Evening Branch, Lebanon County, 4/10/2021

[glamcaster]

I settled randomly on Evening Branch over other blue lines in a Game Land and arrived late at around 12:30. Kinda wish I knew beforehand this was a a wilderness stream..

It was mid 60’s and overcast until 4 pm or so. 1,000 pines behind me and I finally made it to the creek. The first section was quite boulder-ridden, slippery, and foreign to me. Evening Branch then slowed, filled out, and darkened to a Lipton shade. I got swamped.

I struggled to find castable holding water, and not sinking. The skunk stayed an hour until my first fish, 7-8” range. The stream widens and deepens further down, and I honestly had no clue our state had Brook Trout water of this size.

Bites were fewer and farther between, all from larger fish. I caught my PB and I was too shaky to even measure it. I would say 10.5-11” but you be the judge. There were plooms of larger flies w/ tails, mayflies? And then mosquito-shaped ones that didn’t actually bite. I wish I had better fly intuition, but I didn’t pay much attention. I would maybe advise bringing some larger sizes/try streamers, these are def piscovrious Brookies.

Solid day. I’m a rookie and managed 6, all way larger than my avg. Beware the swamp doesn’t literally consume you, waders and all. Definitely teared up at the beauty, and have unfinished business in this area.

 

[salvelinus]

Very nice. I always wondered about the EB. It is on the PFBC wilderness stream list under Schuylkill/Lebanon county. Class D population, surveyed in 2000.

 

[moodyblues]

Were you down toward the Lebanon Reservoir? I've often considered venturing into that beaver dam on the west side of Goldmine Road.

 

[moodyblues]

Nice fish. I love that area. Were you down toward the Lebanon Reservoir? I've often considered venturing into that beaver dam on the west side of Goldmine Road.

 

[glamcaster]

I worked my way East on the creek, but that sounds intriguing. There were plenty of Beaver dams to be found my way, and I'm curious how some of the section I fished stays cool enough in the summer

 

[glamcaster]

Class D..... that is so cool and so beyond me! I wonder how this 100% forested watershed ever ranked so low. Maybe the sparser population density of large fish has a role? I was shocked at how this population occupies all niches of the "creek." I saw trout in aquatic grass, tiny tributaries, between fronds, coasting the creek bed etc.

 

[salmonoid]

Surveys are snapshots in time. Stream populations vary year to year and even season to season. And there may be other variables that come into play; for instance, that area has many underground coal mines in it. The woods may look great but the water may be dead or at least impaired.

 

[glamcaster]

Underground coal mines that way?? I'll keep that in mind next time I'm hyper-fixating on a pretty stream without a bite all day.

I like your snapshot analogy about Surveys, and I wonder what Evening Branch's Class D era looked like. There was a pickerel(pike?) in the swamp, which was neat to see. If a heftier population of pickerel reigned back in the day, Class D would make a ton of sense.

I've only pursued natives January to present, and each outing is a learning experience.

 

[lycoflyfisher]

biomass can swing greatly year to year especially following extreme droughts, large floods, severe anchor ice, etc and improve following consequtive stable years with good flow conditions year round. Many environmental factors can come into play with dynamic stream populations. I am not sure if you have ventured to NCPA yet, but you may be surprised at the size of some of the streams you can find brook trout in. I have caught wild brook trout in several large freestone streams that are not on the natural reproduction list, atleast not in the sections where I caught the fish.

Also, you may find that many folks try not to publicize brook trout streams, especially ones that consistently produce larger fish. Thanks for sharing your experience, adventures on remote streams such as this are what make brook trout fishing fun!

 

[glamcaster]

lycoflyfisher wrote:


Also, you may find that many folks try not to publicize brook trout streams, especially ones that consistently produce larger fish. Thanks for sharing your experience, adventures on remote streams such as this are what make brook trout fishing fun!

Lycoflyfisher, couldn't agree more that sharing IS sometimes caring with regards to brook trout! Gatekeeping BT habitats is all good--until NO ONE cares about some colorful minnow they've never seen.

In kindergarten I caught my first sunfish, and fell in love with angling. When I was 12 I hooked my first trout, a wild brown in Valley Forge Park. I voted & experienced a pandemic before catching OUR STATE FISH. Hopefully this serves as a breadcrumb for someone, and thanks for not pulling the "spot burning" card on me :-D

 

[lycoflyfisher]

You will find though that a few posts such as this that get attention can and do increase angling pressure. I am not in the southeast, everyone knows about Valley, Spring Creek, Penns, etc etc. Those streams get a ton of pressure already and are big enough or have enough fish to sustain said pressure. Many small brook trout streams can be impacted by increased pressure, its hard to explain until you experience it for yourself. You may find it is just as easy to share an exciting blueline experience without naming the stream but to each their own.

 

[Oregon_OwlII]

Congratulations on finding an off the beaten path stream. Judging by your description, not many people get back there, and for a reason.

 

[glamcaster]

Hey Lycoflyfisher, totally see your point. I keep pretty hush about most BT watersheds I've had the pleasure of fishing. That viral stream effect could cripple edge-range or "trophy" BT streams susceptible to over-interest. I'm hoping this spot is too remote for the above scenario but ya never know..appreciate your first-hand perspective.

However, I'll drop a Brookie report from time-to-time here. Most folks who seek this info are probs literate with the state map, and aren't looking to feed a family. Ultimately I was a fisherman before a post like this, and a quasi-environmentalist after. Good stuff and take care

 

[HopBack]

Evening Branch is listed as one of PAs wilderness trout streams. Based on my last outhing there within the past year, I would consider the class D assesment pretty accurate. It's a wider stream and that certainly affects the formula they use when they calculate biomass.

In my opinion, it would have been better to share your photos and experience without naming the stream. This group would have appreciated it just as much at the stream report.

Lots of people hike the trails that run along that stream. The day I went I proabably saw 10-15 groups of hikers so its not as isolated as you might think. The attention you draw to the stream could send people there to chase after some "trophy sized" gemmies. There would be no intention of keeping these fish but they can only stand so much handling and harrasment. I have seen it first hand on my local brook trouts streams. Incresed traffic does have an effect on the population.

Just food for thought on your next post.

Thanks for sharing.

Yeah uh I guess lyco already said the same thing, oh well.

 

[larkmark]

I'm headed over there soon with my frying pan and portable stove. I love a delicious brook trout meal right along the stream!

 

[glamcaster]

larkmark wrote:
I'm headed over there soon with my frying pan and portable stove. I love a delicious brook trout meal right along the stream!

Tack on a kevlar vest, it sounded/felt like Baghdad pines up in that hoe 😢 I was singinggg through the swamp just hoping to be perceived as a human