Donegal creek, Lancaster County, 2/9/2014

[HopBack]

Fished Donegal creek today from the Eagle Scout project on rt. 23 downstream through the pasture. I did not get a water temp but the air temp was 25 degrees. I didn't see any hatches present or rising fish. The water level was slightly high and off color. It looked like the conditions would make for a great day but things were very slow. I fished a #16 copper john in most holes and switched up to a black crystal flash wooly bugger near the end. The fingerling rainbows were no where in sight but I managed 1 nice brown in the last hole. I
did run into 1 other person who said he caught 10 rainbows last week and also told me about some run ins with poaches. He said that 1 guy had a huge brown on a stringer and when he told him his was going to call the fish commission he said go right ahead I'll do whatever I want. I bet this happens a whole lot.....

Below is a picture of the Brown I caught. It was really healthy and had broad shoulders for a 12 inch fish. Most of the browns I catch in this stream have these same characteristics. Also note the small slender pectoral fins. Browns from other streams I fish appear to have wider more paddle like fins. Did anyone else ever notice this?

 

[geebee]

thats a lovely lovely brown.

i would have taken a picture of the poacher or preferably his car and then let the wildlife cops deal with it.

 

[salmonoid]

So did the guy who observed the alleged poaching actually make the call or was it an idle threat? The stream has certainly seen an increase in mention on this board and the local press over the past year.

 

[HopBack]

He said that he called but the office was closed. Even if he did get in contact with an officer they probably wouldn't do anything. 1 officer per county is not enough to put a dent in the poaching. Before I moved to this area a couple years ago, they delayed harvest areas of the East Branch of the Brandywine and White Clay receive almost daily pressure from poachers. I didn't think this would be the case in this stream however I'm not seeing some of the large fish I spotted over the summer though they may have gotten blown out by the flood late last year.