Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2014 - 24

Biologists Pick

Favorite Northeast
Fall Trout Waters
by Vic Attardo

photos by the author

If you want to know the skinny on a trout stream, don't only ask
the person who fishes it. Also ask the person whose job it is to
know everything there is about the stream.
When planning a story about the best northeast wild trout
waters, I thought that instead of relying on my observations
I'd ask the experts. In this case, the experts are the biologists
of the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission (PFBC). They
shared their favorite wild trout waters and explained what
makes them great.
The information I received back was awesometacular.
Area 4 Fisheries Biologist Robert Wnuk didn't hesitate in
picking the Scranton-area Lackawanna River as his favorite
northeast wild trout stream.
"The Lackawanna River is a recovering river," he wrote. "In
the early 1900s it was essentially dead from mine acid and other
pollution, but it's making a remarkable comeback."
"Surveys during the 1970s found few fish, but now the
river is loaded with wild Brown Trout. This happened,
because mine acid problems abated with time. Additionally,
discharges from sewage treatment plants help to counteract
mine acidity while the mine discharges help to keep the river
cool enough for trout."
"Now, trout often stack up at the mine discharges during
warm summers. The last mine discharge enters the river near
the border between Dickson City and Throop. From there on
down to Old Forge, all of the mine water has been diverted to
an underground pool to prevent flooding. This pool discharges
from the Old Forge Borehole. As a result, the river begins
to warm and, downstream from Green Ridge Street, does
not support as many wild trout as it does in the upper areas.
Nevertheless, wild Brown Trout can be found all the way down
to the confluence with the North Branch Susquehanna River."

Pennsylvania Angler & Boater * September/October 2014

"The lower reaches of the river can provide good yearround trout fishing between Spring Brook and the Old Forge
Borehole. Spring Brook cools the river during the summer. The
lower reaches can also provide good trout fishing during the
cooler months of the year."
What's special about the flow?
"We suspect there is a migratory component to the wild
Brown Trout population in the Lackawanna River. They
may take advantage of larger forage fish populations in the
lower reaches of the Lackawanna River and even in the
Susquehanna River when water temperatures are suitable.
When temperatures warm, they move to the cooler, upper
reaches near the mine outflows."
"We have documented wild Brook Trout and Rainbow
Trout in the Lackawanna River, but populations of these
species are very low."
Besides knowing the stream biology, Wnuk also knows
how to fish it.
"In the fall, I don't worry much about hatches," said Wnuk.
"I've found that simple attractor patterns will get lots of fish to
rise from the riffles and runs on a nice fall day."
"If going after the 20-inch plus trout, try dragging streamers
or Rapalas through deep water. This can be challenging but
also very rewarding," said Wnuk.
"Access is generally good. The river runs through towns
with lots of parking. Most of the river has rails to trails and/or
flood control dikes that anglers can use to get to the water. In
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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2014

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