Monocacy, Illicks Mill Park, 4/13/2010

[gfen]

Well, weekday lunch hours are back at the park.. Things are looking up. The waters has settled down, and the natives are getting restless.

Pulled out multiple each day for the last week or so, only a couple of the stocked rainbows though. There's been alot of cream caddis in the air, a couple pretty heavy midge hatches in the early evening and some BWOs in the air when I've been out early afternoon and evening.

Not much in the way of risers, though. Only reliable dry action has been on Griffith's Gnats, and they've been producing well on a amber caddis larva for me.

Most of the natives are 5-8", a couple in double digits and the few stockers I've seen have also been on the larger side of that average (of course).

The crowds have definitily died down, but that might be from the meat takers seeking easy pickins down at the freshly stocked canal.

 

[littlelehigh]

Time for the park closing and creel contest there isn't it Gary.


Are you gonna organize a jam for the closing or not?


Glad your having success and enjoying your lunch hours!

 

[gfen]

littlelehigh wrote:
Time for the park closing and creel contest there isn't it Gary.
Are you gonna organize a jam for the closing or not?

Early June, last year it correllated nicely with the Fish for Free day.

I've had some discussions with people this year, and if they choose to bully me out of the park, I'll just hold my ground. Last year I was unfairly, and illegally, chased out by people who were unable to see my side of it, and all I wanted to do was fish dries to rising fish.

Should they pursue an argument with me, I'll encourage them to followup with the City Parks Department and PFBC, and I'll gladly fish until someone with actual authority tells me otherwise.

At best, a cop will side with them and just agree. However, if they take the time to read the paperwork, they'll realize I'm in the right.

Oh, and then next year I'll organize a jam to descend on their contests. Who's up for a stockie fish fry? Doign you're part to preserve the little native browns from the 18"+ hatchery slobs they dump in wholesale. 😉

 

[jayL]

I have had a similar run in with townies on Hay Creek. They stock the stream heavily, and try to charge $80 to fish. They tried to start a physical altercation with me when I attempted to cross the stream to walk out to the unstocked section.

 

[Heritage-Angler]

Gary - Just wear the "bones" hat, and explain what they are. They'll run. :lol:


Wanna borrow my pontoon? :lol:

 

[gfen]

Beer overpowers common sense. One of the two conflicts I had last year was with a guy who was incredibly plastered.

I don't want to turn this into a big debacle again, I think alot of people had their fill of the thread last year (which spread into a whole other forum).

I do know that while rational discussion was not had with organizers, it was with reprentivies of the city and the PFBC. I expect that should things go that way again this year, my opposition will wither when presented with facts and I may, again, be able to enjoy the mere _one hour_ I expected to take rising natives amidst the hordes of hatchery slobs they dropped in there.

I also know that fishing that stretch took an immediate downturn, and I pin that wholly on the herds of animals who descend on the freshmeat and indiscriminately kill everything they come across.

I also know that if they plan to fence across the stream this year, I will ensure proper authorities are notified with haste.

 

[sholgate]

Hay Creek?

When was that? I live pretty close to there. In the town park area?

 

[jayL]

It is every May in the park in Birdsboro, where the RT 82 bridge washed out...

They destroy the stream every year. They build rock dams, and never remove them. They bring excavators in to make the stream deeper. They put fences in the water, which cause massive siltation. They deliberately muddy the water, and they stock what should be a fine wild trout stream full of large hatchery fish.

When the "fishing" is complete, they walk through the middle of the stream and foul hook the remainder of "their" fish.

I've not been there for a few years. If I catch it this year, the DEP will be called.

 

[Fredrick]

Well if you know in advance about any of these and plan to fish shoot me a pm I will most likely fish with you that day :-D

 

[GreenMan]

those fish they put in hay creek for the rodeo aren't just large, they are gigantic!

 

[jayL]

Yeah. There are a few select under cuts. And a few of them happen to have spring seeps... so draw your own conclusions.

I usually go there in june. 🙂

 

[littlelehigh]

I'll bring the popcorn and soda for either of these "Events"