2013 - Some Great Trout Fishing

[csoult]

tulenkot wrote:
I fish Slate Run every year in late may and early June. This year there seems to be alot more trout, especially small trout and they are holding in places where I haven't seen them hold in 6 or 7 years. So on that note, I agree that wild trout may be rebounding. It could be a year class thing I suppose, but I feel its improving after feeling like it was declining over the last 5-10 years. I've seen it on other streams too but felg that Slate was a good example of a wild freestoner.

This is certainly good news.

 

[DGC]

PFBC surveyed Slate late last summer. Official results not out as yet, but informal internet commentary said brook trout took a nose dive but small browns were abundant.

 

[Chaz]

On Monday I had the best day of the year so far, but none have been spectacular, Sunday was not especially good, 2 streams with the same name, 2 very different experiences.

 

[DavidFin]

I've caught my biggest Brookie and Brown to date this year.

I agree, the fishing has been awesome this year, and the woods as well. Saw a bear, a mink, and a hawk carrying a snake in its beak the other day, and today a completed flattened copperhead in the road.

 

[bearfisherman]

I have to say that the trout fishing seems to be getting better lately, even with stockies. In the last week, I have fished Elk, Jefferson, Cambria, and Armstrong Counties and have found large numbers of very hungry stockies and natives. Hopefully the next week of temps in the upper 80's doesn't end the stockie run...

 

[afishinado]

Great to hear good reports in Western PA. Spring is just about over and overall, throughout the State, trout fishing has been very good for most anglers.

It would be great if this summer the warmwater fishing ends up being good or even better than the last few seasons. Especially with the smallies in the East. One can only hope.

 

[BradFromPotter]

This year has also been my best in several years. Was out on the West Branch this morning & the flows are great with a temp of 50 degrees! Caught a few.

 

[PASKIINGSUCKS]

I've had a fantastic spring. Granted this is my first year seriously fishing for trout with the fly rod and I dont' get around much, but what I have been fishing has been good to me. No trophys but before this year I had only ever caught one trout on the fly. This year I'm well up toward 50 or 60, I don't really keep count though as getting out is more important than catching if ya ask me. Not getting skunked does feel good though and I've only been skunked once this year so far.

Nice think hatches here in the Perk Valley too. Like I said I never paid a ton of attention before, but there were certainly times this year where I breathed in a sulfur or two while on the creek they were so thick.

As a newbie I'd like to ask what ya all mean by it's over and talk like that. I've also seen a few on here mention it's unethical to fish for trout all summer or dangerous to the fish rather if it's too warm. How does everyone feel about this?? Do you not target trout once the water warms up or do they just not bite or do you hunt down colder water or what?? Help a greenhorn understand please.

 

[Foxgap239]

PASKIINGSUCKS wrote:
As a newbie I'd like to ask what ya all mean by it's over and talk like that. I've also seen a few on here mention it's unethical to fish for trout all summer or dangerous to the fish rather if it's too warm. How does everyone feel about this?? Do you not target trout once the water warms up or do they just not bite or do you hunt down colder water or what?? Help a greenhorn understand please.

As water temp goes up dissolved oxygen levels in the water diminish. Trout need oxygen to recover from a fight once hooked. Ergo, reduced oxygen hurts the ability of the fish to recover from being caught and can be lethal. You will get mixed opinions on this here on PAFF but the vast majority favor not fishing for trout until water temps come doen again in the fall.

 

[krayfish]

The water temp has to have a 6 as the first number. If not grab a six and head to the golf course.

 

[Foxgap239]

krayfish wrote:
The water temp has to have a 6 as the first number. If not grab a six and head to the golf course.

Most mountain brookie streams never get higher then the low 60's, so that's my target during the summer.

 

[afishinado]

krayfish wrote:
The water temp has to have a 6 as the first number. If not grab a six [d]and head to the golf course[/d] weight and head to the river for smallies.

half right.

 

[bearfisherman]

This is also the time of year to catch and keep - many of waters here in the west just won't hold trout all year. Great time to keep a few stockies for the grill or smoker.

 

[Foxgap239]

afishinado wrote:

krayfish wrote:
The water temp has to have a 6 as the first number. If not grab a six [d]and head to the golf course[/d] weight and head to the river for smallies.

half right.

Dotman took me out last year for my first smallie day with a fly rod. Had a blast. He even let me catch one on his Boo! DD is threatening to drag me along with him this year, but I think drowning me qualifies as an alterior motive! :-o

 

[krayfish]

I forgot all about smallies. Probably give it a shot or two this summer.... I probably should since it takes me less than 1 minute to pull out of my driveway and be parked on the banks of the Susky.

The nephew has asked several times but I told him it's got to come down a good bit before I'll take him wade fishing.

 

[PASKIINGSUCKS]

yea waters warmin up a bunch already, saw a ton of floaters on the perky already.......

Ok ok that might not be the perky.

 

[MD_Gene]

I must be old but do no know what "ww" nor "fi" mean in this thread. I checked the web but could not find the translation.
Thanks in advance.

 

[salmonoid]

WW = warm water
FI = Fishidiot

 

[Fishidiot]

Thought I'd refresh this thread and see what folks think now that we're well into autumn.

My general impression is that trout fishing continued to be pretty darn good if not excellent. Lots of PAFF guys have been out all summer and fall and seem to be reporting good sized wild brooks and browns. I'm not hearing as much about hatches but that's probably just due to the season. The small, wild trout streams on South Mountain, esp on the MD side, treated me pretty good last month.
I'd reiterate my thoughts from the OP......wild trout seem to be doing very well, generally speaking, across central PA. The CV limestoners are just packed with wild trout and, I think, the ideal weather conditions this year have produced some very good freestone wild trout fishing in my neck of the woods.

I think, when it comes to trout fishing in PA, the "good ole days are now." And this has been a particularly good year.
Further thoughts? If you commented on this thread in June, did that experience hold up the last few months?

 

[pcray1231]

Well, my fishing has been more a reflection of where I am in my life, rather than how the streams themselves fish.

My year was both epic and dissapointing. I mean, I had a few really spectacular outings in spectacular locations. But overall, I didn't get out much. What I have is a situation where I can fish less often than I like, with family obligations and the like. But when I do fish, then I then have the motivation, approval from family, vacation time, and $$$ to make it really count. And I have done that.

There were some outings to local streams before things began to warm up much. And that was cool, but just cool. Valley, a local freestoner or two, an early outing to a new brookie stream (which wasn't bad at all for the season), and even hit Spring Creek for the BWO's (which dissapointed but was still fun).

But that was all just "normal". Things really picked up with the jam. We had an epic half week or so. Spring, Penns, brookie streams (including a few new ones). All fished very well. Every day of the trip was excellent fishing. I remember one evening where I was in the mid-20's on Spring Creek, after a day full of catching brookies. There were numbers, a few with size, just anything you can ask for. Plus good company, food, drink, and perfect weather. I remember thinking "it just doesn't get any better."

Followed by the newbie brush up day, where Swattie and I grabbed a newbie, and after a little prospecting for a new spot (which is always fun in it's own way), landed at an old favorite stream and did really well to big lumpy brookies while cicadas flew about.

That was followed by 2 other epic brookie adventures, 1 on a new stream. Both were highly successful trips.

Then my thoughts turned to the salt. An off-shore trip off of Hatteras where lots of wahoo's and a few sailfish were brought to the boat. Lots of fun, change of pace, and we're still eating really good fish.

Then another brookie trip or two, and learning a couple of new streams, before the latest trip to steelhead country. Steelhead is something I don't do as much anymore. I try, but don't always succeed at making 1 good weekend now. Well, I succeeded this year. The fishing wasn't spectacular, but multiple fish were brought to hand each day, so it wasn't bad either.

And I got an outing with some old partners as well as a few I haven't fished with before. FD, CSoult, Swattie, etc.

Now, I'm moving to hunting mode, but I might get another fishing outing or two in.