Fishing in Bedford County, PA ...
Fishing is very popular in Bedford County, PA. Bass and Trout fishing are especially good here.
In addition to the info below, there's some fishing info on our Shawnee Lake Page. CLICK HERE for Shawnee Lake fishing info.
We'll be adding some information about Bass fishing in the future. For right now, here's good info about fly fishing for Trout in Bedford County.
Bedford county's cold water fisheries, both limestone and freestone, will provide the most discriminating fly fisherman (or woman!) with plenty of challenge and diversity. Good water quality, lack of fishing pressure, a spectacular setting, a location close to many metro areas and plenty of native, holdover and stocked trout are just a few of the many reasons to plan a trip soon.
Raystown Branch of the Juniata
This is a large freestone stream that is stocked from Bedford Borough all the way to its headwaters in Somerset County. These 20 plus miles of water are easily accessible from U.S. Route 30 and 31 west.
The lower stretches become too warm and low in the summer to hold trout in all but the deepest holes along route 31 west. The upper reaches, near New Baltimore, stay cooler but get low during long dry summers. Flies of choice include: Blue Quill, Quill Gordon, Light Cahill, Yello Drake and, in the upper reaches, the crayfish fly.
Bob's Creek
Streambred and stocked brown and brook trout call this lovely freestone stream home!
You'll want to also, when you have a chance to enjoy this productive mountain stream. The upper forested reaches of the stream lie within Blue Knob State Park and State Game Lands. The wilderness still has an isolated feeling. Lower stretches of the stream hold trout during the spring and early summer months only. This section can be accessed by Route 869 as it winds its way toward Blue Knob. Upper stretches of the creek can be reached by turning right (off Route 869) onto a gravel road just past the village of Pavia. Flies of choice include: Blue Winged Olive, Adams, Stone filies, Crane flies and Terretials.
Cove Creek
This is a small but fertile limestone stream flowing through a beautiful valley of well kept farms. It contains stocked, streambred and holdover trout, all of which make a good living from the heavy hatches in this classic meadow stream. While much of the stream is posted, some stretches are open and some landowners may give permission when approached.
Best access to Cove Creek, south of route 30 (near Everett), is to take S.R. 2023 (Ashcom) to S.R. 2017 at Ott Town. Stay on S.R. 2017 to Diehl and Koonsville which connect with Route 326 above Rainsburg. This route roughly parallels Rt. 326 which can be used to return to Rt. 30.
Early season hatches include: Blue Winged Olive, Sulpher, Light Cahill and Green Drake. Their nymphs and emergers work well when no trout are rising.
Wills and Little Wills Creek
Little Wills Creek is a small, heavily stocked and easily accessible stream paralleling Rt. 96 south of Rt. 30 and north of Hyndman. It joins it's namesake, Wills Creek in Hyndman. These freestone streams afford a variety of topography, especially Wills Creek, a large stream that is more difficut to wade because of large bolders and heavy currents. It can be accessed near Hyndman as it wanders its way toward Fairhope.
Hatches include: Blue Quills, Sulphers, Blue Winged Olives, Slate Drakes and Large Stone flies.
Yellow Creek
This is Bedford county's premier limestone stream with 10 miles of stocked water. The upper meadow section, above Loysburg, resembles a classic limestone stream flowing through pastures where erosion and siltation can sometimes be a problem. From Loysburg, downstream, Yellow Creek changes character as it loses elevation and flows through the Loysburg Gap where large boulders, deep pools and fast riffles produce large trout all season.
A delayed harvest fly-fishing-only area can be accessed by turning off Rt. 36 onto S.R. 1024 at the New Frontier Restaurant and driving several miles to the second bridge. The special regulations section begins upstream where Maple Run enters Yellow Creek and continues upstream for about a mile.
Lower sections of Yellow Creek hold trout in the spring and smallmouth bass in the summer. Early hatches (April-June) include: Blue Quinn, Quill Gordon, Sulpher Dun, Green Drake and Light Cahill. Later in the season, Trico, Slate Drake and Terrestials are productive.
To access Yellow Creek, take Rt. 26 north from Rt. 30 (Everett) and travel to Rt. 36 to the village of Loysburg.
Bedford County's warm water fisheries ... afford numerous opportunities to enjoy casting for largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and other panfish. The Juniata River, Shawnee Lake and the lower stretches of the area's trout streams can be very productive. Poppers, crayfish imitations, large dry flies and terrestials work well in season.