Neshannock Creek, Lawrence County, 4/25/21

[greenghost]

Weather: Cloudy, cool, very breezy
Air Temp: Low 50s
Time: 2:00 - 4:00
Water Conditions: Low for this time of year but decent flow with some color
Water Temp: Didn't take it, but est. around 50, max.
Bugs: Tan Caddis #16, March Brown, a few Grannoms

I had a couple of hours free on Sunday so I took a ride up to Neshannock Creek, a heavily stocked put-and-take stream with decent hatches. I first drove to the special regulations area in the town of Volant and didn't even stop, simply too many anglers.

I knew once out of the bottleneck of anglers, I'd be good. And I was. I fished an area that was a couple of miles downstream and found a beautiful stretch in a deep ravine to myself. Fish were everywhere. Rising splashily to caddis, too. Most were small tans, #18 and #16s.
Of course, I accidentally left my caddis box at home. And had to dig deep in my chest box to find a couple of sparsely tied #16 tans.

But they worked well. I caught over a dozen fish--all stocked rainbows--all on top. Stocked fish or not, it was the most fun I've had with dries in quite a while!

I only lasted a couple of hours because of the steady 10 to 15 mph breeze and cool temps. My fingers were numb.

TIP: If you're fishing a heavily fished area like Neshannook Special Regs, try outside of the boundary. They stock the whole stream heavily and I was surprised to see so many fish active in open water like that.

 

[Prospector]

I grew up fishing Nesh with it being a 10-15 min ride to the creek. These days I get there at least one a year but I have lots of friends that fish it regularly.

Many have commented this year about the dry fly fishing. I took my nephew down to a pool a few Sundays ago to teach him how to fly fish. It was his second lesson with me and he got to dry fly fish on the Neshannock and he caught one.

My avatar is a brown drake photographed on Neshannock creek on Rainbow bend. That day there were thousands of brown drakes hatching and I’d say I saw no more than 6 rises. I never tied on a dry fly. I became so disinterested in the fishing that I photographed bugs.

Now you guys that fish it more often that me, keep me honest, but I think the very low and clear water this year has contributed to Nesh creek trout feeding on the surface more than normal. My experience says that this level of dry fly fishing only occurs every 7-8 years where catching 10+ on the surface in an evening is possible. I cannot remember the last trout I caught on Nesh on a dry fly. It has to be 20+ years. Now 8 days ago I would have broken that streak if I hadn’t committed to teaching and assisting my nephew. I was so glad to see him hook 3 and land one on a Caddis dry. It’s not every day that happens.

Greenghost, I’m glad you had success. I got a message from a coworker that he caught 10+ on Saturday on Caddis dries too. I’m glad he had a fun day. Brings me back to when I was a kid and fishing dries did happen every year. It’s nice to know the stream can still come alive during a hatch.

 

[sam]

Great report. I fished this stream a few weeks back during a day of heavy rain and had my greatest day fishing ever. Caught over 25+ (stopped counting at one point).

 

[PennKev]

Prospector wrote:
I grew up fishing Nesh with it being a 10-15 min ride to the creek.
Now you guys that fish it more often that me, keep me honest, but I think the very low and clear water this year has contributed to Nesh creek trout feeding on the surface more than normal. My experience says that this level of dry fly fishing only occurs every 7-8 years where catching 10+ on the surface in an evening is possible. I cannot remember the last trout I caught on Nesh on a dry fly. It has to be 20+ years.

You are correct. This year has been exceptional. I fished Neshannock this past afternoon (4/27) and fish were rising everywhere. It is also about as low as it gets for anytime in April. I find that I can often get a fish on top here and there by fishing dry and dropper in certain spots, but the dry fly fishing this year far exceeds what I normally expect.

There are also lots of fish EVERYWHERE. I caught trout out of virtually any decent looking pocket and quite some distance from any stocking/access point. Most of years I expect all the really good looking spots to hold fish, but to be able to catch fish out of the water I did today was really enjoyable. It was the sort of fishing I expect on wild trout streams. The fish were everywhere they were "supposed to be." I'm not sure if it is a matter of the fish being easy to get to because of the low water, or that there are in fact more fish than normal still in the creek. Probably both. At any, rate we need water. Most of the state is in a dry spell, but all the NWPA creeks are super low. However, this is a very good opportunity to learn these creeks. The structure of the bottom is easily visible and the spots that are holding fish will still hold them once we get more water.

The fish also seem to be very naïve, at least today. Trout were moving several feet to take flies and pattern didn't seem to matter much. I just used whatever old beat up flies I had on my fly patch.

As a side note, I saw several very nice smallmouth and a friend of mine landed a pretty good one.

 

[greenghost]

PennKev wrote:

There are also lots of fish EVERYWHERE. I caught trout out of virtually any decent looking pocket and quite some distance from any stocking/access point. Most of years I expect all the really good looking spots to hold fish, but to be able to catch fish out of the water I did today was really enjoyable. It was the sort of fishing I expect on wild trout streams. The fish were everywhere they were "supposed to be." I'm not sure if it is a matter of the fish being easy to get to because of the low water, or that there are in fact more fish than normal still in the creek. Probably both.

Right? I've been fishing up there for 35 years. I've had a few days like that. But very few. Refreshing for a change.

 

[greenghost]

Prospector wrote:

Now you guys that fish it more often that me, keep me honest, but I think the very low and clear water this year has contributed to Nesh creek trout feeding on the surface more than normal. My experience says that this level of dry fly fishing only occurs every 7-8 years where catching 10+ on the surface in an evening is possible.

I think you nailed it, Prospector. It's like the perfect alignment of planets for this to happen. Happened to me only a few times before.

 

[bikerfish]

I fished it the other day on the way home from a job. Lots of fish rising, mostly splashy rises, taking emergers, few insects in the air, but lots of rises regardless. Had a good few hours, all top water, well, the surface film I consider to be top water! And then late afternoon, early evening, it just all turned off. But, it was a good while it lasted. Didn't fish the spec reg area, but downstream a couple miles. Only one other guy upstream from me for a while, and then he left, so had the stream to myself.

 

[drakeking412]

nesh has been fun this season. I usually stop going once central pa opens for the season but i might have to stop up once more. good report

 

[mayfly418]

It has been a great spring on Neshannock Creek. We fished 4/26-27 before the heavy rains then strong wind came in. Many fish caught on top using emerged patterns in size 16-14. Fish were also caught on wet flies. I landed a nice 18” brown trout which was the best this trip.