Cool Spring Creek, Mercer Co. 12/18/12

[fishingnoob]

Work has been really slow so I had another day off, which is really y cause I just spent a crapload on xmas gifts and funds are tight. That being said, a crappy day off work can turn into an awesome day on the water...decided to brave the elements and head to cool spring from around 11:30 to 2:30. Didn't expect much with the sleet/ freezing rain which is why I also stayed close to home. However around 1:00 the clouds started to disperse, sun started to shine, and thats when the bites started. Slung 3 tandem flys, (a pink crystal meth, purple san juan, and cream glow bug) and got my first and second rainbow halfway downstream between the big rock hole and the ripples. Firsrt was a 14-15 inch pregnant female that took the san juan. The second was about a 13-14 inch taking the cream glo bug. Since the weather was crummy I left my phone in the car, but ran back to get it once I saw my 3rd catch; my first ever native brown. About 10 inches or so as seen in the picture taking the cream glo bug. Went back to the same spot and got another, smaller as you can see, also taking the glo bug. I was fortunate to get a nice day on the water, but I hope I get some work for the rest of the week. :-?

 

[streamerguy]

Nice report, and congrats on your first browns! I have a feeling those browns are from the TU stockings(if they stocked this fall??). The PFBC does stock browns in the spring, but sometimes not in the fall. Sometimes they do though. At least I didn't get any this fall in CSC or Neshannock.

I highly doubt they are wild though, and certainly not native lol. It's ok, lots of people make that mistake and everyone jokes around on here when someone calls them "native". Browns are only native to Europe, but they have been introduced into the US and there are plenty wild naturally reproducing populations. Only brookies(and lakers?) are native to PA.

 

[fishingnoob]

haha my bad....guess i really meant to say wild...in which being that like you said PFBC supposedly isn't stocking browns till spring....either way I was really happy to get these guys

 

[streamerguy]

No worries, lots of people say that when they first start out fishing for trout including myself.

There are some streams on the natural reproduction list in that watershed, but I still highly doubt you would ever catch a wild trout in there, let alone two. Two years ago the PFBC supposedly only stocked bows in the fall in Neshannock but I caught quite a few browns and I know they weren't leftovers from the spring stockings. The local TU chapter does stock both streams with smaller browns that do tend to look more wild than the PFBC fish. I believe TU does stock both in the fall and the spring most years(someone correct me if I'm wrong) and they raise only browns.

 

[dc410]

I agree with streamerguy that they are definitely stocked fish. Interesting how the picture of the first brownie does show a bit of a faint blue spot behind the eye (that is usually prominant on wild fish). Maybe it's just the light or angle of the photo. The dorsal fin (first photo) and the bottom of the tail (second photo) are telltale signs of hatchery raised fish. Congrats on a good day fishing and some nice fish brought to hand.

 

[bikerfish]

cool spring is all hatchery fish, not much chance of natural repoduction, in fact, some years the fish won't even last throught the summer, stream temps get too warm for trout.
neshannock TU stocks brownies throughout the year from the munnell run nursery.

 

[bikerfish]

BUT, there is a trip that has wild browns in it.

 

[streamerguy]

bikerfish, have you ever fished that trib? I fished one of the tribs in the watershed thats on the list but came up empty handed. Don't know how good the population is though. Just wondering if you ever had any luck. Pm is fine....

And thanks for clarifying about the TU stockings. I knew they stocked in either the fall or spring, but couldn't remember if it was both or not.

 

[bikerfish]

can't remember the name of the trib, I'll have to look it up. I've got a couple out of it, nothing too exciting. the TU chapter will put fish in there at different times of the year, whenever they have to clean out the hatchery to make room for the next batch of fish. I always run into some of the members when I fish there and get the latest updates.

 

[streamerguy]

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