Big Browns in Wapwallopen

    Just east of Berwick, Pa is a little town by the name of Wapwallopen where fishing and propane meet. Most of the time when people think of gas they think of pollution, so how can fishing and gas intertwine? Heller's Gas was founded in 1941 and began operating out of Wapwallopen. One of the people I interviewed was Trey Gardner, Trey's dad is Paul Gardner who bought Heller's and currently owns the propane company today. Trey grew up in Bloomsburg hunting with his friends and family for big bucks which are just big male deer. He also loved to search the local creeks in search of trout. The Bloomsburg area is home to wild brown trout, stocked rainbow trout in the spring, and some cold flowing creeks are home to the native brook trout. Wild brown trout was the Heller's specialty, big ones too! Situated right behind the Heller's Mill is the Big Wapwallopen Creek referred to by the locals as "Big Wap" which pours into the Susquehanna a couple hundred yards after if flows past Heller's. The Mill is old and rundown now and hasn't seen work in many years, as for the lot next to it too which is just extra propane tank storage now. On one of my adventures wading up Big Wapwallopen Creek I met an expert fly fisherman who went by the name of Jeff. He's a local guy who fishes the creek very often with his buddies. It turned out that he knew Trey's dad Paul through one of the guys Jeff fishes with, what a small world!

Trey Gardner holding a nice brown trout
from Big Wapwallopen Creek.

    Heller's Gas is the intersection point between propane gas and big wild brown trout fishing. Trey told me that when Heller's was stilling operating out of Wapwallopen a lot of the employees would take their lunch breaks and head back to the creek in search of some brown trout. As an eager trout fisherman myself the work atmosphere at Heller's must have been one of a kind since they had the ability to walk out the backdoor and fish a honey hole while eating their lunch. A honey hole can be a creek, river, pond, or lake that is hard to access, not many people know about, and is loaded with quality fish. One of the main reasons that Big Wap is a honey hole is the fact that Heller's owns most of the land around which only gives certain people access to fish it. Since only a limited number of people can fish the creek is doesn't get very pressured which means the fish don't see a lot of fishing lures and people down there so the fish don't really adapt. It also means the fish are caught less and are put under less stress which allows them to grow bigger and healthier.

    The first time I went to Big Wap I met Jeff, the expert fly fisherman. Jeff told me how he fishes the creek as much as he can, whenever he can due to its uniqueness. It had been muggy and in the high 80s all week and the water temperature was definitely on the warmer side for these fish. Trout are very delicate fish and can only live year round if the creek stays cold enough. Jeff said that since the water was very warm the fish would be hanging out in faster moving water where oxygenation was at its highest. Oxygenation is when the water gets churned up and becomes rich in oxygen which allows the fish then to breather. Jeff broke down the creek into sections and made it seem a lot more simple than it really was. "I normally can pull two fish from this stretch of the creek since its a long deep pool" Jeff explains. I felt like Jeff was the master and I was the apprentice waiting behind for my moment. Jeff did have an advantage which was that he could fly fish, while I was only using a spinning rod.

    Jeff headed upstream as I tried my best to find a fish hanging around in the faster moving current like he talked about. The wind was still today which made casting my lure out a lot easier and a lot more accurate. I stood just above the hole in some fast moving water, planting my feet into the ground as hard as good, trying to become one with the rocks. The smell of fresh trout water filled the air around me as it hit the tunnel. No luck here as I decided to head upstream towards Jeff. Heading upstream was no easy task as you had to navigate back and forth across the creek's slippery bed, up the bank, and through the dense forest to hit the next hole.

Kenneth Kreitz (Me) holding a 
wild brown trout

    As I approached the hole Jeff had been fishing I spotted him landing a nice brown trout, the first one I had seen all day finally proving to me that there were quality fish here. This trout's fall colors were coming in nicely, brown, orange, red and yellow. These trout change color in the fall because they begin to get aggressive and find a mate. I watched Jeff release his fish back into the same swift water that it had came from. We both took a moment of silence to just appreciate the nature around us because not many places like this still exist. Jeff quickly decided it was time for him to hit the road because he had already been sucked into staying too long and "the misses", as Jeff called his wife would be upset.

    Before Jeff headed downstream he told me to let this hole die down for about 10 minutes since he had just fished it and then give it a shot, making sure to focus the top of the hole where the fast current meets the deep water.

    About 15 minutes had gone by and the creek was calling my name as if it were ready. Dropping your lure right in the corner of the creek where it twists and bends with the rapids was no easy task. Overturned branches and big rocks lie just below the surface waiting to snag my lure and end my day. After multiple tries I place a cast perfectly above the rapids, let it flow down and the second it hit the hole I was on! Jeff's technique did me well as I ended up landing a nice brown trout and my day was complete.

    Not only does Big Wapwallopen Creek feature amazing brown trout fishing but it's also home of the "The Powder Hole". Jeff had told me that past the next few bends of the river is the powder hole which is home to one of the best cliff jumping spots around. Jeff did say people have died there though due to the huge waterfall that created the hole, and people who jump from the bridge sometimes get stuck under the waterfall and end up drowning.

The Powder Hole

    I decided to venture upstream some more in seek of more trout and to find the mysterious powder hole. The creek bended with the valley cascading over large boulders then flattening out over stretches of smaller rock. The final bend below the powder hole was filled with debris from what looks like a recent flood which created an extra hole that could be fished carefully if you don't want to lose your lure. After making the last turn you could finally see it, the powder hole. The water leading up the powder hole was extra fast moving, so hiking in through the forest along the creek was a better idea. The powder hole was not only a cliff jumping spot but it seemed more. There was lots of old stone architecture on either side of the hole and a large metal bridge overlooking the hole. The water roared out from under the bridge falling a good 40 feet before diving down and hitting the rocks beneath. I couldn't help but wonder what this place looked like hundreds of years ago, did people live here? Was it like a mini city back here? Maybe they lived off the abundance of trout?

    If you were to stroll down the tiny town of Wapwallopen you would have no idea the gem that's hidden right behind it. Sometimes places like this are best if they stay hidden so nature can thrive and the rare human who bushwhacks and ventures across creek to appreciate the outdoors can. Big Wapwallopen Creek is home to the origin of Heller's Gas, some of the best big brown trout fishing in the area, and as a bonus a beautiful but dangerous cliff jumping spot for the enthusiastic college student who wants to get out and have some fun.