Donegal Creek FFO Lancaster County

[fishingnoob]

Anyone know if TU or any other chapter is doing a fall stocking to Donegal?

 

[raftman]

I don't think, but I'll check to be sure and get back to you.

 

[Mike]

Will be stocked with adult trout next March by the PFBC.

 

[Mike]

To those who will wonder about the surprise wild brown trout population seen in 2013 and 2014, by 2015 it had naturally diminished to a level of very low abundance in the C&R FFO area, returning to the low abundance that had generally been seen and expected in the past.

 

[raftman]

To those who will wonder about the surprise wild brown trout population seen in 2013 and 2014, by 2015 it had naturally diminished to a level of very low abundance in the C&R FFO area, returning to the low abundance that had generally been seen and expected in the past.

Thanks Mike. This confirms what I felt after fishing it over the last three years. It had seemed to me that the wild browns really fell off this year. Any ideas as to why? Could it be the lower water levels?

You mentioned that you'll be stocking it with adult trout next March. Will this be throughout the C&R section? Does this mean that the fingerling program will be discontinued?

Thanks!

 

[Mike]

No, we surveyed it before the water levels dropped this year and, in general, Donegal tends to have low water levels every summer and fall. It's most likely the ongoing habitat/sedimentation/shifting substrate problems that are the problem. The temporary improvement in the population was an unexpected, but apparently ephemeral event.

Re: your second paragraph...yes and yes.

With the backwaters of the dam on Chiques now gone the Donegal habitat immediately down from the C&R area looks like it will hold fish that move out of the C&R stretch, which may provide additional fishing for fly and non-fly anglers alike.

 

[raftman]

Thanks for the info Mike! I'm sending you a PM...

 

[wgmiller]

Mike wrote:
With the backwaters of the dam on Chiques now gone the Donegal habitat immediately down from the C&R area looks like it will hold fish that move out of the C&R stretch, which may provide additional fishing for fly and non-fly anglers alike.

I hear what you're saying as that dam removal was a godsend for the Chiques/Donegal/Susky area. However, the stretch you mention is a mere couple hundred feet. The area upstream of T-334 (Long Lane) became posted a few years back. That area is part of the stretch south of 23 that didn't have much habitat to begin with.