Keystone select trout waters

[724flyfishing]

If you didn't know, this is going down this week in most places. I hit my local select stream this morning for a few hours. It's the Loyalhanna. I don't care about spot burning this because it's no secret. My observations and report I guess...

-it appears from what I could see and catch there's 3 sizes they stocked. Really big, large, and the regular 12". You see a pod of fish and it's one big 20"+, a couple 17"-18", and a handful of 12's. I'm guessing this is the pattern they stocked as they go down the creek.

-it was cold and I only had a few hours to spare. The fish were sluggish but I managed 5 10-12", 2 16"-17", and one jumbo 24". All were rainbows, all on sucker spawns. I did see some big Browns but they weren't having anything to do with anything I threw their way.

-when I left at 10, there was 4 cars at the pull off, parking lot full with one guy waiting for me to pull out, 2 more cars at the bridge, and whoever else was parked elsewhere. Keep in mind this was 10:00 am on a 30 degree, snowy Friday.

As I predicted, it's going to be a zoo. I can't see it getting any better when warmer weather rolls around. If anything worse. I don't know what the other select streams will be like but if this is any indication, good luck! For those who wanted it, be careful what you wish for. I fished this DHALO quite frequently in the past with good results with holdovers, and I have a feeling it's going to be ruined now. At least for the next few years.

 

[Nate540]

Thats what I was afraid of as well. The creek I normally fish was selected for this. In the past it has generally been fished pretty lightly but I'm sure thats about to change. My concern is with it being a DHALO area its going to be bombarded with poachers. Time will tell

 

[Acristickid]

So your saying its a success then- or at least that's the PAFB's take.

The fishing post used to dump fish in behind the shop there as well.

I cut my fly fishing teeth there. Fish it rarely these days.

 

[Mike]

What does "parking lot full" amount to? I have never been to that stream, but from a programmatic standpoint and since this is the first feedback that I have seen about a KS water, it would be beneficial to me to know what number of cars it takes to fill that parking lot in order to get a full picture of the angler response. The rest of your detailed info was quite helpful.

 

[724flyfishing]

acristickid wrote:
So your saying its a success then- or at least that's the PAFB's take.

The fishing post used to dump fish in behind the shop there as well.

I cut my fly fishing teeth there. Fish it rarely these days.

You are correct there. This is exactly what the PFBC wants. The casual, local fly fisherman that enjoys fishing the creek through out the year, not so much. I've been told the Orvis store and Forbes trail trout unlimited also dump fish in there from time to time. I'd be curious to see how involved they'll want to be now.

 

[724flyfishing]

Mike wrote:
What does "parking lot full" amount to? I have never been to that stream, but from a programmatic standpoint and since this is the first feedback that I have seen about a KS water, it would be beneficial to me to know what number of cars it takes to fill that parking lot in order to get a full picture of the angler response. The rest of your detailed info was quite helpful.

I'd guess it holds 10 cars or so. I never really counted to be honest. I didn't go too far because I was freezing and the stream was up. I saw probably 15-20 other anglers passing through in the 3 hours I was there. When it's not stocking time, I would see maybe a couple other guys through out the day. I was there in October, on a 65 degree sunny Saturday after they stocked and saw maybe 6 other anglers. Hopefully that helps to put it in perspective for you. It's a big stream but there's some long, shallow, featureless sections that don't offer much for holding fish when it's at normal levels.

 

[Mike]

Thanks, that car well as give us an idea of what to expect in the SE.

 

[ryanh]

I can't stand that stretch of water. I really prefer the rocky section above and below sleepy hollow. It looks a hell of a lot fishier to me.

 

[Mike]

I don't know what happened in that sentence above, but I meant to say thanks...that car count will give us some idea of what to expect when we visit the stream in the SE to count anglers.

 

[FishTales]

Thanks for the report 724FF. "It was 10:00 AM on a 30 degree, snowy Friday". You bet that is what the PFBC wants to accomplish. More people enjoying the outdoors in early March catching and releasing stocked trout within an hour or so of one of our major cities.

I know the Loyalhanna well since I grew up in Irwin and worked for a time with the Loyalhanna Watershed Association. It is big water, well suited for the program. Those trout will distribute with time and you and others will have plenty of opportunity to hunt for them in other places. I just hope that we can get anglers like you to take a child along to teach them the benefits of C&R and the importance of it to maintain and sustain opportunities like this one.

Sounds like you had a successful trip so hopefully you can use your knowledge to show others, especially kids, the same thing.

Tight lines,

FT

 

[dudemanspecial]

I'm a little confused by this report. You caught 8 fish,including some nice sounding ones, in VERY high traffic water during cold weather conditions in a matter of a few hours and your upset with the pafbc about it? Or am I reading this wrong.....

 

[724flyfishing]

dudemanspecial wrote:
I'm a little confused by this report. You caught 8 fish,including some nice sounding ones, in VERY high traffic water during cold weather conditions in a matter of a few hours and your upset with the pafbc about it? Or am I reading this wrong.....

I caught 8 fish that haven't been out of the stocking truck for more than 24 hours. Any half decent fly fisherman could do that or even better. I wouldn't say I'm upset with the PFBC commission directly for this. They are after all doing something positive or at least making an effort. I would rather them bring back more fall stockings over this if I could choose, but obviously I can't. Maybe disgruntled over having what was once a nice place to catch a couple fish year round, get completely blown up with angler traffic, would be a better way to say it.

 

[Acristickid]

Let them eat cake. Keep'em off the good water.

 

[Maurice]

724flyfishing wrote:

dudemanspecial wrote:
I'm a little confused by this report. You caught 8 fish,including some nice sounding ones, in VERY high traffic water during cold weather conditions in a matter of a few hours and your upset with the pafbc about it? Or am I reading this wrong.....

I caught 8 fish that haven't been out of the stocking truck for more than 24 hours. Any half decent fly fisherman could do that or even better. I wouldn't say I'm upset with the PFBC commission directly for this. They are after all doing something positive or at least making an effort. I would rather them bring back more fall stockings over this if I could choose, but obviously I can't. Maybe disgruntled over having what was once a nice place to catch a couple fish year round, get completely blown up with angler traffic, would be a better way to say it.

Well I couldn't agree more. but they seem to be trying to find ways to better spend the funds and this "rodeo" approach seems to be getting alot of traction.

But your voice is being heard as there are several PAF&BC officials on the site, one of which is Fish Tales above, who is the Exec. Director of the Commish. John Arway.

 

[JackM]

If you are driving by a crowded parking lot, that's one thing. If you are trying to pull in, park and fish, then how can you be upset that others had the same plan?

 

[albud1962]

Fished the Wiconisco DHALO yesterday, about 8 cars around 2pm. saw about 20 anglers the time i was there. Hooked one 1 fish about 14 inches not much else though. so are the larger fish being stocked in lieu of the normal stocking or on top the previous regular allotment? Personally i would prefer more 10 to 12 inch fish with the occassional bruiser. Dont think i will be back to fish the Wiconisco.

 

[Van_Cleaver]

I'm always surprised that people even find it worthy of mention that special regs areas are crowded, especially after a stocking and before the season opens. I have fly fished in the Southeast since the 70's and in my opinion the fishing is almost always better out side the regs area, once the season opens. French Creek, E. Branch of the Brandywine, and Middle White Clay, are all good examples.
'

 

[afishinado]

For some....the reason to fish in the first place is to get away from "it all."

"It all" is the hustle and bustle of traffic, having people cut in front of you to get ahead, trying to find a parking spot, beating the clock, waiting in line, blah, blah, blah.

I'm all for offering more places for anglers to have a quality experience rather than crowding more people in fewer streams and stacking fish up in a few mega holes in those streams...and now adding mega fish to the mega holes.

A full parking lot may be a win for some...but is loss for others.

More focus on habitat improvement to create self-sustaining populations of wild trout is an awful lot cheaper, and will actually pay dividends in the long run....rather than drain revenue at an unsustainable rate like stocking does right now.

 

[dudemanspecial]

I agree with the sentiment that this new program is not ideal for a lot of people.....I live 30min from the loyalhanna and I only fish it 1 time a year... not really my cup of tea. Probably will not be any more or less inclined to hit it any more than usual. But this attitude of "ruining" my favorite fishing spot with this program I just don't get. Its not like they are dumping 20in browns in your private mountain stream where you have miles of water all to yourself It never was that. The only difference this program will make are bigger fish. Same crowds floating the same green weeines and eggs over and over in the same runs. Nothing wrong with that at all, but its not changing a thing but the fish size....

 

[tomitrout]

This program is what, eight total streams? I wonder if it's pulling more anglers out who normally wouldn't be fishing now, of if it's just concentrated pressure and some of the other close by special regs area might not be as crowded now...special regs always get hit hard during the 'off season', especially this year looking at the March forecast trend.