tomgamber
Well-known member
For the life of me i don't know why I don't fish the yough more.
Yough River - Wild Trout?
- Thread starter LetortAngler
- Start date
Not saying you're wrong, but what obviously makes you think the brown is stocked? If you said it was wild I wouldn't have second guessed it. I've seen worse looking fish claimed to be wild, but think it gets harder to tell as browns get bigger.
Broodstock
Well-known member
I ask myself the same question. Without a boat, the wade fishing options there are limited and highly related to flows. I like taking my bike out and finding spots.
dudemanspecial
Well-known member
On top of that, for me (and you pretty much) it's essentially the same drive as going east to where there are wild fish and better insect activity, so it's an easy choice for me. If I was a floater though I would definitely spend more time there but I pretty much exclusively wade fish.
Gamber is a little closer than you or I so it would make a little more sense from his location.
My profile pic was taken by @albatross on the Yough last summer.
Broodstock
Well-known member
Seems like we need to organize a float trip sometime.
tomgamber
Well-known member
They tried that. Jack almost went to jail.. 🤣
Cougarbaby
Well-known member
Cougarbaby
Well-known member
Not my fish but a friends
JSky
Active member
It’s a water chemistry thing,
lycoflyfisher
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 15, 2014
- Messages
- 1,719
Water chemistry and theres not exactly ample spawning habitat in the yough. With all of the huge boulders, water falls and high gradient features passage into the tribs with spawning habitat isn't a gaurantee.
Oregon_OwlII
Well-known member
If that discharge is 80 degrees for several days in a row, unless the fish seek refuge, you are looking at damage to sexual organs at the very least. That could seriously hurt reproduction.
dryflyguy
Well-known member
I’ve never seen it get that warm
But it usually does reach 70 by early sept.
Which BTW, also happens to the big central pa limestoners over a hot summer
I've seen the Yough very warm at the bridge just above Ohiopyle. I don't recall the exact temperature but it was at least 80F.
This was some years ago, probably 1990s. I don't know if they've made changes in their flow regime. But they used to release very cold water through much of the summer, then in late summer they'd run out of cold water, and release warm water.
The common explanation among fishermen was that they did not have the right equipment to mix water from different levels the way they do at many other dams.
This was some years ago, probably 1990s. I don't know if they've made changes in their flow regime. But they used to release very cold water through much of the summer, then in late summer they'd run out of cold water, and release warm water.
The common explanation among fishermen was that they did not have the right equipment to mix water from different levels the way they do at many other dams.
dryflyguy
Well-known member
That's at least 10 miles downstream of the dam
I'm talking about the area immediately below the discharge around confluence
dryflyguy
Well-known member
Couple of good reasons to fish the Yough IMO -
During a typically hot summer, there aren't many options for trout fishing around here.
I can still go to the Yough and find fish rising in fifti - ish degree water pretty much all summer
And for me, if I can only fish for a day, its a closer choice
Beats driving 2-3 hours - each way - when I can be on it in an hour.
During a typically hot summer, there aren't many options for trout fishing around here.
I can still go to the Yough and find fish rising in fifti - ish degree water pretty much all summer
And for me, if I can only fish for a day, its a closer choice
Beats driving 2-3 hours - each way - when I can be on it in an hour.
albatross
Well-known member
Once a trout has over-wintered, even if originally stocked as a fingerling or larger, it has acquired the skills of a wild trout. I don't think holdover fish deserve the same derision as fresh stockies.
I don't believe there is significant breeding of wild browns or rainbow in the Yough watershed, but the way its being managed with fingerling and adult stocking makes it a pretty special fishery.
I don't believe there is significant breeding of wild browns or rainbow in the Yough watershed, but the way its being managed with fingerling and adult stocking makes it a pretty special fishery.
dryflyguy
Well-known member
BTW - and back to this threads title subject - I have a caught a few wild brook trout im the river between the dam and Ohiopyle.
With a few class A tribs feeding in that stretch, pretty obvious where they came from
With a few class A tribs feeding in that stretch, pretty obvious where they came from
Broodstock
Well-known member
Revisiting and rereading this thread, since I have been thinking more about the river given some of the unique flooding events this year. The initial question was comparing the yough to other famous tailwater fisheries that support wild reproduction of trout. The yough does support wild reproduction of trout, and is well documented - in Maryland
The yough has not one, but two different bottom release dams in the watershed that both contribute cold water to the river. The Deep Creek Dam is regulated to maintain lake levels, provide some cool water to the river, and to generate electricity. (Source-page 92) and the section of the yough between McHenry and Friendsville does have trout, and some wild fish.
In PA, the Yough River Dam also has multiple stakeholders, but as it is a USACE facility - flood control, river levels and power generation are the primary missions. Management of the cold pool in yough lake is not done to preserve cold water and provide better water quality for trout, sadly. It is managed for flood prevention, and whitewater recreation.
I would like to imagine a reality where cold water could be provided with better release management, similar to how the NBP and Savage are managed, both have whitewater stakeholders and flood prevention needs, and I fail to understand the economics of why this is not possible.
All that said - the yough is a fantastic fishery. You can catch wild native brook trout in the headwaters and tribs, browns and bows in MD and trophy class browns and bows in PA. You can also find 20" smallmouth, 40"+ musky and it holds the state record walleye in PA. It also hosts a variety of drum, sucker, carp, buffalo and other native warm water species - all of those are wild fish.
The yough has not one, but two different bottom release dams in the watershed that both contribute cold water to the river. The Deep Creek Dam is regulated to maintain lake levels, provide some cool water to the river, and to generate electricity. (Source-page 92) and the section of the yough between McHenry and Friendsville does have trout, and some wild fish.
In PA, the Yough River Dam also has multiple stakeholders, but as it is a USACE facility - flood control, river levels and power generation are the primary missions. Management of the cold pool in yough lake is not done to preserve cold water and provide better water quality for trout, sadly. It is managed for flood prevention, and whitewater recreation.
I would like to imagine a reality where cold water could be provided with better release management, similar to how the NBP and Savage are managed, both have whitewater stakeholders and flood prevention needs, and I fail to understand the economics of why this is not possible.
All that said - the yough is a fantastic fishery. You can catch wild native brook trout in the headwaters and tribs, browns and bows in MD and trophy class browns and bows in PA. You can also find 20" smallmouth, 40"+ musky and it holds the state record walleye in PA. It also hosts a variety of drum, sucker, carp, buffalo and other native warm water species - all of those are wild fish.
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