Clark's Creek, Dauphin County, 8/8/11

salmo

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 24, 2009
Messages
2,700
City
South Jersey
Fished the FFO stretch of Clark's Monday afternoon (8-8-11). The weather was clear, air temps in the High 80's. The water was clear and very low. In fact the water was the lowest I have ever experienced. The water temps were about 64 all afternoon. I fished for about four hours. I had the stream mostly to my self for a good part of the afternoon. Most of the action I had was on a size 16 elk hair caddis with a brown body. I landed 5 and missed about 6 more. Took one wild brown on a bead head pheasant tail. Most of the fish were under 10 inches. Took a stocked brookie over 11 inches. I was pretty pumped until I saw the chewed up tail letting me know it was born in a concrete run. It was a pretty nice day for me.

Salmo
 
I am suprised it was low and clear Monday after approx. 5" of rain in the watershed Saurday night into early Sunday morning.
 
Was certainly not low today. All that rain got it to juuuust above normal flow. I hit the Appalachian Trail section and was struggling to find the fish. There might have been a few rises, but with the rain drops they blended in quite well. I hooked into a beautifully colored 11 inch brookie as well as a young brown, but no other bites, hooks, or even rises. Simply an odd time between rains, I'd gather.

I hit 2 or 3 spots on the way up there, but no evidence of fish activity so I didn't stay long.

They were taken on an Adams. With the little action I couldn't tell if they were tuned into anything else. No interest in nymphs (!)
 
Visited Clarks Sunday evening in the lower stretches, very full & muddy, so to read a report dated monday August 8 stating low water seems odd.
 
Might try to fish it today after work
 
I was there on Monday and started fishing around 1:00 PM. I fished the FFO section beginning at the barn. The water was indeed low and clear. There was little evidence that it had rained over the weekend.

Salmo
 
Clarks is fairly long and with the localized thunderstorms, it would be possible to have a muddy section down towards the river and no storms 5 miles or more upstream so you would still have low and clear conditions.
 
I was there today and from the gun range down it is LOW but cold. Very hard to fool them. Managed to fool one in 3 hours.
 
The lower stretches were/are very different from the stretches that come directly out of the dam. It cleared up significantly the further up you venture
 
When I fished it on Monday, the fish were very wary. If you turned a fish, it was one and done. If another fisherman was ahead of you, the fish were all put down.

Salmo
 
I fished the C&R section Sunday Morning with some friends starting at the lower boundry on Sunday Morning. I expected it to be blown out but thought it was worth checking out.

I was supprised that the conditions were great. The forest cover must have really soaked up the rain. Water was just off color with about 2 ft. of visibility which helped in approaching fish.

We actually spot and stalked several fish in the long flat sections with good success.

SHOCK
 
Glad to hear it just suprising!
 
Back
Top