by jim hyland · 2016-08-19 · historical accounts of the area describe huge pines and hemlocks,...
TRANSCRIPT
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater • May-June 2007 www.fi sh.state.pa.us 14
Pine Creek is one of Pennsylvania’s most scenic and historic water trails.
When not able to navigate the swift waters by canoe, native peoples walked an ancient footpath along the shore. Described as a “howling wilderness” by early pioneers, the Pine Creek Gorge and lower valley still offer an amazing natural experience to paddlers.
While navigating Pine Creek, one can’t help but imagine what it must have been like some 200 years ago, given how spectacular it remains to-
day. Historical accounts of the area describe huge pines and hemlocks, maybe 8 or 10 feet in diameter, and massive American chestnuts. The commercial value of those trees would bring signifi cant and some-times devestating change to Pine Creek’s shores.
Water-powered sawmills began to appear as early as the 1790s, and scores more steam-powered mills came and went with the various fl oods of the 1800s. Massive logs were muscled into the creek and individually fl oated to distant markets, while others were lashed into huge rafts that even had their own living quarters!
Wildlife abounded, too. Herds of elk grazed on the shores, and pan-thers prowled among the high rock outcrops. The pools were full of na-tive brook trout, and American shad seasonally migrated from the Atlantic. Like the shad, each year hundreds of people return to the creek to capture the profound experience of fl ow-ing with cold, clean mountain water downstream to the ocean.
Planning your tripAlthough Pine Creek can be pad-
dled safely from Galeton, the Pine Creek Water Trail begins at the Big Meadows Access Area near Anso-nia, Tioga County. Located closer to where Pine Creek plunges south into the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania, and having adequate public parking, it’s an appropriate place to begin.
Most paddlers start their journey at Ansonia, navigate the canyon, and then take out 17 spectacular miles
later in Blackwell. This section takes about six hours to complete, but it can be done much faster or slower depending on the water level, boat types, paddling speed, stopping to fi sh, etc. There are state forest and private camping facilities in the area where paddlers can spend the night along the creek and then paddle on to points downstream for one, two, three or more days, depending on the distance you want to travel and the amount of exploring, fi shing or sight-seeing you’d like to do. Contact the Tioga or Tiadaghton State forests for camping information.
In the past few years, “recreational” kayaks have become popular among river trippers. Still, plenty of tradi-tionalists prefer an open canoe (or raft) for journeying with spouses, gear, etc. Sturdy paddles are a must (plus a spare), and secured waterproof gear bags prevent soaked or lost cloth-ing and equipment. Coast Guard-ap-proved life vests are mandatory for all occupants, and wetsuits should be worn in springtime and fall when the water is cold.
If there is anything negative to be said about the experience of fl oating Pine Creek, surely it’s the slight hassle of shuttling vehicles. Several boat and equipment rental businesses operate in the region that offer shuttle ser-vices for those renting equipment or without the means of planting a shut-tle vehicle downstream. A fun option is to put a bicycle in your canoe and then ride it back upstream on the ad-jacent Pine Creek Rail Trail to reach your automobile.
Pennsylvania Offi cial Water Trails
The Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission is the sole agency that designates offi cial Pennsyl-vania water trails. However, in-dividual trails and trail corridors are created and maintained by a network of volunteers, property owners, civic groups and associa-tions. If you or your organization would like to create a water trail, or if you’d like to nominate an existing water trail for recogni-tion as an offi cial Pennsylvania water trail, contact the Commis-sion by calling 717-705-7800 or on the web at http://sites.state.pa.us/PA_Exec/Fish_Boat/in-form.htm. Visit the water trail pages on the Commission’s web site, www.fi sh.state.pa.us.
by Jim Hyland
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater • May-June 2007 www.fi sh.state.pa.us 14
(article continued on page 17)
www.fi sh.state.pa.us Pennsylvania Angler & Boater • May-June 2007 15 www.fi sh.state.pa.us Pennsylvania Angler & Boater • May-June 2007 15
DISTRICTOFFICE
TIOGA
PUMP
TOWERSTATION
T ioga S tateF orest
ALGERINE SWAMPNAT. AREA
NATURAL AREA
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REYNOLDS
PIN
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COLTON POINTSTATE PARK
S.G.L. 313
LEONARD HARRISONSTATE PARK
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S.G.L. 268
S.G.L. 208
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Access AreaRattlesnake Rock Hoffman
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Tiadaghton
OF PA
GRAND
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GRAND CANYONSTATE AIRPORT
Big MeadowsAccess Area
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Owassee Rapids-Use Caution
AT T HIS S C ALE , T HE B OUNDAR Y DE T AILS AR E LIMIT E DAND S OME S MALL P AR C E LS WIT HIN S T AT E AG E NC YLANDS AR E NOT S HOWN ON T HIS MAP
T HE R E AR E MANY AR E AS OF P R IV AT E LAND WIT HIN T HEB OUNDAR IE S OF P UB LIC OWNE D AR E AS . P LE AS ER E S P E C T T HE R IG HT S OF P R IV AT E P R OP E R T Y OWNE R S .
LEGENDSTATE FOREST LANDSSTATE PARK LANDS
STATE GAME LANDSNATURAL And WILD AREA
COUNTY LINESTATE OR FEDERAL HIGHWAYHARD SURFACE ROADIMPROVED DIRT ROADDRIVABLE TRAILTRAILSPECIAL TRAILSTREAMLAKE AND DAM
POWERLINE R / W
TOWN OR VILLAGE
STATE FOREST VISTA
PIPELINE R / W
SPECIAL REGULATIONSTROUT WATERS
STATE PARK OFFICE
SMALL FISHING BOATS/ CANOES
1 0 1 2 miles
RESTROOMS
STATE FOREST OFFICE or HEADQUARTERS
GATE7.5 MINUTE TOPOGRAPHIC
S T AT E F OR E S T P IC NIC AR E A
STATE FOREST CAMPING
PARKING
FOOD
INFORMATION BOARD
CONTOURS ARE ON 100 FT. INTERVALS
GAS
MAP INTERSECTION
WATER
Public Phone
DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES
PINE CREEK
NOR T HE R N S E C T ION
N
WATER TRAIL
Ross
Run
2.2m
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2.5m
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2.0 miles
8.5 miles
8.5m
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41°30'00"
41°30'00"
41°37'30"
41°45'00"
77°22'30"77°30'00"
77°22'30"77°30'00"77°37'30"
77°37'30"
41°37'30"
41°45'00"
photos and maps-courtesy of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
www.fish.state.pa.us
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater • May-June 2007 www.fi sh.state.pa.us 16
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RAVENSBURGSTATE PARK
75STATE GAME LANDS
S.G.L.
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S.G.L. 75
LANDS255
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.L.
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AccessTorbert Canoe
Great
Island
Terminus
Pine CreekRail TrailSouthern
ShoreBoat LaunchJersey
Bonnell Flats
ATV TRAI L
Jersey Mills
Cammal
Ross RunAccess Area
Clark Farm/UtceterStation
Black Walnut Bottom
Torbert Bridge
Waterville
HamiltonBottomCanoe
Access Area
Hamilton
41°07'30"
41°07'30"
41°15'00"41°15'00"
41°22'30"
41°22'30"
77°15'00"77°22'30"77°30'00"
2.5 miles
7.4 miles
6.9m
iles
6.9m
iles
5.2 miles
Access Area Distance from Big Meadows
Blackwell 17.0 milesRattlesnake Rock 19.0Gamble Run 24.1Slate Run 28.3Black Walnut Bottom 30.5Clark Farm/Utceter 31.0Ross Run 33.0Hamilton Bottom 40.4Bonnel Flat 47.3Torbert 53.4Jersey Shore on the Susq. 58.6
77°15'00"77°22'30"77°30'00"
N
1 0 1 2 miles
AT T HIS S C ALE , T HE B OUNDAR Y DE T AILS AR E LIMIT E DAND S OME S MALL P AR C E LS WIT HIN S T AT E AG E NC YLANDS AR E NOT S HOWN ON T HIS MAP
T HE R E AR E MANY AR E AS OF P R IV AT E LAND WIT HIN T HEB OUNDAR IE S OF P UB LIC OWNE D AR E AS . P LE AS E
LEGENDSTATE FOREST LANDSSTATE PARK LANDS
STATE GAME LANDSNATURAL And WILD AREA
COUNTY LINESTATE OR FEDERAL HIGHWAYHARD SURFACE ROADIMPROVED DIRT ROADDRIVABLE TRAILTRAILSPECIAL TRAILSTREAMLAKE AND DAM
POWERLINE R / W
TOWN OR VILLAGE
STATE FOREST VISTA
PIPELINE R / W
SPECIAL REGULATIONSTROUT WATERS
STATE PARK OFFICE
SMALL FISHING BOATS/ CANOES
RESTROOMS
STATE FOREST OFFICE or HEADQUARTERS
GATE7.5 MINUTE TOPOGRAPHIC
S T AT E F OR E S T P IC NIC AR E A
STATE FOREST CAMPING
PARKING 100 FT. INTERVALS
FOOD
INFORMATION BOARD
GAS
MAP INTERSECTION
WATER
Public Phone
DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES
Pine Creek
S OUT HE R N S E C T ION
Water Trail
CONTOURS ARE ON
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater • May-June 2007 www.fi sh.state.pa.us 16
www.fi sh.state.pa.us Pennsylvania Angler & Boater • May-June 2007 17
FishingPine Creek supports a diverse fi sh-
ery that includes excellent trout fi sh-ing in the upper stretches. The lower part of the creek (Waterville and downstream) affords an opportunity to target warmwater species. The Fish & Boat Commission manages Pine Creek as approved trout water along the water trail from Ansonia to Water-ville. In fact, the Commission stocks trout starting at the Genesee Fork of Pine Creek and ending at Waterville, an amazing 56.7 miles of stocked stream. Pine Creek has more miles stocked with trout than any other stream in Pennsylvania.
Pine Creek also has two Delayed-Harvest sections where special regula-tions apply. The fi rst section is from Ansonia (near Darling Run) to one mile downstream and ending near the confl uence with Owassee Slide Hollow. A second Delayed-Harvest stretch is in Lycoming County from the mouth of Slate Run to Naval Run, a reach of about 1.2 miles.
Pine Creek’s large size will chal-lenge an angler’s skills. Light- to medium-action spinning and bait-casting outfi ts are strongly suggest-ed. Fly-fi shing outfi ts of 5-weight or more and 8 feet or longer are safe bets when fi shing what the “locals” call “Big Pine.”
Although it holds large brown trout, Pine Creek provides more of a warm-water fi shery below Waterville to the mouth near Jersey Shore. However, feisty smallmouth bass and walleyes can be caught from the canyon to the mouth. Pine Creek of-fers some excel-lent smallmouth bass fi shing in the lower section. Other species in addition to trout and bass that are targeted less fre-quently by an-
able to contribute very little to the passions of paddlers. Heavy thun-derstorms or tropical systems oc-casionally swell the creek enough to offer a few days of good late-summer or fall paddling.
By checking the USGS water lev-el data for the gauge at Cedar Run (http//pa.waterdata.usgs.gov), boat-ers can view the creek’s current water level. Readings between 2.5 and 3.5 feet are considered good, and below 2 means that you may scrape the bot-tom in some of the riffl es. As you head south, the Pine takes water from Babb Creek, Cedar Run, Slate Run, Little Pine and many smaller streams, so scraping is less likely the farther downstream you venture. Read the water carefully.
glers are rock bass, suckers and carp, especially in the lower reaches.
Consult the current Pennsylvania Fishing Summary regarding Pine Creek. Use extreme caution when wading. Pine Creek is very swift, slick and un-expectedly deep in many places.
Note: Fishing information was com-piled by members of the Jersey Shore Area High School Boating and Fly Fishing Club.
Flow conditionsDepending on the type of craft you
are paddling (rafts are slow, kayaks are fast) as well as the strength and pace of the paddler, the mood of the creek, etc., people are able to move down-stream at between 2 and more than 5 miles per hour. To rush the trip is to waste it, because the scenery will beg you to sit back and go with the fl ow.
Save the lounging for lazier water, however, because a few sections in the gorge approach Class III, which means that novice boaters need to stop, assess the situation and portage, if necessary.
Pine Creek’s water levels usually begin to drop in June, but Mother Nature has the fi nal say. Normally by mid-August, the tens of millions of trees in the forests of northcentral Pennsylvania are in stiff competition for a late-summer drink. Raindrops falling from hit-or-miss thunder-storms have little chance of passing through the gauntlet of thirsty roots and puckered soil. Consequently, the watersheds of the Susquehanna are
www.fi sh.state.pa.us Pennsylvania Angler & Boater • May-June 2007 17
Emergencies In an emergency, dial 911. Cell
phone service is limited, or non-existent, in the Pine Creek Gorge.
Public telephones are located at Ansonia, Blackwell, Slate Run, Cammal, Waterville and Jersey Shore.
Contacts• Tiadaghton State Forest, 423 E. Central Avenue, South Williams-port, PA 17702; (570) 327-3450; www.dcnr.state.pa.us; [email protected].• Tioga State Forest, One Ness-muck Lane, Wellsboro, PA 16901; (570) 724-2868; www.dcnr.state.pa.us; [email protected].• Lycoming County Visitor’s Bu-reau, 210 William Street, William-sport, PA 17701; (570) 327-7700; 1-800-358-9900; www.vacation-pa.com; [email protected].• Tioga County Visitor’s Bureau, Historic Jail Annex, 114 Main Street, Wellsboro, PA 16901; 1-888-TIOGA28; (570) 724-0635; www.visittiogapa.com; [email protected].