Toms Creek, Pike County 4/3/10

[odtfish]

Started out Saturday morning around 11am. It was a nice sunny day in the mid 70's. Water temp was 47 and running well. My brother and I worked the lower area until 1pm. I brought one fish to hand, a nice foot long brown. That was the only hit. Then we ran back to the truck to grab lunch, then headed up stream.
After lunch we started hitting fish further up stream. I put a little more weight on my nymph and did better in the deeper pockets and plunge pools. By 4pm the water temp rose to 53.
When we were leaving we did notice two guys spin fishing. and they didn't have waiders. They were on the far side of the creek, (the opposite side of the parking lot), which leads me to beleive that they couldn't or wouldn't go too far. I fear this is one of those C&R streams that may see some poaching. As we got back to the truck we wondered if that is why we didn't see much action in the lower section.

 

[NJAngler]

So let me get this straight: if you spin fish you could be a poacher and if you fish w/o waders you could be a poacher. Nice attitude. There are any number of reasons to explain what happened but no you blame the LEAST likely reason which is somebody poaching. talk about paranoia and prejudice. I've had good days and bad days on EVERY stream I've ever fished - and i've fished 100's. many, many times i've fished one section and caught very little or none only to suddenly be into fish on every cast. Reasons for this? who knows. maybe somebody fished that lower section earlier. maybe ducks - like mallards who nest along streams this time of year - passed through. maybe mergansers - which feed on trout - were working the stream ahead of me. maybe a heron or kingfisher or mink or some hiker with a water loving dog spooked the trout. anything is possible. Funny how only fly anglers seem to think poaching is to blame for a bad day. I tell you one thing, when I fish and don't do well my first thought isn't, hmm, maybe some fly fisherman just passed through scaring everything. I guess fly anglers get the benefit of the doubt and we spinfishers don't.

As for waders, I fish w/o waders pretty much May through October as long as the water is not too cold. A pair of old sneakers, socks and sweat pants is all i need. I may look like a homeless bum but the trout don't care how I dress and I'm pretty sure I can hold my own against anybody in the trout catching dept.

NJA

 

[salvelinusfontinalis]

NJA,

Good points.
I also wet wade through the entire summer. It feels great and keeps ya cool while your fishing. Though I wear jeans when I do it 🙂

 

[odtfish]

Nj,
First of all, I didn't say they were poaching. I said that that stream may be one that gets poached, But then again you can say that about any stream. I have fished that stream quite a few times and usually don't do quite as well on the lower stretches. Now if you think streams don't have fish taken, well that's your opinion, and good for you.
I have done quite a bit of spin fishing in my day, but when I fished with spin gear I didn't carry a giant tackle box with me when I was going fish on the move. (They both did on Toms Creek)
I have been skunked quite a few times myself for a multitude of reasons, in all types of fishing, including just not being on my game, yes my fault.
By the way we had a great day just being out on the stream. What a fun, enjoyable day. Remember it's not the amount of fish you catch, it's the experience you have while out there.
(And thanks for the nature lesson.)

 

[NJAngler]

one other point: that stream is crystal clear even when its high and those trout are spooky as they come. i spend most of my time there ducking behind trees and boulders trying to get into casting position. poachers may try(i've found bait containers there once in awhile) but i doubt they score very well since it really does require patience and stealth to get those trout. park rangers go there often too to check as well.

sorry for the sarcasm but i've read too many times ff knocking spin guys for no reason other than they don't ff. I do both but mostly spinfish so i often feel the need to defend the spin guy nation.

biggest culprit on that stream is mergansers. i've fished there at least 2x a year going back 23 years(before it was C&R). on more than one occasion i've worked upstream and saw, caught and spooked nothing for the first 1/4 to 1/3 mile. first few times this was very disconcerting until i figured out why: flock of mergansers working upstream poking there beaks into water and looking for trout. i REALLY detest them but hey they just want to fish too!

NJA

 

[NJAngler]

I started out using jeans but found they got too heavy when wet. they are more protective and durable but i find i can move much more freely with sweats on. i only started doing because every pair of waders i buy get holes within a matter of weeks(busting through thorn bushes will do that). i figure anytime the water is over 50f, i don't need waders. the downside is many streams are lined with the likes of japanese barberry and other thorn bushes. when i get home my legs are full of red spots where the thorns and needles poked thru. nothing a little neosporin can't take care of ;-)

 

[salvelinusfontinalis]

Yep thats why I wear jeans. I do agree they get heavy but the majority of streams I fish, I would be bleeding badly if I didn't. I might have to try sweats when fishing the meadow streams however. Sounds way more comfortable.

 

[Alpabuck]

Hip Boots Anyone?