Impromtu Fish Fix

[streamerguy]

Had a family to-do to go to yesterday and ended up staying the night at a relatives house. Instead of heading straight home in the morning I decided to scratch the itch and do a little unplanned fishing before heading back since all the rivers/creeks near home have been high all week. Did some creek hoppin' and caught a couple fish. My brother tagged along and he caught some too. It was my first trip since I dunked my camera on Spring Creek last week, so I was kinda hoping I didn't catch anything huge and memorable since I only had my phone for a camera.

Arrived at the first stream to see a few cars in the parking area(didn't help that we sleeped in). Instead of heading elsewhere we decided to take our chances and hoped they were hikers, etc.. We started fishing our way upstream and didn't make it all that far until we came across 2 other fishermen. Turns out they were working they're way upstream also and we didn't want to high-hole them so we decided to work our way back to the vehicle. Caught 3 browns, so we didn't do too bad for fishing behind others the whole time.

Tossed a few streamers in a bigger stream for bass but got no takers. Creek was too high for my liking today.

The next creek holds a special place in my heart as it's the stream I caught my very first trout in. It can be decent for trout, but after May it turns into a warmwater stream. Here I ended up catching a small green sunfish and a couple dink smallies. The bigger ones didn't want to play. Also sight fished to a nice carp for a while but he wanted nothing to do with my flies.

Fished a bigger stream on the way home but I couldn't tease any bass into biting. Water was on the high and muddy side but definitely fishable though. Felt good to get out, and as I learned today it's always good to have fishing gear with you no matter if you're planning on fishing or not!

 

[boychick]

it's always good to have fishing gear with you

Hell ya it is! Good report, glad hyou had a good time. I wish I got to fish this weekend. I've been pinned down with family stuff. Maybe next weekend.

 

[streamerguy]

Thanks. I almost always try to have some fishing gear with me. There's been too many times when I was somewhere and had time to fish yet didn't have any gear with me. Where I was today I am very familiar with and I frequent the area rivers and streams a lot, so I packed my gear accordingly just in case I would happen to fish, but I wasn't planning on it. My summer's been hectic also with family and other stuff. Next weekend too. My fishing(locally though) has actually been more consistent during the week. Weekend fishing has mostly been dependent on where I'm at and if I have time or not to fish. The gear's always going to be in the vehicle though, never know when you're gonna need it!

 

[dryflyguy]

streamerguy -

That was me and biker fish you ran into today. Too bad we didn't chat longer - you would have been welcome to tag along with us.
Alan even said - after you left - wonder if that was streamer guy

Anyway, thanks for being so courteous to us old farts. You have quickly learned good stream etiquette, and are a credit to the sport

 

[bikerfish]

yep, that was Bill and I, you should have said something! we didn't do too good either, lots of other boot prints up in there, creeks been getting fished a lot this year. 20 years ago there wouldn't have been a single footprint.
I think I'll wait till fall to fish it again.

 

[ryguyfi]

That first stream fishes it's best when the water is up quite a bit. I think I fished it once this year and took a buddy of mine. We got 2 fish but farther up past the more productive water. It was a perplexing day, but that stream does that to you.


Nice day out. I need to go do one of those stream hopping days but can't even get out to fish one.

 

[pro4mance]

Ryan we need to do a mini western Pa stream jam

 

[greenghost]

bikerfish wrote:
yep, that was Bill and I, you should have said something! we didn't do too good either, lots of other boot prints up in there, creeks been getting fished a lot this year. 20 years ago there wouldn't have been a single footprint.
I think I'll wait till fall to fish it again.

I'm pretty sure I know what stream you guys were on, and yes bikerfish, 20 years ago that creek was a well-kept secret. Locals knew about it and shared the information very sparingly. Then the PFBC natural reproduction list became easily available and the rest, as they say, is history. It wouldn't be so crowded if there were other waters around that supported trout year round. Personally, I've only fished it a couple times... just not my cup of tea I guess.

 

[streamerguy]

dryflyguy & bikerfish- As we were walking back down I was kinda wondering if you guys were on the site or not. Well, nice to unofficially meet you! I've fished behind others who high-holed me on small streams before and know what it feels like, so I figured I'd ask which way you guys were fishing. Wouldn't want it to happen to me. I usually only fish that stream maybe 3 times a year at the most but that's only the second time I've seen other fishermen there. The first time I saw a person fishing way up by the upper parking lot. Not counting the extreme upper stretch, I do still see a good amount of footprints every time I've been there and I'd imagine a lot are from fishermen. It does sadly get pounded, but I can see why for the reasons greenghost mentioned. I've always wanted to check out that other nearby stream, but I've heard it has an appropriate name.

ryguyfi- Yep. I never did all that good when it's at an average-low flow, but whenever it's high and muddy it's better And that's when the big ones come out to play. The second small stream I fished also gets a boatload of pressure and the fish there are super spooky and picky whenever it's low and clear. Bass, trout, everything. The bass are usually pickier than the trout. But whenever it's up it can come to life.

 

[MrMustard]

Looks like some nice fish for that stream. I've gone O'fer the 2 times I have checked it out. Pretty stream though.

 

[bikerfish]

glad we got to fish it this past weekend, we just got about 3 or 4 inches of rain in about 45 minutes, I bet that creek was raging!
not to mention the tornado that was spinning around that area!

 

[PennKev]

streamerguy wrote:
I've always wanted to check out that other nearby stream, but I've heard it has an appropriate name.

The bottom is easy to access but there is a high falls very close to the mouth, then above the falls is all shallow over flat bedrock for quite a long ways. I think the more promising water is at least halfway up the creek but there is no access. The only convenient road is heavily posted right where it crosses.

I've tried it a few times. Got skunked. Skunked I say! Skunked, skunked, skunked, skunked!

Skunked!

Oops.


There are several other streams that hold wild trout within 20-45min though. Wild trout are where you find them.

Kev

 

[bikerfish]

I too have had the skunk!! yep, after the falls, it's terrible looking water for a long ways.
I think it must of had one trout in it about 30 years ago when it was surveyed, and some idiot proclaimed it a wild trout stream! hell, I've never seen a minnow in it, yet alone a trout.

 

[streamerguy]

glad we got to fish it this past weekend, we just got about 3 or 4 inches of rain in about 45 minutes, I bet that creek was raging!
not to mention the tornado that was spinning around that area!

That area sure would have been dangerous to be in this afternoon/evening. Not like it isn't already dangerous enough.


I still may check out that smelly stream next time I'm down there just for the heck of it. I'd be happy with a minnow, but more than likely I'll catch the skunk ;-)

 

[David]

Well, geez... Where the hell were you? Looks like it'd be a devil getting around there.

Always fun to run into board members... Even if you realize it after the fact! Streamer, you would have done well to tag along with those two. A wealth of knowledge!

 

[streamerguy]

I've always wondered how many board members I've ran into/chatted with on the water and didn't know it, but hell I didn't think I'd ever run into any on that devilish little stream.

Need to make one of the Jams one of these days and put some faces with screen names. I've fished with a few on this forum along with some other sites but it's always nice to meet new people.