Broken Bow?

[attackone02]

Good afternoon, I am new here. Was looking for infomation on Broken Bow. I live in Pa and my BIL lives in Texas and he was talking about doing a trip there. I was wondering whats its like and if its worth the trip down to fish. It would probably be around Sept. I am assuming thats its a typical tail water for hatches wise, im not looking of spots or anything like that. Was just mainly wondering if im going to catch some fish or any other info that you are willing to give up.

[flyfishermann1955]

If you're going to Texas to visit your brother-in-law, you might enjoy a trip to Broken Bow and a day on the LMF. A lot of people from the DFW area make trips to the LMF. Where does your brother-in-law live and has your brother-in-law fished here before? If you're an experienced fly fisherman, I would be surprised if you didn't catch some trout. Just read through the previous reports about what works for people during the time you expect to visit. Schools usually start here about the 3rd week of August, so the summertime crowds will have thinned out a bit by Sep; however, it can still be hot here in Sep, with air temps in the 90s and water temps in the low 70s.

You don't mention where in PA you live and where you fish. I grew up in the Pocono Mts and I know PA has a lot of good trout fishing. I wouldn't make a week-long fishing trip from PA to OK just to fish the LMF, especially in Sep; however, if you're already in Texas, it's certainly worth a day trip to experience some OK trout fishing. The Broken Bow area is probably nothing like what people think of when they think of Oklahoma!

Tight Lines- Ken

[greenman]

Attackone02

Ken summed it up pretty well. Look on the forums here and you can see the changes or the past few year and what the LMF looks like at the moment. Stocking is year round on this tailwater. You can fling a fly, spin a spoon or bob a bait on different areas of the LMF. Depending on area of Texas your BIL lives, a day trip is a great idea. Yes, it is still HOT in the afternoons in September, but the water is relaxing and refreshing to wade. Swing by the fly shop and pick up the flys that are working and a tip or two where to use them. Welcome to the forum and the LMFR.

Tight Lines - David

[attackone02]

Thank you all for the responses, Ken I live in Bedford County which is in the SC part of the state. He lives in Houston, he goes to Guadalupe River to do his trout fishing but was talking about going to Broken Bow for a few days. So we just talked about going there for a few days. I'm pretty experienced and dont really think i will have any issues with catching them as long as they are there. My main thing is i dont want to pay for the plane ticket and fly out there and be disappointed with the fishing. Yes i know i will be spending time with him so i dont get to anymore but if im going to fish i want to catch some fish. Also are there any wild fish in there or is it just mainly stock fish?

[golferjeff]

Attack - I grew up near Ligonier, just down the turnpike from you. LMF are 90% stocked fish (rainbows). We have our planted and wild browns that make an appearance every so often. Lots of holdover rainbows take on a wild quality as well. No doubt, the river is loaded with trout year round, although the fishing slows quite a bit from June thru September due to heat. I wouldn't call the LMF a 'destination' river, but it is a good way to spend a few days if you enjoy trout fishing. If you are experienced, you will have some success. Just don't picture the same kind of experience as the Rocky Mountains or even the Smokies.

In case you've been there, I relate the fishing in Beavers Bend to something like Hickory Run State Park near Somerset. More crowds though. Tailwater staples do fine here: midges, BWO, woolies, and caddis. Our big summer hatch is Hexagenia, but caddis are around all summer too. A wet summer would do us well and maybe get a flow bump from the COE. Give me a shout if you want some more details.

[attackone02]

What is the LMF? Jeff, no i havent fished there stick mostly to bedford county and then sometimes i will go up to state college area when i get the time. Sept isnt set in stone but our bow season opens in oct so i dont want to go then. Late Nov into early Dec would work also, I really would rather not go when the water temps get to warm.  Also what is the water like, is it long pools or can i find some pocket water to fish

[golferjeff]

The LMF is the river within Beavers Bend (BrokenBow). Lower Mountain Fork.

I have fished the Little J, raystown, and Penns Creek.

If you have an option, come in late October thru February. Several factors make it a better experience. Fewer people, better conditions, more fish, more fishable water.

Lots of Pocket water on the 1.25 miles of spillway creek. Mostly riffle, run, pool on the rest of the fishable tailwater. About 4 miles of fishable water in the park, and then another few miles of winter fishing downstream

[jonbo]

Don't bother. Ain't no fish. ((Wink)) you asked is it mainly stockers, well, yes it is. But take "mainly" literally. Everywhere I've ever fished for trout, nearly, is mainly stockers. We also, though have holdovers that have grown quite large, and wild, stream born fish, too, browns and rainbows. You have a decent chance of getting into a fish that may be too large for you to turn before it breaks you off on a log. I haven't gotten into a larger trout since the '15 flood, but plenty of others have. They're still there.

As Jeff said, go as late in the year as you are able to. The best fishing is probably dead wintertime.

[juniata53]

Apr 5, 2017 10:37:27 GMT -6 golferjeff said:

The LMF is the river within Beavers Bend (BrokenBow). Lower Mountain Fork.

I have fished the Little J, raystown, and Penns Creek.

If you have an option, come in late October thru February. Several factors make it a better experience. Fewer people, better conditions, more fish, more fishable water.

Lots of Pocket water on the 1.25 miles of spillway creek. Mostly riffle, run, pool on the rest of the fishable tailwater. About 4 miles of fishable water in the park, and then another few miles of winter fishing downstream

Thanks Jeff! (I'm the brother in law). From Ligioneer? that place is beautiful, fished the loyalhanna a few times and had some success there. Ive lived in Houston since 2014 and mentioned the LMF to my BIL (Attack) as a potential place to go do some fishing that seemed budget friendly for both of us and more about taking the trip to something new than a blue ribbon setting. This past year was the first year I really took advantage of the LAP on the Guad and had some success but its a lot "Bigger" water than the central PA streams and the flows there were pretty variable this year (200cfs-1000cfs), looking at the LMF (could be completely wrong) it seemed like the water was a little closer to the scale of a normal PA sized trout stream. How bad does the water above the power generation on the LMF get affected by changes in release? Thanks in advance for any info!

Eric

[kingnothing]

Apr 5, 2017 8:51:06 GMT -6 attackone02 said:

What is the LMF? Jeff, no i havent fished there stick mostly to bedford county and then sometimes i will go up to state college area when i get the time. Sept isnt set in stone but our bow season opens in oct so i dont want to go then. Late Nov into early Dec would work also, I really would rather not go when the water temps get to warm.  Also what is the water like, is it long pools or can i find some pocket water to fish

But isn't General Deer season open the Monday after Thanksgiving? When I grew up in New Castle, Pa during the '70's, that was practically a state holiday. 

By the way, the fish in my avatar is from the LMF last spring.

[jonbo]

Eric, it doesn't. There's only minor variation, normally, in flow above the power plant, and it's upstream a mile or more where we all fish. It's made to vary between about 90 - 120 cfs or so. I don't know what the reasons are for the variation, but sometimes they release just a little more than at other times. Then in '15 there was the flood when the lake level reached the top of the gates and they released it pretty much all at once. It changed the river quite a lot. For me, at least, it's not quite the same, but there's still a lot of good fishing. Downstream some, still in the Park, during Spring through Fall, they dam the river with "stop logs". This removes a couple of very nice wade spots for 3/4 of the year. It leaves about a mile of gentle gradient wadeable river, and another 2 miles(?) of steeper pocket-water river that we call "Spillway Creek". This is all well upstream from the power generation with it's large variation of flow.

Then, downstream, directly below the Park itself, is Zone II. This is kind of a wild area, although with a really nicely maintained trail that will get you to the 3 good shoals. Fishing here is completely dependent on generation. The water falls very slowly when they stop, so for several hours after generation it's really not wadeable. Then the fishing's much more iffy than in the Park, because although it's stocked it seems to be much less. The last time I fished it I caught, and saw, nothing. The time before that, one 13 incher in a deep pocket. The time before that, a 19 incher, in another deep pocket. The time before that, nothing. The time before that, a bunch during an ant fall. Another time I was into what I'm pretty sure was about a 5 pound trout, but messed up and lost it just as I was seeing color (the fish). It was a BIG FISH. But because it's so iffy with the fish AND with when you can effectively fish it, usually when I go down there (not always) I have the place to myself. I go really because of the solitude and absolute loveliness of it.

Ask someone else about Zone III.

[jonbo]

But also, if you haven't gathered, yet, September's really not the best fishing season at the LMF. It still tends to be awfully hot and you'll kind of need to concentrate your fishing in the early mornings and late evenings except maybe near the top of Spillway Creek fairly close to where the water comes out of the Spillway. October and November get better and better. Someone, when do they take the stop-logs out?

[Aaron]

Stop logs are removed around Thanksgiving.

[golferjeff]

Attack and Juniata - releases above the power generation point don't fluctuate much. As high as 150 CFS, as low as 90. Both are EASY to wade as far as current is concerned. The LMF is more closely related to the medium size limestone streams in central PA. Very gentle compared to any western river or TVA tailwater.

Mid November thru early March is the best fishing by far. April-May and mid sept thru October are good. Summers can be a mess with hot weather, recreational traffic, lethargic fish, and crowds in general. A 10 fish day in summer roughly equates to a 20-30 fish day in winter. Expect about 90% rainbows and 10% Browns and 'other'.

Lots of vacation type cabins and housing in the area for a boys' trip. Cheaper in winter, too. Definitely a budget friendly driveable getaway from the Houston area. For me, I have fished both the LMF and Guad and there is no real comparison. 100% access in Beavers Bend, more fish (although smaller in general), better scenery (unless you call 20 year old girls in float tubes scenery), and more consistent flows and water.

PM me if you have specific questions.

[hankinsfly]

Good thing about late summer though anywhere you go is the HOPPAS!!

[attackone02]

thank you for all of the helpful information, it has been a huge help. Sounds like the fall is going to be the best time to go and should have plenty of fish to keep us busy. Many big fish in there, always looking for that next big on.

[attackone02]

Apr 5, 2017 17:39:22 GMT -6 kingnothing said:

Apr 5, 2017 8:51:06 GMT -6 attackone02 said:

What is the LMF? Jeff, no i havent fished there stick mostly to bedford county and then sometimes i will go up to state college area when i get the time. Sept isnt set in stone but our bow season opens in oct so i dont want to go then. Late Nov into early Dec would work also, I really would rather not go when the water temps get to warm.  Also what is the water like, is it long pools or can i find some pocket water to fish

But isn't General Deer season open the Monday after Thanksgiving? When I grew up in New Castle, Pa during the '70's, that was practically a state holiday. 

By the way, the fish in my avatar is from the LMF last spring.

Im not a rifle hunter so im not to worried about that.  Very nice fish!!

[golferjeff]

This is a good example of a late fall/early winter spawning fish. They get these colors from becoming near wild after being in the river for months or years.

[hankinsfly]

That's a good'n!