Lackawanna River brown trout
Love the Jersey Shore in the heat of striper fishing but its also nice to step away for a few days. Really I only lost a day as I fished Monday, had off yesterday, and today's pea soup fog in the New York Bight area had most boats on stand by. Hope to get back to the beach in the morning.
The Scranton area has always held a special place for me. About 17 years ago we purchased a vacation home in a place called Big Bass Lake. It was a perfect get-a-way place. Not too far nor too close and the gated community was safe and secure between visits. It had a few lakes loaded with fish for the kids, outdoor and an indoor pool, ski and tubing slope and all the nature a kid could want to catch or see. During those times I discovered and came to love the Lackawanna River near Scranton, Pennsylvania. I would get up early and travel there to fish while we were on vacation. Always trying to leave so I would be there when the kids woke up, but that didn't always happen. At times my oldest son Ryan would make the trip with me and the below pic is one of my all time favorites.
Ryan and I, about 2002
I love returning to that area and making the ride out on Route 80 and then north on Route 380 always brings back great memories. As with anything its amazing how much things appear to always change. Scranton has changed too. I remember when Lackawanna Ave was filled with vacant buildings big and small just before the mall and Steamtown. The Lackawanna Station is still there and one of my favorite restaurants, Carmen's, still operates in the once bustling waiting area.
I usually jump right on Route 6 heading to Olyphant, Jessup, or Archbald anxious to see if the brown trout are hungry but I enjoy taking the city route and driving through downtown and the University of Scranton before taking Main Street which parallels the river.
A stop for me is always Cousins Convenient Mart for food and gas before making the walk on the Lackawanna Heritage Trail along the river. I am amazed how much development has occurred around the river. When I first started going there the river was kind of second class and the houses on it depressed. My favorite access points on High Street are still there, but only if you know them and act respectfully in traversing them.
As an angler I love having and fishing "home waters" and enjoy finding new and great places to fish. And although life brings plenty of changes along the way and places we used to frequent become less familiar, it is nice to return and be filled with great memories of good times from the past.