Fly Fishing the Juniata River
Flowing 104 miles through the heart of the Keystone State, the Juniata River is a premier fly fishing destination. Often overshadowed by the larger Susquehanna River for smallmouth and a multitude of famous trout streams, the Juniata may be one of Pennsylvania’s best kept secrets. While it offers angling opportunities for a host of species, it is best known as a phenomenal smallmouth fishery.
The Juniata River gets its name from the Native Americans who first lived and fished along its banks. It is thought that the word Juniata comes from “Onayutta” which was the Iroquoian word for “Standing Stone”.
The modern day town of Huntingdon, Pennsylvania sits near the junction of Standing Stone Creek and the Juniata River. The original inhabitants of this area were a Native American tribe that became known as the “people of the standing stone” because they had a large stone set up to mark the entrance of their village.
While the original standing stone was lost to time, today, there is a replica set up near its original location in downtown Huntingdon.
Main Tributaries
The Juniata River offers tremendous fly fishing opportunities, but this article would be remiss without a brief overview of its three biggest tributaries. There are numerous tributaries in the Juniata River system, but the largest are the Raystown Branch of the Juniata River, the Little Juniata River, and the Frankstown Branch of the Juniata River. Each has great fishing opportunities in their own right.
The largest tributary of the Juniata River is the Raystown Branch. Flowing for 123 miles from its origins in Somerset county to the mouth, it is actually longer than the main river. The Raystown Branch offers a number of good angling opportunities mirroring that of the main stem. Another notable part of this tributary is Raystown Lake. A dam near Huntingdon creates this 26 mile long lake, one of the largest in Pennsylvania. Raystown Lake offers additional angling opportunities for a variety of fish along with the unique chance to pursue freshwater striped bass.
The Frankstown Branch of the Juniata River is 46 miles long. It begins just south of Altoona and flows past the town of Alexandria to its confluence with the Little Juniata River. The Frankstown Branch offers a unique blend of angling opportunities. Part of this river is stocked with trout. It also holds some wild trout and offers good smallmouth bass fishing. The Lower Trail is a rail-trail path offering good access to this fishery for 16 miles from Alexandria to Canoe Creek State Park.
The most renowned part of the Juniata River watershed among fly anglers is the Little Juniata River. Beginning at its headwaters in Altoona, this famed waterway travels 32.1 miles until it meets the Frankstown Branch to form the main stem of the Juniata. The Little Juniata River offers excellent fishing for wild, naturally reproducing brown trout. Much of this river is managed under catch and release all tackle regulations. Fly fishing prospects are excellent with numerous hatches throughout the year. The most famous hatch on the Little J is the sulfur hatch which begins in early May and runs into the month of June. Additionally, nymphing and streamers can produce trout here most of the year. Just pay attention to the water temperatures and use caution if fishing during the summer months.
Main Stem of the Juniata River
The Juniata River begins when the Frankstown Branch and the Little Juniata meet between the towns of Alexandria and Petersburg, Pennsylvania. From there it flows 104 miles to the Susquehanna River at Duncannon. The road U.S. Route 22 parallels the Juniata River most of its stretch and leads to many of the access points discussed later.
Among the many great aspects of this river is the fact that it is considered a “navigable waterway”. A navigable water way is a Pennsylvania legal distinction making the river/riverbed open to public access. Simply put, anglers can fish every inch of its 104 miles.
Please note that this applies only to the waterway and not the river bank. Most of the river bank is privately owned. However, if you utilize the public access points and stay below the high water mark, the whole river is accessible.
Access Points on the Upper Juniata River
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission offers a great Juniata River map. This resource is called the Juniata River Trail and breaks up the river into an Upper and Lower section. Prominent access points on these sections will be covered here.
The Upper section of the Juniata River starts near Petersburg and extends to Lewistown. As stated, the Juniata River officially begins when the Frankstown Branch and the Little Juniata River meet. However, shortly after this point, a hydroelectric dam, the Warrior Ridge Dam, is located on the river. Just below this dam is where we will start our journey along the Juniata.
The first access point is Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission concrete boat ramp known as the Warrior Ridge Dam access. Down river from there, in the town of Huntingdon, there are two good access points, Portstown Park and Smithfield Riverside Park. Both locations offer good access along the banks of the Juniata and there is a concrete boat launch located at the Smithfield Riverside Park as well.
Moving past Huntingdon, a PA Fish and Boat commission concrete ramp and access, Point Access is located. At this location, the Raystown Branch meets the main stem and increases the flow of the Juniata.
Continuing downstream, the next cluster of access points are near the town of Mount Union. There are four access areas which all have boat ramps along this stretch. The first is the Mapleton Riverside Park, then the Mount Union Access, Shawmut Access, and finally the Newton Hamilton Access. Each of these locations offer good fishing opportunities and their proximity to one another allows for good float trip opportunities.
Nearing the end of the Upper Section, the final three access points are the McVeytown Access, the Granville Access, and Victory Park in Lewistown.
Lower Section Access Points
Picking up again in Lewistown to the mouth of the river is the lower section of the Juniata River trail. On part of this stretch, there are special regulations to protect smallmouth bass.
Several years ago, the Susquehanna and Lower Juniata experienced a fish kill of smallmouth bass due to an unknown cause. Due to this, special regulations are in place to protect smallmouth on the lower 31.7 miles of the Juniata. These special regulations begin at the bridge in Port Royal and continue to the river’s confluence with the Susquehanna. In this area, smallmouth bass are catch and immediate release only. In addition to this, it is illegal for anglers to target spawning fish.
The first access point after Victory Park in Lewistown is the Lewistown Narrows, which offers a Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission maintained boat ramp. Shortly down river at Mifflintown, there is PFBC access ramp followed by another access point at Mifflin.
The fish and boat commission also offers access off Muskrat Springs Road and, again, at both Thompsontown and Greenwood.
In between the Thompsontown and Greenwood access points, there is a primitive access site at Millerstown Community Park. Following the Greenwood Access, two more primitive access points can be found at Newport and the Howe Township Park.
The final two access points on the Juniata River are the Green Valley surfaced ramp and a Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission boat ramp at Amity Hall. Shortly after the Amity Hall access, the Juniata River concludes its journey and flows into the Susquehanna.
Fishing Opportunities on the Juniata River
The Juniata River offers great angling opportunities for a variety of fish species. By far, the most popular is the smallmouth bass. These fish are found in great numbers throughout the entire waterway.
Fly fishermen also have a great chance to encounter many different fish including carp, walleye, rock bass, and muskellunge. Trout can be found in some locations, but are not as prevalent.
Gear and Equipment
Fly rods 9-10 feet in length in a 6, 7, or 8 weight are well suited for fishing the Juniata River. My personal favorite is a 9 foot 7 weight. A standard weight forward floating line will adequately cover the bulk of fishing situations.
The main forage on the Juniata are baitfish and crayfish. As such, streamers and crayfish patterns work very well. Clouser Minnows, Woolly Buggers, and crayfish patterns are great subsurface offerings on the river. During the summer and early fall, throwing top water poppers or diving patterns can also be very effective and lead to exciting takes.
Getting on the Water
As stated earlier, the entire length of the Juniata River can be fished. An angler who utilizes the public access points and stays below the high water mark can fish anywhere they like on this waterway.
Wading is a great way to fish the Juniata River. Chest waders and a wading staff are recommended in the spring as flows are high. As spring transitions to summer, the flows decrease and the water heats up making wading very accessible. Warmer temperatures also enable anglers to ditch the waders and wet wade if they so choose.
To cover more water, anglers often utilize a kayak, canoe, drift boat, or John boat to float the river. These crafts offer great water coverage and there are many boat access points along the entire Juniata. Utilizing these watercrafts and then stopping to wade and fish is a fantastic option for fly fisherman.
Anglers looking for new fishing opportunities in central Pennsylvania need look no further than the Juniata River. Those hoping to pursue warm water fish species with the fly rod will find many great opportunities on this river system.
In addition to the main stem, the three big tributaries to the Juniata, the Raystown Branch, the Frankstown Branch, and the Little Juniata River offer phenomenal angling prospects. These waterways are definitely worth exploring as well.
More information on the various access and their locations can be found on the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission’s Juniata River Water Trail Map and Guide. This guide is accessible through the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission’s website.
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