I was wondering if anyone has fished the WB of Fishing Creek in Sullivan county this past season? If so, how was the fishing? It was a great stream in the early to mid 2000s, but quickly went down hill!

I plan on fishing up there this year but was wondering the same. I own a section of Fishing Creek in Benton so if you get up that way let me know.

Ron

Ron, that is a real nice area, with plenty of options. I've stayed at the Fishing Creek Lodge in Central a number of times.

Yes nice place to stay in Cental and plenty of open water to fish. I get up the Brass Pelican often to eat breakfast and dinner.

Ron

Your best bet is heading up towards Elk Grove area to fish.. Sullivan Falls always holds some fish. The gas companies have come in now and the traffic is insane through Central up to Elk Grove. PM me if you have any questions regarding the area.

The West Branch is still stocked way up into the state gamelands. About 4-5 miles up there.

Yes Dwight, that's why that stream went down hill!!! Great example of stocking over wild fish. What a shame.

I've only fished it a couple of times, but the fishing sucked both times, TB did ok the time I was with him. Too many other good streams in the area.

The time Chaz and I fished it was in 2002. I did well on brookies that time. I think the reason was that I was lucky to pick a section that had good habitat, i.e. nice pools and cover.

It seemed to me that quite a bit of the SGL stretch has shallow habitat.

Yes TB, that's the year I fished the WB for the first time. That was a great wild stream (from Shingle Mill Run upstream) back then. I did well on some nice natives and even caught my 2nd biggest (18") wild brown. I actually saw the biggest native I've ever layed eyes on at the WB. It was no less than 14", and prolly closer to 16"! It came from the depths of an undercut pool and swiped at a real small brookie I was bringing in! I'll never forget that day. Ahhh, the good old days.

I've never fished the watershed but have looked into it for other reasons. It seems to have quite a few issues.

I don't know who this sportsman's association is, but they got a grant for a study:

Fishing Creek Watershed Study

Big time thanks for that link DGC! That certainly answered many questions I had regarding the WB. It's a sad story up in that region.

As a teen back in the late 60's I went to a camp on the East Branch in Central. I remember catching many trout in the area. A friend and I fished the West Branch maybe 7 years ago, we had a nice day. Sorry to see it has gone downhill. It's a beautiful area.

My families hunting camping is right on the WB, last cabin before gamelands. The last couple floods have really change the stream. Its the worst I've seen it in my life time. If any one would wanna meet up and go explore the gamelands brookie streams let me know I've hunting up there my whole life and would be happy to show others around.

Small world. My family had a cabin up there in the 60's right at Elk Run. Really wished they would have held onto it. Sad to hear that they are stocking that stream. Back then it was all Brookies.