Red Ck, Schuylkill Co - stocked but very little angler use opening day

[Mike]

If you live in Schuykill Co or northern Berks I'd suggest that you consider a trip to Red Ck. If you wish to fish for stockies in a relatively small stream that received very little pressure on opening day....13 anglers at 8 AM, this is your place. It is on the western end of Landingville, about 3 miles off of RT 61. It will probably be removed from the program next year.

 

[outsider]

I'll check it out

 

[flatlander]

I fished there yesterday for 2 hours and only managed to catch 2 trout but that was in between the yellow perch that kept slamming my fly. Better than being skunked.

 

[Mike]

If they were adult YP, then they may have moved up into the creek to spawn or for some other reason, as this is prime spawning time in this part of the state. They might also move up to consume white sucker eggs, a more likely reason, as Red Ck has a large WS migration into it from Auburn Dam? Although movement into SE Pa creeks from lakes by YP adults is considered unusual, it used to happen frequently at Lake Ontelaunee years ago. If those were adult YP and you released them, you missed out on some fine fillets.

 

[flatlander]

They seemed like they may be spawning (very plump in the belly) so I let them all go. I'm trying to fish some different waters this year so I'll probably get back this week when I can spend a little more time. Thanks for the info Mike.

 

[Mike]

The Little Schuylkill in Port Clinton is stocked one time each year. It is stocked between the mouth and the diner at Molino, which is just above Port Clinton. It will be stocked next week. You will pass it on the way to Red Ck. For other readers, this stretch is about 1.5 mi north from Cabella's. It is nice, big water, but tough to fish if flows are up.

 

[Chaz]

Mike wrote:
The Little Schuylkill in Port Clinton is stocked one time each year. It is stocked between the mouth and the diner at Molino, which is just above Port Clinton. It will be stocked next week. You will pass it on the way to Red Ck. For other readers, this stretch is about 1.5 mi north from Cabella's. It is nice, big water, but tough to fish if flows are up.

Is that a rainbows only stocking?
Also if you go the river is slippery.

 

[Mike]

Yes, rainbows only, as the habitat ( faster water) favors RT, and, given the size of the water ("river" classification within the stocking program) RT are stocked to enhance the catch and harvest. "Rivers" typically produce a relatively poor return to the angler. That is one reason why most are not stocked. Given that the Port Clinton section is 1.1 mi long, the fish are more concentrated and easier for anglers to intercept. Plus, being mostly in the village, there is an opportunity for potentially more angler use, although use is by no means high, and may actually be low, which is something that we have been monitoring. So, yes, I am encouraging anglers to give this section a try. Additionally, the pool on the main Schuylkill into which the LittleSchuylkill flows has been a location to which some of the Ltl Schuylkill RT move.