The West Branch Tionesta Creek begins in the heart of the national forest near Hearts Content. Stocking begins in this section. It flows through Chapman Lake in Chapman State Park and then continues eastward to Barnes. The best access on this branch is above Chapman Lake.

The South Branch flows westward along state Route 948. Access is excellent. It is stocked from the mouth of Fork Run down to its mouth, where it meets the East Branch.

The East Branch is the most remote water in this area. It begins west of Kane and winds westward toward Barnes. Long stretches are remote from roads. It is stocked from the Jojo area down to Pigeon Run.

Numerous smaller tributaries of the main stem and three branches have wild brook trout populations.

Mike Stimmell grew up in a fishing family using skills passed down from grandfather to father to son. He spends more time than most plying the trout streams of western Pennsylvania, drawing on those generations of experience.

EAST HICKORY CREEK
"I've always enjoyed East Hickory Creek," Stimmell said. "There's a good stretch where it comes out of Hickory before it empties into the Allegheny River. I think it's a pretty creek and I always catch fish there. It's got a lot of long, deep pools."

Stimmell enjoys fly-fishing, but he is not a purist.

"A night crawler will work real well in the spring," he suggested. "I've caught several good fish on a light Cahill there. I've had good luck with an Adams, too."

East Hickory Creek flows southwest out of the southern part of Allegheny National Forest. Though there is private land along parts of this medium-sized creek, access is generally very good.

The headwaters of East Hickory Creek are in the Hickory Creek Wilderness. This area, which requires a considerable amount of hiking, has some fine fishing for wild brook trout. One of its major tributaries, Queen Creek, is a particularly good stream for wild brook trout.