Fished mud run yesterday upstream from hawk falls (delayed harvest area in hickory run state park). First time there. Lots of great water to fish, just not a fish in sight. Only saw one trout with going at least a mile upstream from Hawk Falls. Prospected with drys and PT nymphs not even a strike. Also fished the waterfall pool at Hawk Falls. Expected to run into a few wild fish based on the characteristics of this stream but saw nothing. Beautiful area, though and a great day out regardless.
Mud Run, Carbon County,4/6/2012
- Thread starter jjb307
- Start date
TimMurphy
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 9, 2006
- Messages
- 4,449
Dear jjb,
If you would have mentioned on the main board that you were considering heading down to Mud Run I could have spared you the walk.
I used to hike down to Mud Run 20 years ago and it never fished very well for either myself, my fishing buddies. or anyone else we ran across while down there.
We caught some fish, but the fishing was never close to proportional to the amount of effort expended, nor did it equal the solitude and surroundings.
The last part is the saddest part to me. It's really a beautiful place.
Regards,
Tim Murphy 🙂
If you would have mentioned on the main board that you were considering heading down to Mud Run I could have spared you the walk.
I used to hike down to Mud Run 20 years ago and it never fished very well for either myself, my fishing buddies. or anyone else we ran across while down there.
We caught some fish, but the fishing was never close to proportional to the amount of effort expended, nor did it equal the solitude and surroundings.
The last part is the saddest part to me. It's really a beautiful place.
Regards,
Tim Murphy 🙂
blueheron
Member
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2010
- Messages
- 936
I find the same conditions on that stretch of Mud run, but I find the beauty of that area to make the hiking worthwhile. I like to make my own judgements of new water , I've heard rumors of no fish many times and end up finding sections that do indeed hold fish and in the Lehigh watershed there are numerous alternatives that are close enough that if you don't feel the love you can switch gears and move on. Chris
studiomule
Member
- Joined
- Mar 1, 2011
- Messages
- 60
Was there on Thursday with 2 friends...not a fish seen between us.
troutwilleatflies
Member
- Joined
- Mar 3, 2007
- Messages
- 475
Mud Run is sterile,looks nice but the fish don't like it or can't live in it.Been that way for a long time.
tulenkot
Member
- Joined
- Aug 24, 2010
- Messages
- 234
I have experienced the same conditions on mud run. Beautiful place, no fish. I believe at some point in the past it may have been a better fishery. I went there because of what I read about it in Dave Wolf's fly fisherman's guide to pennsylvania. The turnpike noise is kind of distracting. Once, a woman was attacked and burried alive by a bear here. She survived, just a cool story...
I've always loved to fish Mud Run, but I'm afraid everyone is correct; it's not a very good wild trout stream. The upper section near the old organized campground area gets stocked on 4/12 and will hold fish (obviously), but the lower section near Hawk Falls and the T-pike is marginal, at best. A beautiful hike with a few wild fish here and there is what I would expect.
PENZZZ
Member
Mud Run near the Group Campsites area was a great place to fish when I was cutting my teeth with flyfishing in the early 1980's. Flyfishing only with a 9" limit was in effect then but most fishermen released their catch. The stretch was stocked but also had a good population of wild brown trout.
I've wondered the same thing. I fished all the streams in and around the Park (Hickory Run State Park) quite a bit a long time ago (like 15 -20 years ago) when I lived in the area - Mud Run, Hayes/Black Creek and Hickory Run. All 3 streams held quite a few wild trout.
I've fished them a few times in the last couple of years and have done poorly. I chalked it up to bad timing, but every report I read, and nearly every person I've talked to, tell me that the wild trout fishing has been poor.
Any theories, facts, or conjecture from those that fish it?
I can comment especially about Fourth Run an Black/Hayes Creek, they are shadows of what they had been, First discovered these while buckhunting in the late 80's . Used to see plenty of wild brookies darting all over from above rt 80 to the Lehigh River.
I understand that it has suffered from some sewage above 80 gettin in the stream from old camps an also illegal pipes,not sure if that has been remedied.
I tried it two years ago an took me all day to even catch 8 fish an they were nothing like i used to catch ...very thin or emaciated.So i suspect that the stream has suffered . Mud Run near Hawk falls is a fickle place sometimes ill catch a few fish other times its like deadville.
I also know that Mud Run is also a shadow of its former self. Hickory Run a once good lil stream, also sufferes effeluent from the State Park, even though they claim its treated it got in last year , saw some pics posted last year on another forum an went the next day to see what is up, an sure as heck effluent was gettin in...by the color i doubt that effluent was totatally treated ..when you consider how much rain we were having etc.
I have always enjoyed the Western Poconos more so since the major infestation of City folks from across the bridge.But for my time thses aforementioned streams id rather check a few early in the season ,an fish the river its a far more productive water these days.
Tight Wraps & Tight Lines
Rick Wallace
I understand that it has suffered from some sewage above 80 gettin in the stream from old camps an also illegal pipes,not sure if that has been remedied.
I tried it two years ago an took me all day to even catch 8 fish an they were nothing like i used to catch ...very thin or emaciated.So i suspect that the stream has suffered . Mud Run near Hawk falls is a fickle place sometimes ill catch a few fish other times its like deadville.
I also know that Mud Run is also a shadow of its former self. Hickory Run a once good lil stream, also sufferes effeluent from the State Park, even though they claim its treated it got in last year , saw some pics posted last year on another forum an went the next day to see what is up, an sure as heck effluent was gettin in...by the color i doubt that effluent was totatally treated ..when you consider how much rain we were having etc.
I have always enjoyed the Western Poconos more so since the major infestation of City folks from across the bridge.But for my time thses aforementioned streams id rather check a few early in the season ,an fish the river its a far more productive water these days.
Tight Wraps & Tight Lines
Rick Wallace
wgmiller
Well-known member
I'm kind of under the same impression. I fished Black/Hayes a few years back and caught a few fish total. Beautiful stream, but very little biomass. Fished Hickory Run last year from the lake to the Lehigh and short of catching a few stockers, it was pretty dead as well. I remember reading posts on this site about Mud Run being beautiful, but not being very productive either.
I agree that for time spent, tackling the Lehigh is probably the better option. It's a shame because the Hickory Run SP streams are pretty, but for some reason they just don't hold many fish.
I wish someone would post a report on here contrary to what we've all seen, but I'm not optimistic that'll happen.
I agree that for time spent, tackling the Lehigh is probably the better option. It's a shame because the Hickory Run SP streams are pretty, but for some reason they just don't hold many fish.
I wish someone would post a report on here contrary to what we've all seen, but I'm not optimistic that'll happen.
TimMurphy
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 9, 2006
- Messages
- 4,449
Dear troutbert,
Mud Run is kind of sterile, as the geology of the area makes the stream rather infertile. There are/where bugs but the fish grew slowly. It's my understanding that it was always that way, at least as far back as I go on the stream.
I think that some of the streams outside the park have fallen victim to some of the development that has occured in the area. Hayes Creek was probably the finest wild trout stream I ever fished back when I started fishing it in the late 1980's.
Three of us would walk in at the lower Gamelands parking lot across from the golf course and it would take us 5 or 6 hours to fish our way up to I-80. We'd have constant action the whole way up.
As I understand they built a large condo/townhome community on the north side of Rte 940 just down from the turnpike exit in the late 1990's. They also started a club on Hayes in the water just downstream from the turnpike and they used to stock rainbows over the wild brooks and browns. That's a lot of adverse action on the upper/middle section of Hayes Creek, maybe those things had an effect?
All I know is I haven't bothered to go back since my brother moved to Colorado in 1997. I had too many good times on that stream to want to fish it and spend most of my time remembering what used to be.
Regards,
Tim Murphy 🙂
Mud Run is kind of sterile, as the geology of the area makes the stream rather infertile. There are/where bugs but the fish grew slowly. It's my understanding that it was always that way, at least as far back as I go on the stream.
I think that some of the streams outside the park have fallen victim to some of the development that has occured in the area. Hayes Creek was probably the finest wild trout stream I ever fished back when I started fishing it in the late 1980's.
Three of us would walk in at the lower Gamelands parking lot across from the golf course and it would take us 5 or 6 hours to fish our way up to I-80. We'd have constant action the whole way up.
As I understand they built a large condo/townhome community on the north side of Rte 940 just down from the turnpike exit in the late 1990's. They also started a club on Hayes in the water just downstream from the turnpike and they used to stock rainbows over the wild brooks and browns. That's a lot of adverse action on the upper/middle section of Hayes Creek, maybe those things had an effect?
All I know is I haven't bothered to go back since my brother moved to Colorado in 1997. I had too many good times on that stream to want to fish it and spend most of my time remembering what used to be.
Regards,
Tim Murphy 🙂
The major problem is poaching people park on the turnpike and walk down to the stream.I get to fish it a couple of times a year and if you fish by the park campground you will find fish I wont say you will always catch them though. They dont really stock preseason because of the poaching if you notice on the stocking list any stream thats is delayed harvest and doesnt get stocked ahead of the season poaching is the main cause. Beautiful scenery though but as you guys have said if you are going to expend the energy you are better off on the Lehigh.
vdragan
Member
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2012
- Messages
- 31
I was in the area a couple of weeks ago; on the D&L trail across from Mud Run there's a story about a mine disaster there. But, looking it up online, it seems to have been a train wreck involving miners, so not polution related directly: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mud_Run_Disaster
Mud Run is not on the list of Lehigh River tributaries affected by abandoned mine drainage (AMD) but still, it may be affected. The AMD tributaries in that area area are Sandy Run, Buck Mountain, Black Creek and Nesquehoning Creek.
The PDF of the Wildlands Conservancy Study of the Lehigh River (which is used by PFBC in the watershed management plan) is not searchable, so could not easily find references.
Study page (scroll down to point 15):
http://wildlandspa.org/Rivers/index6.html
Direct link to Aquatic Components:
http://wildlandspa.org/Rivers/pdf/Report/Report3.pdf
Mud Run is not on the list of Lehigh River tributaries affected by abandoned mine drainage (AMD) but still, it may be affected. The AMD tributaries in that area area are Sandy Run, Buck Mountain, Black Creek and Nesquehoning Creek.
The PDF of the Wildlands Conservancy Study of the Lehigh River (which is used by PFBC in the watershed management plan) is not searchable, so could not easily find references.
Study page (scroll down to point 15):
http://wildlandspa.org/Rivers/index6.html
Direct link to Aquatic Components:
http://wildlandspa.org/Rivers/pdf/Report/Report3.pdf
VDragan, cool post about the train wreck,my great great grandfather was a conductor on the D&L although probably not at the time of the crash.
I know that the stream that runs down at the rockport access is Amd look at the stream an the water that dumps in to the Lehigh there...no mistaking that what a shame.
I don't think thats the problem of Mud Run, i have fished it at Hawk falls an have caught natives {Brookies} there as well as browns.
i have also like others fished it wondered if the fish had all disappeared, fishing is like that sometimes .
Sometimes you get the bear an other times the bear gets you. I will say like i mentioned earlier that several of these streams don't fish like they did when i first started fishing them back in the late 80's.
Tight Wraps & Tight Lines
Rick Wallace
I know that the stream that runs down at the rockport access is Amd look at the stream an the water that dumps in to the Lehigh there...no mistaking that what a shame.
I don't think thats the problem of Mud Run, i have fished it at Hawk falls an have caught natives {Brookies} there as well as browns.
i have also like others fished it wondered if the fish had all disappeared, fishing is like that sometimes .
Sometimes you get the bear an other times the bear gets you. I will say like i mentioned earlier that several of these streams don't fish like they did when i first started fishing them back in the late 80's.
Tight Wraps & Tight Lines
Rick Wallace
LehighRegular
Active member
- Joined
- Sep 11, 2006
- Messages
- 781
I havent fished Mud recently, but in the past never had a problem catching trout and mostly wild trout. Its always been one of the more productive streams.
There was discussion about Hayes Cr and Hickory Run trout populations in a post some time ago. We (LCFA) spoke with the area fisheries biologist (Daryl Pierce) about the most recent shocking data (within the past year or two) and he said both streams had healthy populations of trout with a variety of age classes.
We have yet to recieve the report to compare the historical numbers, but we hope to get it when the PFBC finishes it up.
There was discussion about Hayes Cr and Hickory Run trout populations in a post some time ago. We (LCFA) spoke with the area fisheries biologist (Daryl Pierce) about the most recent shocking data (within the past year or two) and he said both streams had healthy populations of trout with a variety of age classes.
We have yet to recieve the report to compare the historical numbers, but we hope to get it when the PFBC finishes it up.
Luke
Member
- Joined
- May 18, 2010
- Messages
- 246
Fished Mud Run last August below Hawk Falls a good bit. It was a long and steep hike down to the strream and just kept thinking about meeting a bear as I hiked through a thick Rhododendrins on a one person wide path! It was a beautiful location when I got into the stream and I was shocked to not catch or see any trout in several nice deep runs. I finally caught one small wild brookie in pocket water up above the deep runs. The scenery was more than worthwhile, but it was quite amazing that a place with seemingly very little fishing pressure and amazing holding water appears to be virtually devoid of trout and bugs.
I also fished Hickory Run that weekend with slightly better success; found a few hungry brookies.
We camp at Hickory Run every year, so I will definately fish Hickory Run again. I have not yet decided whether or not to venture back into Mud Run again this year and test my luck with da bears.
I also fished Hickory Run that weekend with slightly better success; found a few hungry brookies.
We camp at Hickory Run every year, so I will definately fish Hickory Run again. I have not yet decided whether or not to venture back into Mud Run again this year and test my luck with da bears.
