Spring Creek, Forest Co, 5-1-22

[Prospector]

Time Fished: 330om - 415pm
Weather Conditions: 53 degrees, raining
Water Conditions: 43 degrees, off color, running swiftly
Insects: saw one Caddis

This is Spring Creek near Marienville not Central PA.

Having been to S Br Tionesta already where the fishing had turned off at 3pm. I assumed this stop would be a dud for the same unknown reason. But taking a shot that the Brown bite could be on, I drove over.

This stretch has been good to me in past years but I’ve not had a streamer bite here in awhile. No other cars were present since weekenders had left for home and anyone staying at camp was already chased off by the rain. Unfortunately, my luck did not change. I fished my favorite streamer water but never had a strike. I switched to a nymph with weight and tried the rig in 3 holes but nothing was interested. It was still worth the shot. As I put my gear in the truck it began to rain pretty hard and a turkey gobbled 3 times across the creek in the downpour.

On the ride over from the South Branch, I saw 2 hen turkeys feeding along Watson Farm road about 3pm about 1/2 mile apart. The rain was stopped then so they must have jumped off the nest for a bit.

 

[DaveKile]

You would think that those would be some good conditions. Thanks for sharing. I did do a double-take when I saw the water temp.

 

[troutbert]

Thanks for your reports on the Allegheny National Forest area. I haven't fished there for a few years, and it makes me want to plan a trip.

I have heard some people say that Spring Creek (in the ANF area) has some kind of water quality problem that is causing it not to fish well. What do you think?

A buddy and I fished it some years ago, and fished some nice looking water, but we caught no trout at all, and were surprised.

 

[Prospector]

Thanks for your reports on the Allegheny National Forest area. I haven't fished there for a few years, and it makes me want to plan a trip.

I have heard some people say that Spring Creek (in the ANF area) has some kind of water quality problem that is causing it not to fish well. What do you think?

A buddy and I fished it some years ago, and fished some nice looking water, but we caught no trout at all, and were surprised.

I’m not sure about a water quality issue. Ten or so years ago when Marcellus drilling was going on. A friend of mine was fishing East Branch Spring Creek downstream a fair distance below Pig’s Ear. He heard a large truck driving on some streamside well road and he heard the operator start to discharge and stream turned from pristine wild trout quality water to a muddy mess. The guy never reported it for fear of retribution. Is that story similar to what you have heard?

My fishing in Spring has not been good for last 3 years or so. I mostly fish it this same week and the temps have been on the chilly side. That’s what I assumed my issue was. The state and sportsman’s club both stock it so it should have plenty of fish.

 

[troutbert]

I’m not sure about a water quality issue. Ten or so years ago when Marcellus drilling was going on. A friend of mine was fishing East Branch Spring Creek downstream a fair distance below Pig’s Ear. He heard a large truck driving on some streamside well road and he heard the operator start to discharge and stream turned from pristine wild trout quality water to a muddy mess. The guy never reported it for fear of retribution. Is that story similar to what you have heard?

My fishing in Spring has not been good for last 3 years or so. I mostly fish it this same week and the temps have been on the chilly side. That’s what I assumed my issue was. The state and sportsman’s club both stock it so it should have plenty of fish.

No, I never heard that story.

I just heard from several people that they used to have good fishing there, but in recent years that it's been poor, and they had a vague idea that something was wrong, but no specific theory.

 

[dryflyguy]

I've fished this stream occasionally over the years.
Close to the mouth at Halton.

Have never done very well there either
The few fish I have caught were stockers - using terrestrials
Hatches and rising fish have been rare.

And ditto for the other Clarion River tribs in the area - Mill, Bear, and Millstone creeks.
I think its probably a PH or fertility issue

 

[Prospector]

Here are my day totals for Spring Creek (Forest Co). 2010 was first time I fished it and weather was terrific and I even caught fish on dries.

4/24/2010 — 49. (25Rbw 12Brn 12Brk)
4/25/2010 — 20. (18Rbw 2Brn)
5/23/2010 — 1Brk
4/22/2011 — 10. (8Rbw 2Brk)
4/21/2012 — 3Rbw
5/4/2013 — 8. (6Rbw 1Brn 1Brk)
4/18/2014 — 7Rbw
5/4/2014 — 2Rbw
5/23/2015 — 6. (5Rbw 1Brn)
5/1/2016 — 23 (2Rbw 20Brn 1Brk)
5/2/2016 — 10Brn
5/29/2016 — 0
4/22/2017 — 0. (Fished 3 streams all zero)
5/1/2017 — 3. (1Rbw 1Brn, 1Brk)
4/21/2018 — 0
4/19/2019 — 4Rbw
5/2/2021 — 2Rbw

A couple notes that come to mind.

My first zero was 5/29/2016. My dad and I fished that day at the CCC Camp. The water was low and clear and fish were spooky. He had an enormous brook trout hooked but it broke him off. Later I was standing on the old covered bridge as my dad was fishing. I told him there were 3 trout in a particular spot in the current. He made several casts and one time he splashed his fly right on the fish. This sent them in a panic to the streamside brush. Well 3 trout went blasting in and 20 trout came blasting out of the brush. Totally incredible there were so many trout under a fairly small piece of brush. Might be worth trying a summer day during a rain when the water gets murky.

5/1/2016. I caught 23 but I also counted strikes. Averaged 5 strikes for every fish caught. That’s 115 strikes. Murky, with good flow and I remember 2 or 3 insects hatching that day. Water temp was good.

That first day I fished Spring in 2010, I didn’t even arrive until 1030am but I fished until dark.

 

[dryflyguy]

Prospector -

I'm curious - where is the old covered bridge and CCC camp?

 

[Prospector]

The Old CCC Camp was basically at the confluence of Spring Creek and the East Br of Spring creek. The covered bridge was at the lower end of the camp. It was lost about 5-6 years due to structural issues. There is a lot of horse activity on the premises now. It’s the light green area above the dropped pin on the second map.

Quick blurb on CCC camps

CCC Years

CCC Years

www.dcnr.pa.gov

If you take Duhring road you will also pass the Marienville Sportsman’s club trout nursery and can throw in a few handfuls of pellets if you like.

 

[dryflyguy]

OK
I fished there a few years ago.
Lots of people around with their horses that day.

Tried spring creek, and went up the lower part of the east branch.
Caught few - if any - from what I recall.

Ended the day upstream on the east branch by Pigs Ear.
Found a few risers there to play with. Wild browns

 

[Prospector]

OK
I fished there a few years ago.
Lots of people around with their horses that day.

Tried spring creek, and went up the lower part of the east branch.
Caught few - if any - from what I recall.

Ended the day upstream on the east branch by Pigs Ear.
Found a few risers there to play with. Wild browns

Spring Creek is heavily stocked. Gets fish about every other week from the sportsman's club and decent amount from the state. My father and his generation have lots of stories about the wild brown and brook in the east branch including the large breeding pairs they would see while hunting fall turkey. Not sure how it fishes for wild trout these days. My problem is I like to fish a lot of streams so I tend to hit each stream just one time per year with the exception of Kettle since I spend 12 days there.

 

[dryflyguy]

A friend of mine's dad had a cabin at Halton.
And he fished it quite a bit.

He told me there used to be a small dam on the creek.
And that he would wade right down the middle, casting dry flies to both banks - catching lots of fish there then.
I'm guessing it was right in Halton, somewhere around the cabin cluster

 

[Prospector]

Hallton fishes better for me than CCC camp. It is a little longer drive to Hallton from my camp (68 minutes vs 46 min to Duhring).