White Clay Creek - Chester Co. Nov 6 and 7

[DrGonzo]

I'd only fished the WCC watershed once before and caught a couple of fish back in the spring on a nymph pattern called a Walt's Worm. Actually, those were the first fish I caught on a fly I tied myself.

I went back on Saturday to scout some new water below the confluence of the Middle and East branches. I found some promising stretches of river but wasn't able to locate any fish. Mostly fished nymphs and streamers. It was a short trip, only about 1.5 hrs on the stream so I might have done better if I was there longer. Weather was just about perfect.

On Sunday I took my uncle out for a quick lesson, nymphed the same spot where I caught the fish in the spring but didn't catch anything. I tried copper johns, caddis larvae, egg patterns and streamers.

I don't know if the stockies haven't spread out yet, or have already been hammered into oblivion. Either way, didn't see any fish Saturday or Sunday.

What's the holdover potential in this watershed? I figure this summer was probably drier and hotter than most so its unlikely any of the spring-stocked fish survived but on a "normal" year do the temps stay low enough for fish to holdover? I have family 15 mins away so its super convenient for me when I am visiting them but I am still learning about the stream.

 

[Fishidiot]

Gonzo,
I'm not a regular from that part of the state so hopefully one of the locals can give you better info. My guess would be that there is limited or no summer holdover of trout in WCC. This year in particular was extremely tough. WCC is stocked down into DE and has some nice water but I'd imagine it's mainly an April to June stream. Many of the streams here in PA that are stocked in the fall are stocked with fewer fish. I also have a theory that fall stocked rainbows migrate away faster than fish put in in the spring months (can't prove it). I generally tell folks that stocked streams that fish very well in the spring and that warm during the summer aren't likely to fish as well in the fall.

As the saying goes - your mileage may vary.

 

[jdaddy]

My first fish on a fly I tied was walts worm as well.

There is little holdover potential in that stream IMO. Great looking water that just gets too warm with no cool spring influences. As noted it was stocked in the Fall. Shortly there after a bunch of us fished the stream, about 15 or some PAFF members. We had a handful of fish between all of us.

 

[troutbert]

jdaddy wrote:
My first fish on a fly I tied was walts worm as well.

There is little holdover potential in that stream IMO. Great looking water that just gets too warm with no cool spring influences. As noted it was stocked in the Fall. Shortly there after a bunch of us fished the stream, about 15 or some PAFF members. We had a handful of fish between all of us.

I was down there recently and agree on the description of the streams as having little holdover potential. There is a lot of shallow water, not as much good pool habitat and cover as you would like to see. And lots of evidence of severe scour from stormwater runoff.

But the White Clay Preserve is a beautiful place, a great place to go for a walk in the fall. If you live in that region, it's worthwhile going there, just to go for a walk and enjoy the landscape.

 

[DrGonzo]

Thanks guys! I don't fish WCC very often, only when I visit my aunt and uncle who live nearby in Kennett Square. I agree, it's a beautiful spot. I love the fact that so much of the watershed is preserved. I wasn't sure if it was marginal water though guess it is. I'll head back out there next spring if at all.

My uncle wants me to teach him how to fly fish so I just figured before I spend more time on the creek this fall I'd find out a little bit about the place. Next time I take him out we'll explore somewhere else.

 

[Tups]

DrG: WCC is largely a put and take fishery, however there are several pools on the upper half of the West Branch Special regs reach (Good Hope Road DS to London Tract Rd) that hold fish through the summer. Besides the PAFBC stockings, the White Clay FlyFishers keep this Regs stretch pretty well stocked. I believe they stock in December. Good fishing can be had through the winter.

 

[DrGonzo]

Thanks Tups that's good to know! I'm sure I will be back in the area over the winter visiting family so I will check it out.