Fishing Creek - Clinton County - 6/15/09

[greenlander]

Had a few hours to try out Fishing Creek for the first time yesterday. Fished The Narrows from 2:00pm till around 5. Also fished down by the bridge just downstream from the narrows.

Gorgeous water, but couldn't buy a fish. Neither could a friend who was along for the trip (who incidentally is a MUCH better fisherman than I am). Neither of us so much as spotted a fish either.

Saw several sulfur hatches while there and a stonefly hatch seemed to have happened shortly before we arrived. Plenty of huge stonefly nymphs in the river.

Fished pool after pool where it seemed it would be harder to NOT catch fish than to catch them. Couldn't believe it.

Is this a totally non-typical experience for this water? Pressure from the weekend keeping the trout inactive?

Really loved the stream. Can't wait to get back and hopefully not repeat this same experience. 🙂

 

[jayL]

Many people report tough experiences on fishing creek. I thank my lucky stars that I have yet to take a skunking there, but I am sure I am due for one.

I have most of my success in the heaviest pocket water I can find.

I have found that it fishes better in the spring when it's MUCH bigger water. Perhaps it's worth a shot then.

 

[bigjohn58]

What you experienced is very common...especially for someone fishing it the first time so don't be discouraged.

 

[Fishidiot]

While I'm not a Fishing Creek regular, I've been hitting it on and off for many years and more often than not it's been a challenge for me. I've had some good days there, esp when insects have been heavy, usually BWOs, but often I leave for Spring Creek to catch fish. I think FC is one of the moodiest streams in the state - one day fish are everywhere and the next day you don't see any.

 

[MKern]

Similar experiences as fishidiot.
I always consider 5 fish an entire day on Fishing Creek a great day.
Where on Spring 25 is a good day.

 

[PaulG]

I didn't won't to say anything till a couple of other guy said they do well, didn't want to sound like I was bragging, I have some good days on fishing creek

Couple of us during one of the Jams fished down below the bridge at the end of the narrows.

Greenlander, if I recall noone caught any that day, that is some great lookin water down there, got to be fish there!

PaulG

 

[greenlander]

Oh, and to anyone who hasn't fished Fishing and is thinking about going there -- wear spikes!

The Narrows is brutal to wade w/o spikes.

 

[bigjohn58]

Double digit days of fish are rare (well maybe not since I normally only fish either a morning or evening or just a few hours and if I'd fish it all day I'd probably be in double digits the majority of the time) on Fishin Creek but the quality of fish I don't think can hardly be beat. I also fish it probably 50+ days a year. I've also had my days though where I was scratching my head wondering whats going on. Had one of those days last week but then today my dad did very well and on Friday my brother and I did really well. I'm suprised with all the rain that it didn't come up. We had 1.7 inches of rain the one day plus some more before and after that. It hardly effected the creek at all just alittle off color.

 

[Acristickid]

Fishing Creek ranks high on my list of toughest streams. Futile in the bright sun.