Clarks Creek, Dauphin Co. 7/9/2017

[Biggie]

Well, I ventured down to Clarks FFO section. It has been 3 years since I fished Clarks. It will most likely be a while before I fish it again. The water is very low, but cold. Didn't take a temp., but as usual it was plenty cold. However, this section is full of downed trees across the creek. There are plenty of fish, but they are in the holes with brush piles. Saw a few risers to no see ums. Managed to catch one brookie on top with an adams. And brought a few brookies to had with a black bunny leach by drifting it into the brush piles. This stream used to be great fly fishing, but with all the trees/brush piles, you have to walk pile to pile. I will give the open water a look later in the month to see if it is any better..

 

[krayfish2]

Unfortunately, that stream is severely degraded. If you fished it in 1982 and fished it today, you wouldn't believe it's the same place. High water events have caused many bank issues. Without some restoration, it will continue to worsen. I live 2 minutes from it and have fished it three times in 9 years. Very sad because it's such nice surroundings.

 

[riverwhy]

I fished the area a bit upstream from the fly area. I parked along the road and fished down to a parking area (on the stream side) that I passed by in my drive by because there was a car in it. Not sure if that was the upstream part of fly stretch or just close. Swung wooly buggers just after the last decent rain. Creek was up and a bit off colored the only time I have fished it under such conditions. Did not get a hit. As I was climbing the hill to come out at the parking lot a very loud gunshot went off close to me. I called out and nobody responded. Walked out and saw an additional car there, some little modified job with tinted windows.
I couldn't really tell how the water was as the levels were pretty high but I certainly was surprised that I couldn't buy a strike. I had fished that stretch before because I remembered a really long pool there that held fish a couple years ago. I saw a few brush piles but not a ton.
Decided to drive over the mountain toward Carsonville and checked out streams there which turned out to be two branches of Powells. Branch closest to the Mountain (South) looked decent with nice gradient but water was very high. Other was slower with more houses/cabins along. Ton of posted signs everywhere. Really did not seem to be a very welcoming place.

 

[wjkosmer]

" As I was climbing the hill to come out at the parking lot a very loud gunshot went off close to me."

There is a gun range right across the road from that parking lot.

 

[riverwhy]

This was not up that far and I am sure the shot wason the stream side. The gun range is on the other side and closer to the dam.

 

[Biggie]

If you fished upstream of the FFO section, then you were upstream from the gun range. The FFO section's upper line is at the gun range parking lot. That section from the parking lot upstream a few hundred yards gets hammered in the spring.

 

[riverwhy]

Thanks, my memory failed me! Still the shot was along the stream. The gun range is on the other side of the highway, correct?
I believe you it gets hammered. Many beer cans on the stream bank.