water. Fishing below here may not be worth the
hassle, although there are some fish to be had.
Hatches on the Lackawanna are not as strong as they
are on some of the other rivers throughout the State.
However, there are still good numbers of bugs among
which the Sulphurs are
most notable. Blue
Quills, Hendricksons, March
Browns, and Green
Drakes are some of the other hatches found on the
river. Midges and Terrestrials also can work well when
Mayflies are sparse. Throughout the year, nymph fishing
in the riffles and runs also can be very productive.
Check with a local fly shop to select the flies you'll
need for your trip to the Lackawanna in Northeastern
Pennsylvania. |
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