Don’t Forget To Bring A..... Rod!

Yes.  Don't forget to bring a towel rod!

Towelie, South Park

An avid angler should never be caught without their rod and a small tackle/fly box.  Of course having the proper equipment is crucial when on a trip specifically to fish.  But, it is the small day trips that can lead to a new fishing experience.   Think about it, the possibilities are endless when one remembers to pack the essentials and does a little extra homework on an area.  In a sense, every trip you take could end up being a fishing trip, and one that could land a memorable fish.  Even if you can just manage a quick half hour on a nearby body of water it is worth the effort.  

Pennsylvania is home to over 83,000 miles of stream.  Everyone and everything throughout the state is easily within a short drive to a fish-able body of water.   This can drive a fisherman crazy when driving across state or from county to county, especially when you find yourself with an hour or two of some down time.  Check out your state by stream mileage here.

Yesterday was a prime example of why I always take my trout rod and a couple basic lures with me.   After a quick errand in the morning Erin and I had the opportunity to travel to Northumberland County to spend a day at, what I consider, the best amusement park in America; Knoebels Grove.  I knew that we would be passing by many trout streams on our journey, so on the way back we decided to stop quick at Rauchtown Run near Ravensburg State Park.  Rauchtown Run is a newly converted wild trout stream, last being stocked in 2011.  We were not there for very long, maybe 45 minutes at most, but it was not long before I had a hook up with a nice brown.

Without a little extra time looking up streams throughout our route, and the 5 minutes it took to throw together a quick tackle box, this never would have happened.  It wasn’t the biggest fish but it sure was fun to fish a new body of water!  And who knows, maybe next time my quick little stop on a long trip will land me the fish of a lifetime! FISH ON! 

Thank you to my photographer, Erin.