SE Region Brook Trout

[HopBack]

I had off on Friday and I was able to sneak out for a bit and fish a local little blue line. Most of the streams in the area have nice populations of wild brown trout however this one in particular yields a surprising population comprised solely of brook trout. Most people would agree that this is an extremely rare
find in the SE. For those unfamiliar with the area, there are a handful of known brook trout streams but most are either mixed brooks and browns or have been greatly diminished due to habitat loss and water quality issues. I have only fished this stream a few times but had seen enough to know that it not only contains a solid number of brook trout but uncommonly large brook trout as well.


I tried to hit the trail early to avoid the impending rain but it started almost as soon as I got out of my car. (It never really
stopped until I finished.) I was worried that the day would be a bust however when I arrived at first hole I saw a fair number
of BWO's and little black stone fly's buzzing around. A little hope! I tried tossing dries in the first couple of plunge pools with little success. I had been fishing for a while and at this point I noticed that the water had changed from crystal clear to a cloudy green color. I opted to go sub-surface with a blue and black crystal flash micro bugger. I started tying flies in December and this was the first fly I ever tied. Nothing very technical about this fly but it is very buggy. I tossed the fly into one of the largest pools on the streams and made a terrible cast. The fly smacked the water and the fly line got tangle in a tree and my heart sank. I thought that I had just screwed up my only chance to land any hungry fish in the pool. Fortunately for me the fish didn't appear to care about my poor technique and I connected with a fat 10" brookie. It wasn't the prettiest fish or the biggest brookie I caught out of this stream but definitely on of the heftiest brook trout I have ever caught. After I released the fish I proceeded to catch 3 more impressive brook trout from the same hole. Each of them were very unique but much thinner than the first fish. I have typically only seen 1 fish per hole in the past and they have all been very healthy. It was pretty clear who the pool boss was here she wasn't sharing the food. I wonder why the others didn't move downstream seeking there own holding lay's or move to a different spot in the pool? After that hole I figured I really couldn't do much better so I took the time to explore the upper reaches of the stream and to snap a few pictures before I was completely soaked.


On my way out I couldn't help but think if anyone else knew about or appreciated this place. I'm sure many people have seen the waterfalls and boulders but do they know what beauty lay's beneath the water? How many more places are there like this one and how long will they remain pristine and unspoiled. These are the types of questions that keep me going and searching for new and unique places to fly fish.

 

[mikesl]

Great report, good inspiration!

 

[laurelrun]

Keep that fly!

 

[Berks]

Nice stream, nice fish, nice fly.

Fun to see some net-worthy brookies in the SE.

 

[HopBack]

Thanks MikeS, Thanks Berks -

Net-worthy brookies does sound a little funny. I elected to use the net on these larger ones because it does take a second longer to bring them in and wanted to put as little stress on them as possible when taking pictures. Happy to say they all took off like rockets when released!

Laurel-

I never thought about keeping my first fly but I may have to retire this one while it's still in one piece!

 

[Chaz]

That's a good brookie from a freestone stream anywhere in PA, beautiful stream and fish.

 

[djs12354]

Enjoyed the post and pictures. Thanks for sharing.

 

[klingy]

Looks like they were down deep. Nice pics! Looking forward to when they really start looking up this summer!

 

[HopBack]

Thanks, should be a lot of fun!

 

[boychick]

nice report and great pics, thanks for sharing. congrats on a great on outing.

 

[StreamBottom]

Just knowing that sweet little Brookie jem exists in SEPA is all that matters.
thanks for taking us along.

 

[Swattie87]

StreamBottom meant “gem” right? I just don’t wanna confuse the folks at Webster.

Great post Hopback, and that’s a whopper of a Brookie. All of my 10”+ Brookies have been very similar…dark slate backs with pale bellies. I suspect this is because they’ve all been females. Although they lack the bright orange/red belly, I think they’re pretty cool looking in their own right. From the context clues and pictures, I suspect I know the general area and the stream in particular. I’ve never fished the stream, although I’ve fished many of the Brown streams in its vicinity. The Brookie one just made the “short” list.

 

[Chaz]

Swattie87 wrote:
StreamBottom meant “gem” right? I just don’t wanna confuse the folks at Webster.

Great post Hopback, and that’s a whopper of a Brookie. All of my 10”+ Brookies have been very similar…dark slate backs with pale bellies. I suspect this is because they’ve all been females. Although they lack the bright orange/red belly, I think they’re pretty cool looking in their own right. From the context clues and pictures, I suspect I know the general area and the stream in particular. I’ve never fished the stream, although I’ve fished many of the Brown streams in its vicinity. The Brookie one just made the “short” list.

I took another look and I believe the big brookie is a male, a lot of times bigger brookies are taking other fish, so lack color early in the season and right up until spawning don't have bright colors.

 

[StreamBottom]

Swattie87 wrote:
StreamBottom meant “gem” right? I just don’t wanna confuse the folks at Webster.

possibly, I may of had to many jrinks

 

[Alnitak]

That stream is most definitely a rare gem in the area and it does hold some big brookies, but so do all of the brookie streams I've fished, if you know where to look for them and how to fish for them. Deep, even in the summer.

I caught the same hen on March 21; she measured out to 10.5" with the tape. There was also a 12" one in that pool but I didn't get a picture as the camera lens got fogged up.

There is a waterfall that keeps the browns from getting up into the best brookie water. There are plenty of them down in that lower part and few brookies down there.

BTW the biggest brookie I've caught in that stream was over 13" and quite the beast. What's baffling to me is why several nearby streams do not have brook trout, and some have very few browns as well. I love fishing that stream...its so peaceful and beautiful that I don't even need to catch more than one brookie to just soak it all in.

Jeff

 

[Mike]

A number of those streams have Ag in their headwaters. It may be that they used to or still do get too warm for brook trout, but not for Browns. Another possibility is that the limited spawning habitat in some was subject to sedimentation at one time that was unfavorable for brooks, but still usable by Browns. Finally, much or all of the slopes may have been logged at one time, exposing those streams to considerable heat and sedimentation. As conditions improved over time following the logging, Browns may have been favored by the then marginal conditions or may have been the first to recolonize. The streams all suffer from extremely low summer flows during most summers, which contributes to heat vulnerability. Just speculating along with a touch of logic and a dose of experience.

 

[BrooksAndHooks]

I get to see these once on IG and once on here. Lucky me. That stream looks awesome man.

 

[Alnitak]

Mike, I agree but I'm referring to some streams that as near as I can tell have remained forested for a very long time and have the same or less ag in the headwaters as this one. Same geology.

I got so focused on this I actually researched and found old maps going back to the early 1800's to try and see what type of land use was in place historically.

I suppose even a limited period of deforestation if properly timed--say when there was a heat wave and then some heavy siltation to wipe out breeding--could have been enough even as a one time event. Two of the streams I am thinking of are in very steep gorges where its unsuitable for ag or even grazing, and logging was no doubt even a challenge. That said, they both also have barriers in place in terms of large falls that if the trout were wiped out, would have prevented their return. Of course, so does the stream that these brookies are on. Hmmm.

Jeff

 

[Mike]

Jeff,
Regarding the other similar streams, given the gradient, falls, bedrock slides, etc, I am not sure how the browns got into them either, unless through stocking (PFBC or private in some cases). It would be easier to go down than swim up, so headwaters stocking would have been the most likely mechanism.

 

[sarce]

Wow, awesome looking stream! I'm stumped on the location, it looks really similar to a few I know but it's definitely not any of them. Heck of a find!

I've also turned up some big brookies in the SE, never caught a 12"+ but came really close last May with an 11.5". They do not come easy- conditions have to be just right and even then all of the 10-11" brookies have come on nymphs or streamers for me. Always find them in streams with geology that looks pretty similar to what's in the OP photos. Other geology in the SE is less conducive to big pools that big brookies need.