Native Trout Barriers, Pike County, PA - Wooly Bugged

[@THEMONVALLEYFISHERMAN]

One of the main reasons why I’ve started trout fishing was because of these kind of videos! Keep it up man!

[@WoolyBugged]

Thanks for this comment!

[@jimreed3904]

Man..beautiful setting and beautiful fish..I could watch these videos all day long...thanks for taking us along!

[@WoolyBugged]

Thank you Jim, appreciate you watching

[@polarizedoutdoors]

What a gem of a stream with some amazing fish. It's so different from where I fish, which are streams with mostly gravel bottoms. I was amazed at the hike up the waterfall. Truly amazing. Thanks for sharing and hope your 4th is a good one.

[@WoolyBugged]

Thank you Polarized. Completely serious when I say this, that place is a treasure. Special place.

[@polarizedoutdoors]

@@WoolyBugged I was in awe of that steam from the amazing waterfalls to the size and quality of the fish. I'm always jealous of the openness of the area surrounding most of the streams you fish. Where I am, it's a tangle of underbrush and biting insects, but it's still overly enjoyable every time I venture out

[@edboutdoors3632]

Mike what a amazing video! Apsalotally loved it ya gotta start posting some more videos!

[@hunt555fish]

Mike you are living the dream.Wish I was still a young man and could travel those wild trout streams.Fly fishing is a great sport and was great fun for many years.

[@WoolyBugged]

Thanks for commenting Ron, glad you have the memories 😄

[@hunt555fish]

Thanks for all you do for the great sport of fly fishing Mike.I really enjoy your wild trout adventures in our great state of Pennsylvania.Thanks for taking us along.

[@WoolyBugged]

@@hunt555fish thanks Ron, appreciate the comment and you watching.

[@rahnt.5400]

Best small stream video I’ve seen in awhile! I appreciate the way you handled those fish. Great job WB!

[@WoolyBugged]

Thank you Rahn, I appreciate you watching

[@jbeam800]

Another great video! Thank you for sharing. I am just getting into exploring wilderness streams; it sure is a special experience to find these special native Brookies. This one looks magical 🎣

[@WoolyBugged]

Definitely a special place Jeff!

[@Rich-fg9vj]

Adding to you wetting your hands and piching the barbs, I appreciate the care you take in your hook sets to not launch the fish out of the water and beat them over the rocks! Don't beat yourself up for your occasional missed fish! Great job as always Mike!

[@WoolyBugged]

It drives me nuts when I miss fish, haha.

[@dbassman27]

Thanks Mike for another very worthwhile video,

[@WoolyBugged]

Thank you for watching.

[@dalesheehan9404]

Hey Mike. Awesome video such beautiful fish. The quality of your videos is second to none.

[@WoolyBugged]

Thanks Dale, have always appreciated you watching!

[@burtonbrocious171]

Luv your videos Mike tks for sharing

[@WoolyBugged]

Thanks Burton!

[@williecosner9949]

I once caught a 15-inch wild rainbow in that big waterfall hole. A beautiful stream that I hope to get back to someday soon.

[@WoolyBugged]

No kidding, I wouldn’t have thought a wild rainbow would be in there. Cool!

[@lukascouturier2629]

What’s the name of stream if you don’t mind me asking, I live in pike county and haven’t had much luck finding wild trout

[@yooooyooooo8903]

Willie where is this stream my friend?

[@jonathanfuddy1725]

Wow Mike! Amazing scenery! And a good day of fishing!! Beautiful video!!

[@WoolyBugged]

Thanks Jon, been out to the river at all?

[@jonathanfuddy1725]

@@WoolyBugged not yet! The Donegal was still under 67 degrees last time there. Then I'll move on to the river, swatty or Sherman's

[@Pwrcritter]

Impressed, you climbed that waterfall no problem..

[@WoolyBugged]

I worked out all spring to make that climb!

[@JP-dz7zu]

Great stream and thank you for your stewardship of our precious natural resource.

[@WoolyBugged]

Thanks JP, deserves the utmost respect.

[@bonniek3985]

Awesome video! Great editorial.

[@theineptflyfisherman]

beautiful stream and beautiful fish. i'm glad you mentioned the conservation, we should all be conservationists. i get the voluntary wild trout permit every year and encourage other pa anglers to do the same.

[@WoolyBugged]

I couldn't agree more.

[@trinity6402]

Boy do I miss fishing up there. Lived in NJ for 17+yrs. Back down south now. PA and NJ, some of the best trout fishing I've ever experienced in my 48 yrs! The brookies and browns have some of the most vibrant colors during the spawn. Great stuff Mike!

[@WoolyBugged]

Thanks Trinity, I hope you get a chance to come back and fish every now and then.

[@mooney411]

Once again, a great video! There are some beautiful locations up in Pike county! Im lucky to have a little place up there and I treasure every minute I can spend there!!

[@WoolyBugged]

Man, what a great place to have to get away to!

[@fatboystudio25]

Awesome video. We are blessed with beautiful water in the state of PA.

[@WoolyBugged]

We really are fortunate with the water we have in PA.

[@duke2043]

Great looking water with some really healthy fish!Nice video!

[@WoolyBugged]

Thanks Steve!

[@hillbillysportsman5818]

Another awesome video Wooly!

[@WoolyBugged]

Thanks Hillbilly! Always appreciate you!

[@ianjones6910]

Love these videos brother....very impressive sizes, for both species. I just got back from the Smokies, and I fished a new area, targeting brookies (which I got), but I also found the most aggressive brown trout I've ever seen. It didn't matter the time of day, or whether I was fishing dries or nymphs. I got a 15 incher, which is easily the biggest trout I've caught on the fly. A couple of things: 1. Those sorts of stone walls are ubiquitous in the Smokies - usually the remains of hog pens, before GSMNP. 2. When I saw "Pike County", my brain immediately thought of Pike County Mississippi, just up the road...no trout there - lol.

[@WoolyBugged]

That’s an interesting point about the walls. The Smokies sounds like a fun trip!

[@ianjones6910]

@@WoolyBugged The other thing you see a lot are small cemeteries, little family plots. I own an acre of land in Cosby, TN, less than a mile from the park boundary of GSMNP - there's one right next to my property. When you see all these stone walls out in the woods, and you realize that they came from plowing, you can get an idea of how hard a life it was.

[@jimzaino1211]

Ya what a nice area. I have a place in PIKE COUNTY. My sons and I do alot of fishing in those gems of streams. Thanks for day with ya . Tightlines always buddy. Thanks again.

[@WoolyBugged]

Great place to have a place Jim! Thanks for watching.

[@MikeSmith-up2px]

I love your videos. Thank you so much for sharing. Happy Independent's day.

[@WoolyBugged]

Thanks Mike, I appreciate you being a faithful subscriber!

[@gtoutdoorexcursions2938]

Always a treat to see a new small stream vid from ya, much appreciated! Im in the southwest so most of my fly fishing these days is done in new mexico, arizona and colorado, but my family is from PA and I grew up and caught my first trout in those PA streams so I love seeing those Brookies!

[@WoolyBugged]

That’s cool man, definitely like another planet out there in the west but beautiful in its own way.

[@gtoutdoorexcursions2938]

@@WoolyBugged It definitely is, but oh those native cutthroat will lure you right in, lol!

[@WoolyBugged]

@@gtoutdoorexcursions2938 awe man I believe it!

[@quietcast]

what a productive stream. beautiful. Can't believe it's that close to so many major metropolitan areas.

[@jeffrey9055]

Great video, I always enjoy them. Those were some nice size trout, especially those natives!

[@WoolyBugged]

Thanks Jeff, some older age class brookies in there!

[@scottnock5241]

Great job Mike beautiful stream!!

[@northeasternfly]

Outstanding job Mike!!

[@WoolyBugged]

Thanks Dante, sorry I shook it up 😬

[@ericpagan3165]

This is one of my local streams! Thanks for not spot burning it! Really appreciate that man!

[@WoolyBugged]

For sure, that’s a special place.

[@TomSwovick]

Eric, new to the area - moved into Hemlock Farms a few months back. Planning to retire next spring and learn some of this class A waters not far from here.

[@wvlongshooter3912]

Awesome fishing and catches!! I’m hiking to a creek tomorrow here in Wv that has brook and bows. It’s about a three mile hike, no way to drive to it, and it’s one of the very few streams in southern Wv that have wild brook trout. Great videoing and fishing, thanks!!

[@WoolyBugged]

That sounds awesome, I have to get down to WV again soon.

[@tomlagatol4448]

Great water…Great terrain, and the fish are good lookin.😁

[@WoolyBugged]

Awesome terrain there!

[@levimadison8087]

I really appreciate your videos! I'm new to the sport and want to explore some of these small streams and i appreciate the attention you put into showing what you're using and your methods. Also you set up the camera so that we can see the strike clearly. Thanks for the hard work!

[@WoolyBugged]

Thanks for the nice comment Levi, I wish you the best as you begin exploring.

[@alexlewis8744]

Great video as always Mike. Love the conservation message. Important for us all to remember. 👍

[@WoolyBugged]

Thanks Alex, appreciate you noticing as that was very intentional.

[@scottrick5190]

Excellent content Mike, keep em coming!

[@WoolyBugged]

Thanks for watching Scott!

[@uni_shadow164]

Sweet Video! Beautiful Stream!

[@gldead3741]

That was another amazing video! I have been looking for that place all year! I have been on several different pieces of public land in PA. Looking for that stream since last year. There are so many wild Brookie streams that I have yet to fish !

[@WoolyBugged]

There are many out there!

[@just_jon7748]

Another great video. I was out in Perry Co this morning and purple was the color of the day for me as well.

[@WoolyBugged]

Oh ya! Perry County, my old stomping grounds!

[@toddrobinson8852]

Great video Mike! Have a happy and safe Independence Day!

[@WoolyBugged]

Happy 4th to you Todd!

[@DAVIDDAMIENR]

Thank You for Sharing

[@jamesk7076]

Love this stream, sort of a hidden gem in the area. Fished it for the first time a few years ago and was very surprised with how well the stream fishes and the size of fish it produces. Yet another instance of where we have crossed paths after I was first surprised to see that you were in the crozet virginia area(where i live) and now at some random stream in pike county(a frequent vacation spot). keep it up

[@WoolyBugged]

Thanks James, we may just cross paths on a stream at some point.

[@lukascouturier2629]

name if the stream?

[@xwave727]

I love your videos - just gorgeous - and inspirational. I'm about to retire and really really really looking forward to getting back to the brookies!

[@WoolyBugged]

I appreciate the comment and I hope you enjoy your retirement on many cold water streams!

[@blueridgeflyguy9551]

Great video!!!

[@WoolyBugged]

Thanks Blue Ridge!

[@bahamajim1998]

You killed em mike !! Great video 🍻

[@WoolyBugged]

Thank you Jim!

[@mattyancheff3037]

Good video Mike. Haven’t fished that one yet, but it’s been on my list. Recognize a few of the primo pools from my own research on it. It probably bumped up a spot or two for me after seeing it fish so well for you. I’ve noticed the same thing with small stream Browns…once the sun hits the opening in the canopy above the stream, they find their favorite rock and get under it. It’s like they’re not even there. The Brookies will keep hitting and you’ll swear there’s no Browns there at all. Though I do think it’s all Brookies above those falls. My research indicated the same. I also noted that the Browns seemed to be holding in pretty strong current, or just off it, and the Brookies were more in the Eddy of the pool. Also typical behavior for the species I’ve found.

[@WoolyBugged]

Matt, you are right on with your assessment. Low light, cloud cover, a little water bump from rain, those fish are happy. Those days don’t come around all the time! Hey I got your email too and seeing your comment reminded me I hadn’t responded. We need to get out and fish in the not too distant future.

[@mattyancheff3037]

No worries, sounds good. Got a few others on my radar in that general area too.

[@OldDominionTroutBum]

Beautiful stream. Beautiful fish, Mike.

[@WoolyBugged]

Thanks Cory!

[@joeruffa2214]

Very good video! I shared it with Pa. Native Brookie Chasers.

[@WoolyBugged]

Thanks Joe, I appreciate that. Is that a Facebook Group?

[@joeruffa2214]

@@WoolyBugged Yes it is Mike and I think they are going to find your videos very informative!

[@NickAndCaroline]

Um, WOW. And great message as always. When I say I want to do better at fish handling etc, it’s with your practices top of mind. 👍 I’ll do better!

[@WoolyBugged]

It’s a learning process Nick!

[@ChaoticCobras]

Where’d you go man? I used to watch your videos religiously

[@qd-b6130]

Awesome vid mike. Fish exactly where you’d think they’d be. 🤙🏼

[@RETCAP10]

Excellent video and nice placement of your flies to some super-trouty spots. What set-up are you using? My home waters are the SNP, where catching Browns means not returning them to the water.

[@WoolyBugged]

I was using an 8’-4wt G-Loomis with a Hatch 3 Plus reel. I like that look is when I need a shorter rod but something with enough backbone at that length to throw big dry dropper rigs.

[@danyoung8707]

I love Pike County PA it's God's country

[@WoolyBugged]

I didn’t give it the credit it deserved until I saw it. Amazing place!

[@isaacshowalter3495]

A lot of walls on gamelands like that are old property markers

[@timschmeier8650]

Haven't fished Pike county? Guess you haven't done the Lackawaxen yet. It's fantastic.

[@WoolyBugged]

I actually did a video with the guys from Lackawaxen outfitters a couple years back. Great river for stocked trout!

[@fillmorecorpus9102]

First I'm now rewatching allot of your videos, thank you. I have a question though. I'm a bit older now at 70, and a bit more cautious. What are your thoughts on encountering bears. Again, when I was much younger I never thought about it much. Please let me know your thoughts. I should add I'm in pretty good shape so I can hike quite well for my age, so that is not any problem. Thank you I do hope you reply and share your thoughts.

[@stephentracey7409]

Another great video, thanks!!! What’s up with the balaclava - bugs?

[@WoolyBugged]

Yes, this particular area and stream was very buggy. That balaclava is made with Insect Shield, as was my shirt.

[@stephentracey7409]

@@WoolyBugged Lucky guess! I haven’t had any ticks yet in 2 years of this (knock wood 😂) but sometimes a cloud of little gnats drive you to distraction! I swear it’s a squad that follows me for hours up the stream. I enjoy swatting them into the water to feed our friends. Again, thanks for another great video. Those northwest PA streams fish much better than the the ones I frequent in the southwest…

[@garykolanda5208]

Tremendous video Mike. Couple of questions. Do you think the wild browns are descendants of Delaware R spawners? Who is the mfr of those wet wading pants? They look super comfy? Do they breathe well during those hikes in and out of the water?

[@WoolyBugged]

I guess they could be descendants of Delaware fish, definitely possible. So those pants are made by a brand named World Wide Sportsman. I really like those pants, they haven't retained stains and they dry quickly and breath well. Note they are not waterproof.

[@chadmoriarity3900]

awesome!!!!!

[@WoolyBugged]

Thanks Chad

[@Ryevin]

Thanks for the video, I live just south of Scranton now, and use to live in Pike county for a few years, any hints to what town this was near? I’m willing to share a few decent ones

[@steveallen5992]

cool vids,,, what net is that? I need one. Thanks!

[@trouttrailfishin]

Looks like Mike stopped filming? Nothing in a year.

[@TalklikeAPirate]

Where in Pike? I live in Wayne ..lots of nice spots.

[@angelocerra474]

Where in Pike county were you fishing ??? Looks like shalola falls ???

[@stanfordwarr4735]

Time to dust it off and get back in the game…your “work” is missed…

[@michaelcapurso]

Nice location, and Trout. What was your rod/reel setup? Wet wading or wading pants?

[@WoolyBugged]

I was using my G-Loomis 8’-4wt with a Hatch 3 Plus reel. Just wet/dry performance pants.

[@WoolyBugged]

I did have wader booties on.

[@jeffrey9055]

That's what I asked him a couple vids ago. lol

[@lukascouturier2629]

Awesome video, fish are beautiful, what’s the name of the creek?