Do you want to fish a beautiful, Pennsylvania stream
with wild browns and brookies? If so, Slate Run is just
what you're looking for. Beautiful pools, followed by
irresistible runs and riffles are characteristic of this
mountain stream. Cool, clear mountain water, and a smorgasbord
of bugs make this a great place to spend the day.
The 6.5 miles of stream are followed by smaller, secondary
roads off Route 414. The upper half of Slate Run is followed
by Francis Road, which can be accessed by traveling up
Slate Run Road (the bottom half of Slate Run) from Route
414. Francis Road follows the stream from the top end,
where Francis Branch and Cashman Branch form Slate Run.
From here, Francis Road follows Slate Run downstream
for approximately three miles. The upper section of river
here is small, but beautiful. Wild browns and brookies
are found throughout this area. Morris Run and Red Run
flow into Slate Run just below Morris Run Road Bridge.
These two tributaries are also good wild fisheries.
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Below where the creeks flow in, Slate Run slightly increases
in size and this spot marks the beginning of the lower
end of the creek, which is accessed by Slate Run Road.
Below where Manor Fork enters Slate Run, Slate Run Road
follows along the creek. You can gain access by parking
along the road and walking down one of the many trails
that lead to the river. |
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The roads that follow the creek sit high above it, so
be prepared for a short, but steep hike. There's some
pristine water throughout this stretch and the mountain
scenery is at its best. So, be sure to bring your camera
along to take some pictures while you're down in this
small gorge. Classic rock ledges and pocket water help
make up this scenic section of river. Slate Run Road
follows the stream all the way down to Route 414, where
it dumps into Pine Creek.
Hatches on Slate Run are very prolific. Since it
runs cool all summer, bugs can be found throughout
the year. Some of the finer hatches are Hendricksons, Sulphurs, Isonycias, Green
drakes, and Tricos. Many
other Mayflies are prevalent here and provide excellent
fishing all year. This also is great nymph water and
it produces well throughout the year, especially in
high-water situations. Terrestrials and Tricos are
your best bet when the water drops and clears late
in the summer. Light, long leaders will help during
the summer months when the water is thin.
The entire stream is managed according to Heritage
Trout Angling regulations. Since Slate Run is
classified as a wild trout fishery, no fish are stocked
throughout the 7 miles of stream. This has proved
to be the best way to keep a wild fishery going,
because the intermingling of stocked trout with wild
trout hurts the gene pool of the river. And, if the
water temperatures are cool enough all year to support
trout, it isn't necessary to stock them when they
are naturally reproducing. Slate Run is "living proof" of
this point, and is a great place to fish for wild
browns and brookies. |
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