Little Mahoning Creek, Indiana County, 3/26/11

[flipnfly]

we arrived around 1130 am the air was about 34 degrees we suited up and got to the water it was a chalky green with about 2 to 3 feet visibility there was no bug action on the surface and the water was cold (sorry no temp) after fishign about a half mile of stream i finally hooked one but lost it (a lil rusty) it took a prince variant micro nymph and no more action until we got another 100 yards up stream (at least) i hooked one and landed it pics to come later it was an average sized brownie 2 casts later i hooked another but lost it and im sure it took a caddis pupa size 16 after speaking to a local old timer he said the fishing has been slow but he got 4 on a white marabou streamer he also showed me the biggest green weenie i had ever seen he had a whole fly box of size 8 green weenies no tails , they pretty much looked like chartruse girdle bugs with no legs and stated he does well with them nearly year round......

 

[Fishidiot]

Good report.
What was the date you fished?
Thanks,
Dave W

 

[flipnfly]

sorry it was yesterday saturday the 26 th

 

[tomgamber]

flips experience is becoming typical for that stream. Very similar to one Jack and I had there a few years ago. At the Cabin fever show I ran into some old guys I know and they told me why. According to these guys the Amish in the area use a seine to take fish in large number shortly after the stockings. They string it across a narrow section and have others kick the fish down to them. This stream has been poached in one form or another as long as I have been fishing it which is only 15 years or so but there are fish present one week and gone the next. And not just not biting. Not there. Its a nice stream if it were possible to police it.

 

[jdaddy]

Is this the same group that dynamites fish that was discussed last year? If I remember correctly the last discussion involved Mennonites, as it caused an uproar that they were singled out by religious affiliation. But it seems they were in the same area.

 

[tomgamber]

I don't think they use their religious affiliation to defend their illegal actions. I could be wrong but I think they just don't give a crap and break the law because they have no respect for it.

 

[nymphingmaniac]

flipinfly,
The size 8 GW were probably douple/honeybugs. They are different than GWs, but I didn't see them, you did.

if they are "authentic" they are neon-green dyed, not chartruse- does it really make a difference? Hell yeah.

 

[dreamsofstreams]

Grew up not too far away and this is no B.S. the Pilgrims poaching really takes a toll on this whole stream (not just the fly project)

One can only hope the Mercury and various other heavy metals in those stockers compound the birth defects already seen from inbreeding.

 

[DaveKile]

Fished this stream a lot when I first started fly fishing. Certainly a nice place to go in a great setting. The mine water always has been a threat to the stream too.

Funny you mention the fish getting pulled out. I think one of the last times I went several years ago it seemed odd why there was no fish in one of my biggest and favorite pools in the stream and a few others spots.

 

[flipnfly]

Yeah there was no visual on any fish but there were some in there if I ever witness amish seining trout there will be some butt kickin goin on. As for the green weenies they were chartruse definatly it was basically ba wooly bugger with no wire hackle or tail just chenille and huge..... it was tough fishin I think all of the above and cold water conditions not to mention I'm not the most skilled fly fisher either. It was my first time there. And ill go back nic@e stgream in a nice setting.......

 

[stevehalupka]

did you fish the same area I posted about here in the stream reports about a week ago?

 

[Mountainbrookie]

I fished there Sunday (the 27th) and managed one brown. This from catching a couple dozen the week before. There is definitely something going on there, even the fish from last fall's stocking vanished in a short time. It's a shame too because that's a beautiful stretch of stream.

 

[stevehalupka]

there used to be a native stretch along those waters... i wonder if the disappearance act is happening there too?

 

[greenghost]

I fished that stream in the 80's right after the special regs went in. My first trip was to the lower end near Rochester Mills in October. I'll never forget because the number of fish I saw and caught was remarkable... and this was BEFORE the PFBC has a fall stocking program. Sounds like times have changed indeed. There are so many areas in this state where poaching is such a HUGE problem. Others in WPA include Dunbar, Little Sandy Creek, Bull Creek and many more.

 

[bam]

Dunbar for sure... and the Tully. I pick up multiple bait containers everytime I'm up there. Twice I've witnessed bait guys get busted in the DHALO section.

 

[streamer-stripper]

No disrespect but my sources tell me there are a great # of fish being poached by the growing # of amish in that area. Just as they pay no taxes, they disregard regaulation... This is too bad in particular here b/c Little Mo FFO section is a very nice remote section

 

[iceyguides]

Poaching seems to be a significant problem on many streams statewide. In my opinion it's because the pfbc just doesn't have enough funding and therefore enough officers to police the streams. I haven't been checked in yrs. There is no longer a legitimate fear of being put to justice, so people do whatever they want.

 

[PennKev]

I also fished LMC a week ago and had poor results despite hitting a LOT of good looking pockets and runs. Only saw one fish caught desite a fair number of anglers on the water. It was cold, but overall I expected to get into fish consistently given water levels, clarity, and fishy looking water. It just didn't happen. Had one lazy follow from an average sized fish and not much more. Didn't see any other fish besides that despite the clarity of the water.

Kev

 

[troutbert]

streamer-stripper wrote:
No disrespect but my sources tell me there are a great # of fish being poached by the growing # of amish in that area. Just as they pay no taxes, they disregard regaulation...

The idea that Amish do not pay taxes is false. The only tax they are exempt from is Social Security. They don't pay into it, and they don't collect from it.

All other taxes, they have to pay: income tax, sales tax, real estate tax, just like anybody else.

Apparently a lot of people don't know that because I hear the "Amish don't pay taxes" thing a lot.

 

[mcdlt]

my wife and i fished lmc today we never seen a fish or any caught the poaching rumur must be true i have always caught trout on that stream before