first time on valley creek tips?

[kenbo5733]

im gonna be fishing my first limestone creek this weekend at valley creek any tips on how to fish it and what should I expect. The weather is supposed to be really nice this weekend and I want to take advantage of it, visiting this stream ive heard great things but don't know how to fish a limestone stream vs freestone any advice is greaty appreciated

 

[Wildfish]

Haven't fished it recently, so I don't know what's working. If you want to fish on top this time of year maybe ants/beetles and (as always) small bwos.

It's a tough stream, especially on nice weekends when other anglers will be working it along with you. Be stealthy and no wading. If nothing is rising I'd tie on a tandem rig below an indicator. Use a little weight between the flies. Maybe a scud/cressbug on top and a midge nymph below (sz-18-20s). Find some moving water cutting underneath the trunk of a tree and fling the rig in there a few times. Watch the indicator for light strikes.

Don't get frustrated. There are lots of fish, they're just really good at seeing you. They will hold in spots you might not expect--small runs, etc.

 

[marcq]

I fish it often and one tip I can give is park in the park then walk out of it. I do fish the park but I think there is better water outside it. It can be tough at times but the fish in it are some of the best looking in the state.
Flies-ants are ok now put them right on the bank. My most productive fly is a herl size20 to 24. I also like a CDC caddis. Do well on zebras and other midges.

Another word of advice is you will see fish rising. They are taking some kind of midge but I have yet to crack the code. I use a size 20 CDC caddis for them.

A lot of small fish in the stream. Some ok sized ones a good fish there is anything over 15 in my book. Be stealthy the fish spook easly. Personally if you can get to the LL. I'd say that's a better option but if not VC is a fun but changeling stream. I prefer to catch bigger fish. VC has some but they are smart and changeling to catch.

Tight lines Marc

 

[Wildfish]

Good advice about fishing outside the park. Also, 6x and smaller. Most guys fish 7x but I've had plenty of luck with 6x if I'm fishing sz 18 bugs.

 

[Foxgap239]

I echo what the others have said but I will also say that fishing VC at the current USGS flow rate will be frustrating at best. Water will be very low and very clear and you may spook many more fish than will will get a chance to fish for. Can you still catch fish? Absolutely but you will work for them and unless you get there early, you may be fishing spots that have already been fished through.

Good luck though.

 

[greenlander]

Wildfish wrote:
Good advice about fishing outside the park. Also, 6x and smaller. Most guys fish 7x but I've had plenty of luck with 6x if I'm fishing sz 18 bugs.

I fish Valley regularly (except for this year) and never go smaller than 6.

7x and 8x be damned. I don't believe in them.

 

[Midge22]

Ive been on valley a lot this year. As of right now, the water is super low and clear. best advice has been given already (fish outside the park).

Wade super slow, and be as stealthy as possible. Ive had some success throwing some dry dropper (beetle and a midge dropper). but most success has came throwing midges. sz 22-24 black bodies with white hackle (oversize hackle has been more productive).

If nymphing, i would recommend NOT using a thingamabobber or anything that is going to smack the surface to hard (besides beetles), as these fish are very very spooky.

As what has been said already, it is going to be frustrating but just keep at it and things will happen.

 

[Mike]

If you want bigger fish, you'll need to search out and fish the little remaining bigger fish habitat. You may need to stray out of the park or up Little Valley to find it. The stream's former bigger fish habitat has been substantially degraded by stormwater runoff over the past 29 years. This is what happens when a stream gets wider and shallower over time and the substrate begins to shift with repeated flashy flows originating from macadam, sidewalks, and roof tops.

 

[pcray1231]

Valley is very tough when low. My advice would be to wait for rain and fish it when it's up!

But I'd probably start witha dry dropper type rig, with a Hare's ear or something. There's lots of fish, mostly in "pods". And you're gonna spook some, if they're spooked, move on, you ain't catching those and there's plenty of others nearby. Be stealthy, work upstream, and try to find places where you can drift that nymph into a likely holding area before spooking it.

 

[geebee]

pcray1231 wrote:
Valley is very tough when low. My advice would be to wait for rain and fish it when it's up!

i fished Monocacy Creek and the LL yesterday and came away with the same feeling.

the creeks were cold -62/64 but levels seemed 6" too low in many places and it was pretty hot out.

until we get the heavy rains i'm going to keep off them. hell, we got all year to fish em up.

 

[Foxgap239]

geebee wrote:
i fished Monocacy Creek and the LL yesterday and came away with the same feeling.

I fished the other LV stream Saturday and did poorly, as well. Tricos were very late in the morning and there weren't many of them. Even less fish coming up for them. We do need rain.

 

[geebee]

i didn't see any tricos - I did see lower down on the LL a nice hatch of baetis like mayflies around a #22, looked lighter than a BWO but didn't act like midges, along with the odd larger #16 white thingy. almost like a cahill ?

I did miss a decent fish on the monoc on a #8 orange stimmie - because i was watching for the #18 tan serendipty behind it to get taken. doh.

i'm in two minds whether to spring for a hotel room in chambersburg and hit their creeks this weekend, or just sulk at home ?

i've only got six weekends left til the missus and her honey do list joins me....