From early mornings to late nights, the trickle of water never stops. It echoes through the valleys as the creek never rests. Every day spent along Conneaut Creek is one to remember. Conneaut Creek lies in the Western part of Erie County in the northwest part of Pennsylvania. While overlooked by many, the creek’s natural beauty has been breath-taking for thousands, if not millions of years. It stretches over 43 miles spanning two states providing many opportunities to
enjoy the many offerings of the stream. The views are second to none as it is a beautiful area to spend your recreational time doing activities like kayaking, fishing, hunting, or something as simple as taking a walk. During the early spring, I have battled hundreds of steelhead on my fly rod while they make their springtime run to their spawning grounds. While the later parts of spring, I have also spent countless hours in the early morning chasing gobbling toms up and down the steep bluffs that line the edges of the valleys, their gobbles echoing for miles through the woods, outsmarting even the most seasoned predators. This is where
my life in the outdoors began–running from hillside to hillside, learning every inch like the back of my hand. I started my adventures at the age of six, trying to master every outdoor talent imaginable. From hunting to scouting to starting fires with sticks, all of it would form my future self, but nothing would change me more than the beauty of the stream. The natural flow of the wildlife around the creek moved as smoothly as the water. Ever
y species had a place, a duty, to follow to uphold the entire ecosystem, and I was just a visitor. I did not want to be just a visitor though, I wanted to become part of it which is when conservation hit me. Wanting to take parts of the world to want to become part of it really changed my outlook. Now looking at the big picture does not seem so bad, but I still prefer the little one as well. Naming every buck by its antlers, watching them grow from year to year; and, playing games trying to coax a single turkey into range that you know just by the sound of his gobble in the spring, it’s not about the trophy, but the legend that builds behind each one. While my entire outdoor lifestyle has revolved around this one natural beauty, the story does not start with me. This creek has been a life source for many generations. T
he creek’s history runs deep as Native Americans used it as a travel route to get to and from hunting and burial grounds. These remnants of ancient civilizations can still be picked out today with a watchful eye. Fall, the sights are second to none as the last remaining Covered bridge in Erie County sits peacefully across the stream. Even with the bliss that is common for everyday life on the creek, it can all turn in the blink of an eye to a raging warzone that claims the life of even the most complex organisms. Within hours the creek can rise ten or more feet and overflow its ban
ks, completely flood the surrounding areas, and completely changing the landscape to a new oasis, almost like a reset button to turn back time.