Trout Run, Lancaster County, 3/14/2014

[Alnitak]

I headed out Friday a little before noon to fish Trout Run in Lancaster County, PA. Its not on the ATW list or stocked anymore--which is great news. The ice storm this spring was VERY hard on the forest there in the lower part, above the old low-grade railroad. Many large beech and birch trees came down and it seems like every one was over top of one of the best holes. That made fishing a challenge, but it will provide some cover for the native brookies in the stream.

While the air temp was about 55F, the water was still pretty cold with meltwater and a little high and cloudy. That keep the feeding to low levels, but I did manage to hook one very nice 10" native brookie in the two hours I spent on the stream. A quick photo and he went back in stream.

Unless you want to climb over lots of logs and downed tree tops, I'd suggest skipping Trout Run for some time. I don't know when the Lancaster County Conservancy will get to clearing the trails, but they were heavily blocked in many spots by either large tree trunks or worse yet, the mass of branches from a tree that fell off of the opposite side of the ravine.

Jeff

 

[troutbert]

Do not let anyone clear those downed trees from the creek!

You can be sure that someone will want to do that. They always do.

So, it's probably a good idea to be proactive and contact the Conservancy and plead to them to let those trees in the creek.

 

[Alnitak]

The LCC generally takes a very light approach to managing their land, so I don't think they'll pull the trees out. There are older trees in the stream.

 

[salmonoid]

Those trees should be fine, until a high water event moves them. There are several fallen trees there that have been in the water for several years, as well as across the path. No one cut them thankfully. A pretty decent side path develops around them.