Pymatuning Creek
 

I came across a group of pictures from Pymatuning Creek: the intro stated launch at Andy Dorrik park up and back. Has anyone paddled the creek at length? I grew up playing in this creek and its tributaries and have lately decided to do some exploration. In my opinion, this creek is our most secluded waterway and likely the least traveled too. Deadfalls of course are a large problem: I counted 150 from SR 88 to Orangeville on Google maps. Right now there is enough water to paddle just about anywhere (not to mention the dam is under enough water that it has created a nice standing wave.) I am really interested in paddling from kinsman to orangeville when the water recedes somewhat: though I presume it would have to be done in sections. The twisty upper sections look fantastic at about 7 feet http://waterdata.usgs.gov/oh/nwis/uv?site_no=03102950 (USGS 03102950 Pymatuning Creek at Kinsman OH) I'm looking for ANY info about this section of the creek and if anyone would be interested on paddling some of it with me.

I was just up at Andy Dorick for the first time yesterday. How far is this creek up from the normal summer level. I saw a picnic table sitting in the middle of the water. Looked like you could paddle up to some peoples back porch...:biggrin:

I was confused by your "picnic table in the middle of the water" comment so I took a ride down there. WOW there is a lot of water right now. The answer to your question about summer is FEET above normal. The dam is completely under water: it cannot be seen at all. I drove over the shenango just south of the dam and everything is flooded too. I know that the Army corps has been holding water to help with the flooding in the south (Mosquito Lake is also well above normal spring levels) so the reservior is just backed up into the wilderness area. There's a lot of water out there right now. If it wasn't raining I'd ride out to Greenville Riverside and Kidds Mill as I imagine they are quite flooded too.

we paddled out of Andy Dorick park today. Our intent was to paddle from there to parkers landing however the road to Parkers landing is currently closed. I checked the Army Corps fb page and it seems that all launch areas except the shenango boat launch are closed due to flooding. Currently the lake is 11 feet above normal summer level.

But you did see the picnic table, right???? :52:

lol, yeah, it was on the opposite river bank, in the middle of the water. There were some kids over there with a fishing net trying to catch fish. I think the water must have been 2 feet over the bank

I fish at Hodgson Lake right before Akron and they have a picnic table that's 1/2 way under water in the spring. It's really only about 2' deep and I guess it recedes pretty quickly but it's still hard to get a grip on there the actual shoreline usually is. We've walked out at Hodgson and sat on the table while fishing. They cosed for awhile and re-opened but I never got back out there to see what shoreline is supposed to look like with average water levels. To me the rivers are turning out to be too flaky in a sense for canoe/fishing. I've been getting crappie and bass at the lakes for weeks now while the rivers are up/down and muddy and unfishable. A lazy day on the lake fishin alone is a good thing in a lot of ways. I will ride up and keep an eye on where that creeks normal flow level is compared to that picnic table though.