Ridley Creek FFO - Delaware County - 3/12/2017

[sturner]

Air Temp: Approx. 30 degrees
Weather: Partly cloudy with light winds
Time fished: 1:00p-3:00p

Fished downstream of the bridge to just past the lower pullout with my wife on Sunday. She hooked into two fish just below the lower pullout with a size 18 grey scud pattern (neither landed). I managed one rainbow (approx. 12 in) in the pool just below the bridge with a size 18 zebra midge. Pretty crowded in the FFO for it being such a cold day but it was nice to get out and have a bit of action.

 

[jacob]

Good stuff - they've been taking midge and scud patterns for me as well.

 

[Fredrick]

I cant wait for opening day so the crowds spread out . We deffintely need another special regs in DELCO a DHALO on chester creek would be nice 'HINT' 'HINT' MIKE.

 

[sturner]

Agreed - especially with how little water in the FFO actually holds fish. Believe me, I consider myself lucky to live 5 minutes away from there but it would be nice to have a few other special regs in Delco to thin the crowds.

 

[Mike]

Darby appears to be the cooler of the major stocked trout streams in DelCo. That would make it the best choice. Unfortunately, we could not locate a one to two mile stretch with good parking, other good access, primarily public land, reasonable aesthetics, and good habitat that would be attractive to fish and fishermen

 

[Fredrick]

Mike wrote:
Darby appears to be the cooler of the major stocked trout streams in DelCo. That would make it the best choice. Unfortunately, we could not locate a one to two mile stretch with good parking, other good access, primarily public land, reasonable aesthetics, and good habitat that would be attractive to fish and fishermen

There has to be a comprimise somewhere on one of the streams in DELCO that the commish can live with . With the new rail trail on chester creek it just opened up miles of access with parking.

http://www.chestercreektrail.org/

 

[Mike]

There does not "have" to be an appropriate stream, but the search will continue for a stream or stream section that has desirable access, habitat, and temperatures.

 

[Nymph-wristed]

The lower end of the Wissy, from Walnut Ln bridge (which has not been stocked below since the construction started 6 years ago, even though the clearance is 13') down to the Monoshone or even below is perfect water for a FFO. Prettiest spot in SEPA!

 

[Mike]

Scenic, but very limited parking. Also probably still has late spring temperature problems.

 

[Nymph-wristed]

Thanks for the response, Mike.

I hear what your are saying, but it has to be better temp wise and parking wise than Ridley FFO. There are dozens of additional spots on Lincoln Drive and the newer park at Wissahickon Ave and Lincoln Drive, a short walk down a paved trail along the Monoshone. That lower end does get warm, eventually, but not until July. It is in a gorge with cool water seeps and it holds up much better than Ridley in a rain storm. If the CO gets reports of hold-overs, I guarantee they are coming from Kitchen's Lane down to Lincoln. Kitchen's has plenty of parking too, if the PFBC moved the section upstream even. I catch them in August down there while targeting bass--all browns who avoided the powerbait and found plenty to eat.

 

[Fredrick]

I'm sure that all the streams mentioned have good trout temps till June 15th

 

[Nymph-wristed]

Fredrick wrote:
I'm sure that all the streams mentioned have good trout temps till June 15th

To your point, Frederick, my last trip in 2015 was July 5th, and temps were below 70 in the morning.

Sick Days Fishing 7/5/2015

And it was 65 on a rainy June 8, 2016 at mid-day:

Sick Days Fishing 6/8/16