Conewago FFO C&R, Adams county, 3/12/2012

[1wt]

I fished the Conewago today from 3pm until 7:30pm. Warm, cloudy, and even a sprinkle of rain....... absolutely perfect!! It was stocked a couple days ago, Saturday. The trout are packed in that little creek! Spread out pretty good.... a dozen or more in every pool.
I only saw one other guy fishing. He said he caught 6 on nymphs under a strike indicator.
I managed 6 nice rainbows, 5 browns, and 1 huge brook trout! I see on the internet that they only stocked bows and browns...... but I took several pix and this was a big stockie brook trout. It didn't look like a wild brookie? No yellow at all?
I caught one bow on a tan caddis dry, but all the rest on a size 14 tungsten micro bugger.
Same thing when they stocked Muddy and Breeches on Valentines Day..... the first week the stockies would smack a big black woolybugger with gusto. But a couple weeks later, I had to downsize to nymphs size 20.
The water was clear and a bit low. I didn't have a thermometer, but the creek felt about 51.642 degrees F? I can judge pretty close when I put my finger in the cold water!
I saw several rises and there were lots of midges and even a few Caddis. A few BWO's about 18 and some small stoneflies.
With this warm week approaching and spring in a week, I'm going to start dry fly only in these local creeks.
I've been tying a few Griffith Gnats and some killer elk hair caddis! I think I'll tie a Royal Coachman for old times sake! LOL

I hope the Mayfly hatch comes early this year.

Longrods Forever,
1 wt

(no pix, they still don't work)

 

[PaulG]

1wt

Thanks for the report, I planned on going there either today or tomorrow.

PaulG

 

[m0nk]

Good info, I kinda had a feeling it would be an early "dry fly" year so I've been tying quite a few elk hair caddis as well.

I haven't been down to the Conewago in a while (lived down in GB for several years, but now I'm in Camp Hill), but it sounds like it's time to go back.

 

[1wt]

I planned on going there either today or tomorrow.

PaulG

It should be great fishing, Paul.

Most park in the bowling alley lot on Rt 34 and walk downstream. If you feel like a good walk, and you pack a "heater"? then downstream a mile near the other bridge and walk through the woods and upstream to pristine trout fishing!
I saw a small beaver there at twilight, he almost bumped into me ...... and I'm pretty sure I saw a werewolf following me after it got dark? ...... and I didn't bring any silver bullets!!

 

[Fishidiot]

1wt wrote:

Most park in the bowling alley lot on Rt 34 and walk downstream. If you feel like a good walk, and you pack a "heater"? then downstream a mile near the other bridge and walk through the woods and upstream to pristine trout fishing!

Huh?
Don't walk downstream from the bowling alley parking lot as this is the lower FFO section and the 34 bridge is the boundary - below that is ATW and currently closed. Fish upstream from the bowling alley parking lot and you will be in the FFO.
Are you implying you need a firearm?
This is ridiculous. I've fished this stream since I was a little kid and my parents would drop me off to fish alone.

 

[joebamboo]

Rode by the Bowling Alley lot this morning, it was packed! I guess the word is out. Probably need to wait til the truck following flyfishers get tired before even trying to fish it.

 

[1wt]

below that is ATW and currently closed. Fish upstream from the bowling alley parking lot and you will be in the FFO.

My bad...... I meant upstream from the parking lot, and downstream from the bridge a mile away!

I shouldn't have posted this report...... if the word is out and the bowling alley lot is full with fly fishermen trucks? or maybe they were bowling?

Internet power...... also called spot burning!

I'll have to keep my mouth shut!

 

[Fishidiot]

1WT,
You're welcome to post stream reports - use whatever discretion you think best.

This stream is almost always crowded after the preseason stocking. The local folks who help float stock this section enjoy fishing it too. This is the only stocked stream open to public fishing in Adams Co during the closed season so it always gets hammered in March (even though it's rarely mentioned on this site). This has been the case since long before the internet. You can worry about it if you want but take it from a local boy who has been fishing this creek since the 70s.... It's always been crowded in March.

 

[Weible1]

Since I actually live and grew up in Biglerville I know all about this. I am not surprised by the large number of people fishing the small section. I know the bowling alley isn't that busy that's for sure lol. I plan on fishing it tomorrow afternoon-evening, and pretty much all weekend. If anyone would like a fishing buddy feel free to send me a PM. Good chance my girlfriend will tag along with her camera, so you will probably get some good pictures taken!