Donegal Creek FFO - Lancaster County - 02.Feb.12

[wgmiller]

I fished the Donegal yesterday from about 11AM-4PM in the FFO stretch (horse barn area and up). Air temps were in the upper 40's and the day was mixed with some sun, but mostly overcast. I didn't check the water temps and the clarity was a bit stained. The flow was about normal for this time of year. There was some midge activity in the afternoon (black and cream), but that shut down rather quickly. I didn't see any risers or surface activity.

Tallying things up, I landed a few rainbows and of course, chubs. I mostly fished a #14 white micro bugger which did really well. A deer hair sculpin pattern also proved successful.

I caught a 6/7" wild rainbow which is a first for me on this stream. I've caught wild browns and I was under the impression those were the only wild fish in the stream, but got proven wrong.

Donegal wild bow


Of note, the electric fence in the upper end of the fly stretch has been repaired after the floods of last year. I noticed that the fence stiles that didn't get washed downstream in the flood have since been cut down. I presume this occurred when the fence was repaired. This information was forwarded to the DFCA president to investigate. You can fish inside the fence up to the first stream crossing, then are dead ended by electric fencing. The same goes for the upper stretch; if you enter from above you will dead end.

The stream is sorely in need of a shot of fish which will be occurring March 8th. Hopefully the poachers/herons/floods stay away this year! :-x

 

[1wt]

Excellent report!
Even though a leap year, this month is a short one. March 8th is right around the corner.
Now I'm all excited about trout with my fly rod! I've been doing horrible in the warm water, Brunner's.
You have motivated me to try a couple trout streams this week.
Thanks so much,
1wt

 

[unforgiven]

Geoff: How dare you!!!!! How dare you!!!!!!! Boooohooooohoooo.

Seriously, good job and great photos.

 

[wgmiller]

I told you they were in there :lol:

Get your rod out there after stocking and have at 'em!

 

[unforgiven]

Geoff: You are correct, sir. Brought 3 to hand today!!! Went from
1 - 4pm. Landed 2 Brookies and 1 brown. Brown was about 10-11", the one Brookie was 9" and the other Brookie was like 6". I FINALLY
CAUGHT TROUT ON THE DUMBEGAL!!!!!!!!! AAAAHHHHHAAAAA!!!!

 

[salmonoid]

Awesome to see a wild rainbow on that stream! Whoduthunk that Lancaster would have wild rainbows? I'd be able to claim a wild triple crown on that stream if I picked up one of those guys..

I wonder if the fence climb over removal was an oversight or a not so subtle suggestion that fishing is no longer welcome in that section? Either way, there are still ways over, under, or around those fences 🙂

Unforgiven: did your brookies appear to be wild?

 

[wgmiller]

I got clarification on the fence stiles. With the repair of the electric fence, now there are insulated handles to open and close the fence to get through. I wouldn't have known that by looking at the fence as I typically keep my distance from them. I imagine a lot of people will be scratching their head when they reach the dead end.

I don't know if any rainbow fingerlings were planted in the headwaters or not. Like many of you, I've fished the stream quite a bit and that's the first wild rainbow I've caught.

 

[DBNymph]

Great looking Wild Bow, congrats!

 

[The_Sasquatch]

You guys gotta take me there and show me around. I only ever fished it once, years ago, and had no luck.

 

[unforgiven]

Sasq: I swear that was probably my 20th time fishing that darn
creek and it's the first time I ever caught anything!!! However, that
was the 1st time I fished that particular section, so now at least I know where to fish!!!! Let me know when you want to hit it and I'll
show you the good spots, I think. I will warn you - I have a tendency
to always fall into the creeks/rivers I fish. One of these days I ain't
going to make it 🙂

Salmon: Brookies looked stocked to me. I mean, all the fish I catch are wild 😉

 

[The_Sasquatch]

Yeah I'll let you know for sure! Maybe we can catch a United match at a pub before hand then hit the stream! We can go to the Bull's Head in Lititz...the owner is a Scouser, right out of Merseyside!

 

[salmonoid]

The_Sasquatch wrote:
You guys gotta take me there and show me around. I only ever fished it once, years ago, and had no luck.

There might be a causal relation between "had no luck" and "fished it once" ;-) I call "Donegal Mini-Jam" this spring!

If people are catching fish now, you should easily be able to pull some out after March 8. Hopefully, they are able to do more with the stocking this year besides dump them in one hole.. Last year, the weather didn't cooperate for much more than doing that, but that has me wondering if it gave the wild fish a better chance at surviving in the rest of the stream?

 

[The_Sasquatch]

I have to admit I was a bit overwhelmed by it because I had NO idea where to go or how to fish it. That was many years ago though. I've learned much since then!

One of these evenings I'm gonna have to go down and give it a try.

 

[iceyguides]

Fished it with my dad on sunday 2/5. Water temp was 44 sometime around 10am. Overcast skies and even some light rain at times. I brought 3 very nice brownies to hand and missed/lost 5. My dad brought 2 nice brownies to hand and missed/lost 3. Streamers worked well for us too. A few years back, i'd say maybe 5 yrs now, we were catching small streambred bows regularly. Spawning conditions must have been favorable for bows that yr or two. The headwaters of the stream remind me a little of big spring (can i say big spring in the stream reports forum?), so i'd imagine bows can do well there.

 

[phillyfly]

Does PFBC clip the adipose on stocked fingerlings? I have seen wild browns in Donegal and believe there could be wild bows as well. The Donegal recieves a fall stocking of rainbow fingerlings but I have never seen one.

 

[phillyfly]

My apoligies..... they are planning on stocking fingerlings this year and did not last year. Nice catch!!

 

[caveman]

I was out there on the 30 th of Jan. Was windy and cold. The last several times I have caught the only the skunk, and a couple chubs. I also noticed the fence stiles were cut up. They were pretty messed up from the flood and may have been beyond repair, and the easiest way to remove them may have been to cut them up. I hope they get fixed up, sucks rolling under the wire.

 

[iceyguides]

Philly, i think the fingerlings will be browns but that could be an assumption. I think yrs ago some sort of egg boxes were placed in the headwaters that contained rainbow eggs. I know some rainbows holdover, so i'd assume they also breed and on ocassion breed successfully. Donegal mini jam eh? I'd be in.

 

[wgmiller]

Caveman,

The fence has insulated grips to open and close it. No need to crawl over it now. Not to mention, doing the "Army crawl" at the stream crossing is pretty tough as they have wires hanging down from the fence.

I suppose "new technology" has allowed removal of the fence stiles.

 

[salmonoid]

phillyfly wrote:
Does PFBC clip the adipose on stocked fingerlings? I have seen wild browns in Donegal and believe there could be wild bows as well. The Donegal recieves a fall stocking of rainbow fingerlings but I have never seen one.

What is the source of the fall fingerling stockings? The PFBC ceased fall stocking several years ago. I think there was talk of doing a fingerling stocking moving forward, but I didn't think it already happened.

Edit: nevermind, I missed all of page 2 postings about the fingerlings clarification!