Lackawanna River Fishing Report & Options for Selecting Flies: Email us at (sales@perfectflystore.com) with the dates you will be fishing and we will send you a list of our fly recommendations. We can get flies and gear to you within two to three business days from the time you place your order via Priority Mail. If you provide a budget for flies, we will select them to match the budget and get them to you on time for your trip. Your can also call us at 800-594-4726 and we will help you decide what flies and gear to use. All orders are shipped free in the U.S. If under a $100 order requiring Priority mail is a charge of only $8.10. Orders over a $100 are shipped free via Priority Mail.
We also have custom Perfect Fly selections in 3 different price ranges for this stream that come with or without fly boxes. They make excellent gifts. Click Here To Order or Call us at 800 594 4726 or email us at sales@perfectflystore.com.
Type of Stream
Tailwater (top discharge)
Species
Brown Trout (Wild and stocked with
holdovers)
Rainbows (Stocked)
Size
Medium
Location
South Central Pennsylvania
Nearest Town
Carbondale
Scranton
Season
Middle of April through February
Access:
Good
Special Regulations
Trophy Section
Non-Resident License
State of Pennsylvania
Weather
National Weather Service Link
Seasons:
The season is the general Pennsylvania trout season.
Spring:
Springtime is the best time for fly fishing the
Lockawanna River.
Summer:
Summertime is okay in areas just below the coal mine
drainage areas.
Fall:
Fall is also a good time to fish the river and a good
time to catch the larger brown trout
Winter:
Wintertime can be tough and the water can become
frozen in places.
Recommended Tackle & Gear
Fly Line:
4, 5 or 6 weight
Leaders:
Dry fly: 9 to 12 ft., 5 or 6X Nymphing:
71/2 ft., 3 or 4X, Streamers 0-2X
Tippets:
Dry fly: 5 or 6X, Nymphing: 3 or 4X,
Streamer 0-2X
Best Fly Rods:
Perfect Fly Supreme Four, Superb Five
or Ultimate Six
Fly Reels:
For 4/5/6 fly line
Fly Floatants and Misc Items:
Floatants, KISS Strike Indicators
Tools & Accessories:
Nippers, forceps, retractors, etc
Copyright 2013 James Marsh
Fly Fishing Lackawanna River Pennsylvania
The Lackawanna River starts from a top water discharge from Stillwater Lake in Northeastern Pennsylvania. The upper part of the river can become a little too warm during the summer but farther downstream, the river is cooled from drainage from old coal mines. The river has undergone improvements during the last few years and has become a good trout stream with lots of wild brown trout as well as some good holdover trout.
Highway #171 follows along the stream from the dam to Forest City. This section consist of riffles and pools. From Forest City downstream the highway departs the river until it gets to Simpson. At Simpson the first coal mile drainage comes into the river and helps cool the water during the warmer months of the year. Fly fishing the Lackawanna River in this section can be very good. This section has some faster water areas of riffles and runs.
At Carbondale the river runs through a concrete walled area. Although there’s trout in this area, it is surrounded by buildings. Most angler prefer to fish farther downstream.
There’s a special regulations area that starts at Archbold. This may be the best area of the river for fly fishing opportunities. Just beware of water that is too warm during the hottest days of summer. The trophy section is just over five miles long. It starts at the Gilmartin Street Bridge and extends downstream to the Lackawanna Avenue Bridge located in Olyphant. There’s a short section just over a half mile within this area that’s not included. It extends from the Depot Street Bridge in Jessup downstream to a foot bridge located in Robert Mellow Park. The river in the trophy section consist of large pools separated by long runs and riffles.