WFS 475 – Fly Fishing Pennsylvania with Ralph Scherder – PA Route 6, Dark Skies Fly Fishing, Brook Trout

Show Notes: wetflyswing.com/475 

Presented by: Yellowstone Teton, Angler’s Coffee

Sponsors: wetflyswing.com/sponsors   

Ralph Scherder is here to take us fishing Pennsylvania and break down traveling and fishing in the north part of PA. We’ll learn more about Route 6 and why you might be interested in taking a tour up there. We learn about Dark Skies Fly Fishing as well as a breakdown of some of the most well-known trout streams along this path.

Fishing Pennsylvania Show Notes with Ralph Scherder

2:57 – Ralph began fly fishing when he was about 14 years old. From an early age, he knew he wanted to be a writer, so for the past six or seven years, he has been selling articles to fly fishing magazines such as American Fly Fishing.

He blogs about fly fishing via his website, darkskiesflyfishing.com. His website also has an online store where he sells books, flies, and other stuff.

4:12 – He grew up in Butler County. He spent so much time camping and fishing in Prouty, Pennsylvania, until he and his wife eventually decided to move to Coudersport, PA.

7:01 – He talks about the fishing opportunities in PA. They have a robust population of native brook trout. They also have wild brown and rainbow trout. He considers the First Fork of Sinnemahoning Creek his home water. It’s the stream that he grew up on.

11:10 – His fishing technique in the Sinnemahoning Creek is constantly changing. He uses whatever works that day.

12:00 – His place is somewhat isolated, therefore there aren’t many fly shops there. Although he doesn’t have a physical store, he is the main fly seller in the area.

13:43 – We dig into PA Route 6. It’s a transcontinental highway that begins on the east coast near Boston and goes west to the California Coast. He names several of the well-known rivers and streams that may be found along Route 6, including Bowman Creek, Lackawaxen, and Lackawanna.

22:00 – The PA Route 6 Alliance preserves, enhances, and promotes the transportation heritage of the said transcontinental highway.

23:38 – We dig into his website, darkskiesflyfishing.com. One of his favorite pieces that he did just recently is entitled “Fishing and Life: An Afternoon on Kettle Creek”. He talks more about Kettle Creek, which is just south of Route 6.

29:05 – We talk about the changes we see in our waters, the bugs, and the species.

32:38 – He tries to write one blog weekly with diverse content.

34:43 – He talks about the day he met fly fishing legend Joe Humphreys and spent a few days with him. He profiled him in an essay for American Fly Fishing. His life story was the subject of a documentary called “Live the Stream” that was released a few years ago.

37:54 – We had Joe Humphreys on the podcast in episode 073.

39:45 – I ask him about another one of his pieces about the Oil Creek Region, which he says is probably Northwestern Pennsylvania’s best trout stream. It became the first fully functioning oil well in the world.

41:14 – He suggests his blog as a resource for individuals organizing a fishing vacation to Pennsylvania. It has a lot of details about the streams in the different areas. He suggests PA Route 6 and the Visitors Bureau for basic travel information.

45:34 – The spring creeks in Pennsylvania are the major hubs for fly fishing. However, he says that the streams can get pretty crowded year-round. He notes that there are also good fishing opportunities outside those areas.

47:21 – I ask him about the top places I pulled up when I searched for fly fishing in Pennsylvania. Among these waters are the Youghiogheny, Susquehanna, and Little Juniata.

48:40 – There’s a high demand for developing campgrounds in Pennsylvania. He shares that just a few months ago, an article was released saying that Potter and Tioga counties were named the best outdoor destinations in Pennsylvania.

Show Notes: wetflyswing.com/475