Hammer Creek, Lancaster County 4/24

[JeffP]

I fished Hammer Creek in the County Park from 2:00-4:30 today with my son. I missed a few on black wooly buggers.My son missed a couple as well. I caught one wild brown about 7 inches. Water was perfect for buggers and I really was expecting more. I know the area gets pounded but when we got there nobody was fishing. I though the rain overnight would make for a lot of action. By the time we came back down there were probably a dozen people fishing. My slump on Lancaster County stockers continues.

 

[Mike]

If by “the county park” you are referring to the park on the upstream side of the Speedwell Forge Rd bridge located immediately upstream from the back waters of the lake, that stretch is not stocked by the PFBC and it never has been. A private club stocked a stretch above there in the past, but I don’t know if it still does. The PFBC stocks a stretch that roughly runs for about two miles starting at Rt 322 and heading upstream. Also stocks two sections well downstream from Speedwell Forge Lk.

 

[JeffP]

That is where I was. I did know clubs stocked but I didn't know the fish commission did not. My friend owns the house right by the creek. He likes to cook and always complains why I don't keep them. There are usually a decent amount of trout in there fairly well into the season.

This is the stretch that we had talked about with the brookies and the bass invasion from the lake. In the past I have done pretty well with dries at time. The stockiest rise well but surprising #s of native browns and rookies as well. Last year the smaller native browns rose well but little sign of the brookies of the past. This is also the place that I watched a stocker chase a broke right onto the bank. I tossed him back but how many times does that happen? Probably a lot. This stretch really gets pounded and it always shocks me how the natives hang on. Last year one of my school students was fishing there. After talking to her for a bit, she moved downstream and soon after came running back up with a "baby" she had caught on worms. You just wonder how many more babies were caught.