Indian Run, Chester Co, 2/14/10

[PSUFishMenace]

Thankfully Springton Manor's parking lot was plowed because my other typical wild trout streams were inaccessible. Got to the stream about 3:00, fished until 4:45. There was about 2-3" of ice in the calm parts of the creek but the water was open for the most part. Decent flow, surprisingly clear considering the snowmelt, didn't see any bugs while I was there.

Didn't see any trout until the upper third of the park. Fishing was decent in the larger pools. I used an olive wooly bugger the whole time, fished slow and deep. Caught two wild browns, biggest was 8", other was maybe 7. I have never really tried winter trout fishing until this year and it was pretty cool to catch them while standing in thigh-deep snowdrifts. The fish seemed easier than in summer, maybe because no one has been targeting them for who knows how long. I stayed warm too which made the trip more enjoyable for sure. And the fallfish weren't interested for once :-D. Not that great of a trip, but it was a unique experience and it'll ease the cabin fever for a while.

I did notice that the sound of boots crunching snow can really freak out the fish. One pool I watched a school of fallfish scatter every time I put my foot down. So keep this in mind when you're fishing with snow on the banks!

Used the new camera, pics will be up soon. forgot I have to resize them first

Here they are!

 

[TDB]

That is pretty hard core fishing right there dude. Nice pix and congrats on getting out. Those browns were probably happy to get back in the warm water after the snow bath...🙂

I wasn't aware that Indian Run had a fishable population.

 

[PSUFishMenace]

I was lucky someone had walked the trail and packed down the snow before I got there. I took the roads to get back to my car though.

In the park is an okay population, I'd probably rank it fourth or fifth best wild trout stream in the county, out of 8 or so that I've fished. so it's an average stream for the area. Beautiful place though, I never regret going there!

 

[salvelinusfontinalis]

Very Nice 🙂

Those browns are very pretty and that second one was fairly big for that stream. Good report.

Im sure that even sneaking up on them can be hard with just all the white in the background. Their lateral view will pick your silhouette almost immediately standing in front of snow. Especially when the sun is out and reflecting all that light.

Hard fishing but well needed.I hear what your saying. I need to get out soon myself. 🙂

 

[PSUFishMenace]

Thanks sal

The second one pictured was in an undercut on the same side of the stream as me, the snow actually worked to my advantage there- it was so much higher than the bank would be normally that it actually blocked the fishes view of me. The other one was just really hungry I think 🙂 I was in plain view and even some fallfish had already been spooked. Maybe it was just a dumb one. that stream has a few of those ;-)

 

[Mike]

It is the first wild trout stream that I ever surveyed in SE Pa, but I remember it even more for the number of American eels that it supported. At that time (1980) I had seen plenty of wild trout streams in Pa., but none with large eel populations. All of the previous wild trout stream surveys that I had conducted or had been a part of had been in NW, NC, SC, and NE Pa.

 

[PSUFishMenace]

That's really interesting Mike. I've always heard that eels only go up the W br. of the Brandywine, but i've seen them in the east branch so I know they're in the area. have never seen one in Indian Run but i don't know where to look.

 

[salmo]

Nice pictures. Goof fishing. I should get out more in the winter, but I don't. Tight lines!!

Salmo

 

[PSUFishMenace]

What time of year do eels move up into the creeks?

 

[tomgamber]

I think they used to hit the Schuylkill near the Reading ski club in October....

 

[pcray1231]

Are those wild trout without a red adipose fin???? :lol:

 

[PSUFishMenace]

No, just can't see it in those pictures.

And I was wondering about the eels because I never fished this stream until june of last year so if they ran up earlier that would explain 100% why I've never seen one there. But seems like the reason is that I just don't look for them.

 

[PSUFishMenace]

Actually you may be right pcray. the bigger one doesn't appear to have any red on the adipose. Here's the smaller one:

 

[tomgamber]

that wasn't the bigger one?

 

[tomgamber]

or you mean this one..hard to tell with your hand there...

 

[salvelinusfontinalis]

Those fish look far too good not to be wild.

It is more rare but i have seen wild browns without the red on that fin.

 

[jayL]

Good old PAFF. A joke turns into a debate. :lol:

I don't think there is any way those fish are not wild. I don't care if they have aquamarine adipose fins.

 

[salvelinusfontinalis]

:lol: no doubt 🙂

 

[PSUFishMenace]

Lol Jay

Tom, the pictures in the original post were both of the same fish, the bigger one. Sal commented that the one in the second picture was nice but I didn't bother pointing out that they were the same fish. After looking at a blown-up version of the picture of the bigger one with the rod, it does indeed have some orange. So both have it.

This did turn into a debate rather quickly didn't it! lol

What I like most is how on the smaller one, the red spots are EXACTLY on the lateral line and EXACTLY in between the parr marks. never noticed that before.

 

[tomgamber]

PSUFishMenace wrote:

What I like most is how on the smaller one, the red spots are EXACTLY on the lateral line and EXACTLY in between the parr marks. never noticed that before.

I noticed that too when I blew them up. i couldn't figure out how anyone could deny these being wild. Reflex on my part.