Fly Fishing in Elk Country
The town of Benezette may be known as the heart of Pennsylvania elk country, but it’s also a great staging point for some of the area’s best trout fishing. Here you’ll find a variety of streams offering abundant opportunities for both stocked and native fish.
The cornerstone waterway is Bennett’s Branch of Sinnemahoning Creek, which is a significant conservation story in recent years. Bennett’s Branch begins just east of Dubois in Clearfield County and flows in a northerly direction for roughly 44 miles before joining Driftwood Branch to form Sinnemahoning Creek in Cameron County. For almost a century, the lower 33 miles of this stream were polluted, but in 2012, the opening of an acid mine treatment plant near Hollywood, PA, began the restoration process. By 2014, a large section of once-dead water was deemed clean enough to receive stocked trout.
The potential of Bennett’s Branch doesn’t end with stocked trout, though. The treated water flowing from the deep mines is a cool 52 degrees F, perfect for the establishment of a wild trout fishery and year-round fishing destination. The upper reaches of Bennett’s Branch already contain native Brook Trout and holdover and wild Brown Trout, many of which find their way into the stream’s tributaries come fall, so there’s no reason to believe that fish won’t also hold over in the restored section.
Not long after the loggers broke for new territory, unregulated coal mining practices escalated, peaking during World War II. Many of those old mines were not sealed properly, or at all, and acid mine drainage (AMD) rendered thousands of miles of streams in this area and throughout the state uninhabitable for trout and other aquatic life. Fortunately, nature is resilient and the Bennett’s Branch Watershed is slowly getting back on its feet, albeit only after billions of dollars have been spent on water treatment facilities.
Of course, we’re still not out of the woods with many of these cleanup projects, and if we need a reminder of our dirty past, look no further than Dents Run, a tributary to Bennett’s Branch downstream of Benezette. At least one 2019 in-season trout stocking of this sweet little stream was canceled due to a malfunction at an AMD treatment facility that temporarily made the water unsuitable to stock.
There are numerous other tributaries to explore in the area, though. All along Route 555, from the town of Weedville to Driftwood, almost every tributary to Bennett’s Branch holds populations of wild and native trout. Additionally, Medix Run, Hicks Run, West Branch Hicks Run, and Mix Run receive both preseason and in-season stockings. Of these streams, Medix Run and Hicks Run are perhaps the most viable, all season fisheries. Although they’re still considered small streams, each one possesses lots of deeper holes and structure that allows fish to survive and thrive. Each stream contains good populations of native Brook Trout, too.
The best way to fish these small streams is to cover lots of ground. Around every bend, it seems, is a deep pool or other holding water with a few trout in it, and perhaps the best part of fishing this area is that the majority of it is publicly owned, either state game land or state forest land. In many cases, a short hike can put anglers into a true wilderness Brook Trout fishing experience.
When adventuring here, keep in mind that this is also snake country. Eastern Timber Rattlesnakes are plentiful, and it’s always possible to encounter one streamside. Always be aware of your surroundings, especially when navigating through brushy and rocky terrain. Stay in the open as much as possible and wear knee-high rubber boots at all times.
The benefit of spring and fall fishing is that most nights get cool enough that the snakes stay in the high country. Of course, anything’s possible, and for every rule there is an exception. No matter the time of year, it’s wise to remember that old Ben Franklin quote, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” when fishing where rattlesnakes live.
When many people think of Benezette, elk are the first thing that come to mind, and for good reason. Elk are a unique and photogenic animal that people come from all around to view and observe. But for those who want to experience elk country in a more intimate and personal way, Bennett’s Branch and its tributaries provide the perfect opportunity to do so. This emerging fishery is already darn good, and it’s getting better every year.
Where to View Elk in Pennsylvania
The town of Benezette in Elk County represents the “heart” of Pennsylvania’s elk country. Although elk once flourished in Pennsylvania, by 1867 they had been extirpated due to unregulated hunting and habitat loss. In 1913, the Pennsylvania Game Commission determined to reintroduce this species back into what is one of the wildest parts of this state. Between 1913 and 1926, a total of 177 elk were released around the town of Benezette. The herd has now grown to more than 1,400 and is expanding into areas it hasn’t inhabited in over a century.
In recent years, the elk herd has become a huge attraction for Elk and Cameron counties, as hundreds of thousands of visitors flock here, especially during the fall months, in hopes of getting a glimpse of one of these majestic animals. But a trip to this region offers a lot more than that. Stop by the Keystone Elk Country Alliance on your way up Winslow Hill to learn more about how this animal has impacted the entire region and beyond. A learning center with plenty of interactive displays tells the story of Pennsylvania’s elk herd.
Here are my top places to view elk in this area:
- Winslow Hill – this is the top place (literally) to view elk in PA. The viewing area sits atop a hill that overlooks plenty of rolling meadows that have been planted with grasses and other foods that elk love. Sometimes the elk are very close to the parking area (they’re not very shy creatures) and sometimes they’re farther out, so bring a good pair of binoculars.
- Hicks Run Viewing Area – this area can be found along Route 555, adjacent to the Hick Run Cemetery. There’s a blind here that you can sit in and wait for the elk to come out into one of the food plots.
- Scenic Drive – A great route to take to see elk is to simply drive Route 555 from Weedville and all the way to the small town of Driftwood, a distance of about 20 miles. Elk can often be seen here in the many fields, pastures, and yards along this two-lane road. This is perhaps your best chance to see elk in an up close and personal way, as sometimes they are standing literally feet off the road.
- Keystone Elk Country Alliance – Surrounding the facility are numerous food plots planted with forage elk love to eat. There’s a gravel path leading from the center out to a viewing area overlooking a small meadow where you’ll often see elk feeding, too.
- Woodring Farm Elk Viewing Area – To reach this area, continue past the Winslow Hill viewing area and you’ll see the Woodring Farm, with a substantial parking lot on the left and fields on the right. I have viewed elk here many times, both in the fields as well as by hiking the 3/4 mile back the trail to the platform overlooking various fields.
Best Times to View Elk in Pennsylvania
Any time is a great time to view elk in Pennsylvania. They are abundant and often congregate in the fields, meadows, and yards throughout the area. Driving the loop up Winslow Hill, starting in Benezette, and following it around until it circles back down to Route 555 will take you past multiple elk viewing areas where elk are likely to be any time of year.
Elk are Crepuscular – The first thing to consider when you want to view elk is that they are crepuscular animals, meaning they are most active in the first and last two hours of the day. So if you want to see elk, focus your efforts on mornings and evenings, which will also leave you plenty of time throughout the day for fly fishing!
Fall Elk Viewing – September and October are considered prime time to view elk in PA because this is their rut. You’ll often see big bull elk with their harem of cows feeding out in the open fields. This is also a great time to hear a bull’s bugle as well as witness multiple bull’s fighting for the rite to breed. This time of year, elk can be active all day, especially during cool, overcast or rainy days.
Winter Elk Viewing – This is perhaps my favorite time to view elk because most of the crowds have gone home by winter. Benezette is a small town and can get very congested during the fall peak. However, I’ve always found that winter is the most consistent time to see elk. Cooler temperatures often keep them out in the fields throughout the day. Also, elk eat a lot, and they’re packing on the pounds in preparation for cold weather. This time of year, it’s common to find them in large groups of 20-50 animals, so once you find one, you’ll find many!
Spring Elk Viewing – Depending on the actual month, many bull elk will still have their antlers in the early spring, such as in March, but some bulls will have already shed their antlers.
Summer Elk Viewing – Summer is perhaps the slowest time of year to view elk, especially during hot stretches of weather. During these times, elk often spend most of their days in mud wallows and resting in cool, shaded places in thick pines. But you can still find them out in the viewing areas most evenings right before dark or first thing in the morning.
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Very accurate information. I am so happy to see that we are finally remediating those mines. With proper stewardship Bennett’s Branch will become a destination for sure. I remember driving from Penfield to Driftwood in the and almost crying looking at all of that beautiful land and mountains with one after another orange AMD tainted streams and just imagining what was and what was possible.
I wonder how long it will take for the full aquatic life to come back, several of the tributaries that were not polluted still have green drakes.
Believe it or not, it’s already coming back. I’ve fished when caddis, stoneflies, and numerous mayflies were hatching on Bennett’s, and there were fishing rising to them. It also gets a pretty decent White Fly hatch in the summer that brings some bass to the surface.
I used to do the same thing, William, when we’d drive from Butler to Potter and there was that long, orange Bennett’s Branch. It’s a shame what happened to that area as a result of mining, but decades later, and millions of dollars, we’re seeing it slowly come along to a pretty darn good fishery.
Ralph