Neshannock Creek, Lawrence County and Cool Spring Creek Mercer County 10/13/12

[fishingnoob]

Fished the Neshannock this morning from 8am-2pm with a break for lunch, then Cool Spring Creek from 3:30pm-6pm. The morning was tough...but being an amateur and new to trout I was clueless as to how to fish them...luckly there were a few guys who showed me the ropes and gave me a few supplies (strike indicator, split shots, a fly or two) to help me land some...I finally got my first one as seen from the picture...The fly I caught it wish was one given to me..not sure what it was called...I have a picture of it below...looks like a type of nymph similar to a hares ear...I had 2 flys on the line...a chartreuse glow bug along with the nymph...I then decided to try Cool Spring Creek after things slowed down at Nechannock....I had my biggest success here...getting 3 total catches....the first 2 were caught with the same hares ear looking fly...the 3rd was caught with a fly I actually found in the grass at Cool Creek...looked like a small shrimp type of nymph...I had to lose the split shots here because the water was so shallow..but kept the double fly...the one trout I caught at Cool Spring was a pregnant female that laid eggs when I picked her up...as seen below

 

[streamerguy]

Awesome, and congrats on your first couple trout!!

 

[fishingnoob]

Thanks streamerguy!....went again today to cool spring...a lot tougher because of the wind blowing down a hell of a lot of leaves...it made it difficult to spot the trout...netted 3...I technically had 4 catches but I was farting around trying to clear my net of leaves so I could get it in and it shook itself off...I also had 3 that got away on me

 

[stal42]

Congrats on the catches! I hit Neshannock this morning since there's no water in Erie or Ohio for chrome and was able to catch a few. The water is painfully low everywhere though... I've never fished neshannock that low, and although I was able to see trout everywhere, they are very spooky and the low levels/lack of flow make the fishing tough. Was still nice to get out and walk the trail. Walked from the fly shop down a ways past the gas line. What a beautiful day it was...just wish the fishing was better.

I've neer been to cool spring creek--might have to figure out where that is and give it a try!

Let's all start doing rain dances--the low water is killing me!

 

[streamerguy]

stal42, did you catch or see any trout down closer to the gas line? They didn't float it this fall(low water) so I'm not sure how many if any swam down that way. Definitely give Cool Spring a try, it's a nice little stream and they also kinda float stock it in the spring which spreads the fish out a bit.

We definitely need the water. I was thinkking of fishing Neshannock and CSP instead this weekend because of the low water in Erie but I still made the trip up and managed some steel which is a blast as always. We're supposed to get some good rain this week, so let's keep our fingers crossed!

 

[stal42]

Didn't see much down that way. And there was very little flow down there. About a 1/4 mile up from the big rock, there is a nice trough that I fished that actually had some depth and current. I hooked into something large there and lost it before I got a look. It didn't fight like a rainbow though, that's for sure.

I flip flopped all night last night about going for steelhead this morning. I've got the itch bad!!! Heading up to Oak Orchard in a few weeks so I'll hopefully get my full of steel, big brownies, and salmon while in there.

 

[fishingnoob]

Just putting in my two cents as well that the water is very low....when i talked to she shop owner at neshannock (forget his name..oops) he said not only is the low water a problem but also because its low the leaves are easily piling up and they will more than likely have to go in and get them out...for cool spring creek stal42 its really easy to get to...head into mercer and follow signs for 58 stay straight on 58 (scrubgrass road) then take a left onto houston road...parking is on the right next to the gate...follow the path down and your good to go...trout are around the "big rock" hole and down river along the left bank till the ripples...good luck

 

[sroach]

FN,

Great pictures, and beautiful fish you caught there!

 

[ryguyfi]

The shop owner's name is Bob. Nice guy and will talk your ear off if you let him, which isn't always a bad thing.

The fall stocking seems to only get done behind the shop due to levels just about every year. I really doubt any fish will make it down to the gas line, that's a hike. Your best bet is down to the deep hole where the stream takes the hard bend down from the shop. That might be the farthest they go. I'm curious what Bob will do if they stop the fall stocking there. I'll have to ask next time I'm in.

 

[fishingnoob]

damn Ry I hope they don't stop...its such a nice spot and with the shop right there its great to take a break...go inside to warm up...and talk fishing

 

[streamerguy]

In past falls when they supposedly didn't float stock it I had decent days down by the covered bridge. I've been told they were probably holdovers, but they seemed like fresh stockies. Even though they didn't float it maybe they still dumped a few in there.

About them might stopping the fall stockings, yeah I'm curious about that too. Not as many as spring, but still a lot of people fish and in turn shop there in the fall.

Have you heard anything about them removing or repairing the dam? There's been rumors floating around for a couple years and it's getting worse every year, and they even recently added a sign say wading, swimming, etc. can be dangerous. I meant to ask him, but then we went on talking about chrome and stuff..

 

[bikerfish]

hey fishingnoob, were you on cool spring sunday?

 

[fishingnoob]

yes I was...were you the other guy that was there?..i had a white cowboy hat on

 

[bikerfish]

yep, that was me.

 

[fishingnoob]

nice!...well pleasure to unofficially meet you...I plan on another weekend excursion there on saturday so maybe ill cya again

 

[stal42]

Thanks for the directions, fishingnoob!

ryguyfi wrote:

I really doubt any fish will make it down to the gas line, that's a hike. Your best bet is down to the deep hole where the stream takes the hard bend down from the shop. That might be the farthest they go.

I fished that trough and hooked into a few. You are 100% right about the gas line being far, but it was gorgeous out and I figured it didn't hurt to go for a walk. It's not every Sunday that I get a hall pass from daddy day care!

There were plenty of fish under the bridge right after the shop, and a bunch in the hole right behind the shop, but there was a guy in that hole all morning for like 4 hours so I didn't even bother going near it. Got a few below the bridge despite 3 inches of water and some spooky fish!

One of these days I'd love to meet some of y'all. Would love to hit the Erie JAM, but I don't think the dates work. If they end up being OK, I'm shooting up that way to get into chrome and put some faces to names.

 

[fishingnoob]

absolutely agree stal42 if you get the chance come up saturday to neshannock...i plan on getting there round 7:30 or so then shootin over to cool spring again....ill probably have my cowboy hat on as always...and when is the Erie JAM btw??

 

[chrism80]

Don't post much but i wouldn't be opposed to meeting in volant for some fishing. always looking for new fishing buddies.

 

[streamerguy]

I plan on steelhead fishing again on Saturday, but my plan B is Neshannock...I'll let you know and maybe I'll see ya there.

 

[TimRobinsin]

Good job man! keep up the good work, looks like a great day on the water!