Dunbar Creek, Fayette Co., 3/31/2013

[Cincivol]

This is my first fishing report on this website.

Fished the C&R FFO section of Dunbar Creek on Friday, March 31st from 10 am till about 2 pm. Caught 5 trout including my first PA trout (I moved up from TN in April). All the fish were caught on nymphs, either a #16 BHPT or a little black stonefly nymph (size 18?) dropper. One brownie and 4 brookies. All healthy and all stockers. All of the fish I caught or turned were in the larger pools or slow, deep runs. I tried to pound the pocket water and faster runs to no avail.

Air temp was around 40F and water temp was mid 30's (guestimate). Saw no bug activity.

It was a great day to get out and I really like all the work that appears to have gone on to create the trout fishery there. I plan to return when things warm up to check for some dry fly action.

Dave

 

[bjb27_99]

Cincivol wrote:

One brownie and 4 brookies. All healthy and all stockers.

Nice report and pictures. I don't know, but that brownie looks wild to me. I'm not familiar with the area, but Dunbar Ck in Fayette County and several of its trib's are on the state's natural reproduction list. Regardless if it's stocked or wild, it's a nice fish at that.

 

[wcflyfish]

I tend to think its wild as well. The bright red spots moving up the body and the smooth fins with white tips are usually what I look for. Not fail proof, but something I've noticed. Nice fish!

 

[JackM]

It is not likely wild. There has never been documented brown trout reproduction in that extremely acidic and infertile watershed. I have not been to Dunbar in a long time now, but should try to go back. I more or less cut my FF teeth there for many years. Thanks for reporting on an old friend of mine.

 

[martin0206]

I've never seen a stocked brown look like that, looks the same to me as a wild brown from spring creek. I would vote wild, nice fish either way.

 

[greenghost]

I have caught wild brown fingerlings in Dunbar before. But the size of that fish makes me think it is stocked. As Jack mentioned, the stream is relatively infertile and acidic. Plus poaching is rampant. A wild fish would have to survive many, many years to reach that length. Highly unlikely.

 

[JasonS]

That fish is 100% stocked. Orange red spots and jacked fins. It's not even close to looking wild.

 

[Cincivol]

I also assumed it was stocked due to it's "low fish IQ". I caught that trout one about the 10th drift through a slow run and my fly was nymph was at least a foot off the bottom. In my Tennessee wild trout fishing experience you have 1-2 casts per pool/run to fool one of them and then it is time to move onto the next run.

It was a very pretty fish, regardless!

 

[Swattie87]

Welcome to PA and the site. Terrific pictures...still a touch of snow up there I see. I would tend to agree that the Brown in the pictures isn't wild, but is one of the PFBC's better efforts FWIW.

 

[albatross]

Great post! Welcome to PAFF.