Laurel Hill Creek, DHALO, 4/8/14, Somerset

[StarvinMarvin]

Fished it for the first time yesterday. Seemed like the only stream at a decent level within a 2 hour drive. Went expecting good things from what I had heard, and to my suprise it exceeded expectations. Wow, nice stretch of water (upper section 2). Was wondering if it was TU maintained stream. Fish were in good lies and willing to eat. Kudos to whoever stocked it, you guys did a nice job. I'll be heading back when it lowers and some mayflies come off.

 

[albud1962]

Laurel Hill is covered by two TU chapters but I don't think there has been any recent work on it. Currently the stream is under siege from heavy water withdrawals by Seven Springs and other developments. Lots of thermal issues.

 

[StarvinMarvin]

I couldnt tell that from just that trip, but thats good to know. Thanks. Stream was really one of the nicer DHALO's I've fished. Good trails and upkeep, wasnt worried about ever veering out of it, there was a sign about every 50 yards staked in the ground.

 

[greenghost]

Those trails are actually "maintained" by the heavy foot traffic they receive. Some sections are like trenches worn from decades of fishermen and hikers in Laurel Hill State Park. It is a pretty section of stream in places though. I still fish it often for that reason.

As albud stated it is under siege right now. In 2009, American Rivers named it as the 7th most endangered waterway in the United States! During cool wet summers it still supports some holdovers. And in certain places, brookies actually migrate in and out of its currents from tributaries. It has potential, but because of its length and where it flows (ag land) it is barely holding up right now.

 

[JackM]

This may be of interest to a lot of people from this area of the state:

PDF File with info about watershed

 

[LetortAngler]

spring is the best time to hit this stream. I still havnt yet found a stream that has such a dense BWO (sz14) hatch as this one. . Also this stream has an incredible Quill Gordon hatch that lasts all April, so don't forget a few size 12s next time you go.

 

[StarvinMarvin]

Good to know, I'll start tying up some Quill Gordons and BWO's. Of course I fished a size 18 BWO and didnt have take. Most fish came on eggs. All the BWO's I tied this spring were 16 or smaller so thanks for the size recomendations Letort.

 

[LetortAngler]

No prob my man