North Branch/Muddy Creek, York Co. 4/12/17

[fritz]

Went to fish the FFO of Muddy Creek. Late start so the parking lot was jammed when I got there. Opted for solitude so I went over to the North Branch. Fished from 11A to 4P. Flow was up and perfect color. WT was 57F when starting. Started with streamers and got into fish quickly. Switched to prince and stonefly nymphs in the heavy runs and pocket water. Moved fish pretty steadily for the time I was there switching between nymphs and streamers. I did not see one bug in the air. Landed a mixed of browns and bows. A couple wild ones. When I left a gobbler was going pretty good across the creek up on a little knob. He was gobbling pretty steady.

 

[Zach75]

I fished below woodbine Wednesday evening from 2pm to dark and also saw very little bug activity. Only saw a couple mayflies the entire evening, too far away to identify.

 

[Mike]

I have a question for those who fish the North Branch Muddy Ck. We are planning to survey part(s) of the stream this coming summer and wish to focus efforts where there is the potential for a Class A population. The stream is divided into four sections. Section 02 and 04 are stocked. Section 01 runs from the headwaters downstream to the confluence of Pine Run in Felton. Section 02 is stocked and runs from the confluence of Pine Rn in Felton downstream to the confluence of Carter Ck near Brogueville. Section 03 is the private club section. Section 04 is stocked and runs from the village of Laurel to the confluence with the South Branch Muddy.

Which of these sections produce substantial numbers of legal size wild Browns when you fish? We already surveyed the very downstream end of Section 04 and only found a few wild Browns.

We also surveyed the upper half or so of Section 02 perhaps 4 years ago and found a fair number of wild Browns, but timing was early spring when numbers may have been at a high for the year if the water typically gets warm there in summer or could have been at a low for the year as many waters are in early spring.

Any input regarding section number specific impressions of low numbers, moderate numbers, or high numbers of wild Browns would be helpful.

 

[tomitrout]

I'm heading there Sunday....if I figure any of that out, I'll let you know. Cut my teeth not catching sh!t above the blown out bridge above Bruce 30+yrs ago, hope to change the trend....

 

[Maurice]

Hey Toni,

I hope to fish today and maybe tomorrow... let me know if you want some company.

Frankly, I do much better solo but just throwing it out there.

Maurice

 

[tomitrout]

Will do, I hear yah about the solo thing, my preference also....

Can you still access the creek above Bruce? I know you can't park stream side anymore at the old bridge abutment, but can you still walk up the tracks above the FFO stretch?

 

[foxtrapper1972]

Mike, Of course the club section (private) will be the best. (And could be better without them stocking it.) The fish there are somewhat protected from the hordes who pound this creek constantly and kill fish year round.

Plus MOST of the so called wild fish in the Muddy creek watershed are actually the Vibert box reared fish not true wilds.

Trout in PA need protection and a closed season (like NY) especially during the spawn....And now that they are harassed constantly and year round especially on the more popular/advertised creeks. Give the wild fish a break. You might be surprised what can happen if you were to TRULY enforce closed seasons, catch and release and fly fishing only on some LARGE sections.

I know the "ignorant" and spin and bait guys on this site will cry about what I am saying but results speak volumes. If you ever fished private water (unstocked wild fish only) in any state and see what can be done with true protection you would know I am correct.

 

[HopBack]

I've started at high rock road before and gone upstream folliowing the railroad. You can do well between all of the frog water but I never thought it would be close to a class A. I have gotten temps in the low 60s on summer days up there so I'm sure there is a decent reproducing population.

 

[Maurice]

HopBack wrote:
I've started at high rock road before and gone upstream folliowing the railroad. You can do well between all of the frog water but I never thought it would be close to a class A. I have gotten temps in the low 60s on summer days up there so I'm sure there is a decent reproducing population.

I would agree with this except for the very upper area around Guinston, there is a good piece of habitat there that probably extends the 1000 ft or so necessary for a sample size and involves a decent cold water refuge with the brogue branch. But that is cherry picking.

 

[wbranch]

foxtrapper wrote;

Trout in PA need protection and a closed season (like NY) especially during the spawn....And now that they are harassed constantly and year round especially on the more popular/advertised creeks. Give the wild fish a break.

This is a great idea for many of the PA trout waters. There will always be some DH waters that are open year round for guys who just have to trout fish all 12 months of the year.

I'm specifically thinking of the PA section of the WB of the Delaware. The NYS section from half way up Monument Pool gets closed around October 15 (or is it September 15?) to give all those wild browns a chance to do the spawning ritual.

Those PA trout get pounded from ice out in mid March to late November and beyond if there is a mild December.

I'd bet there are plenty of other fly anglers who fish different waters that would forgo all year open seasons if the overall fishery would improve with the advent of season closures.