Wisconisco Creek - Dauphin County - 04/19/2016

[wbranch]

Had heard Wisconisco Creek had a Delayed Harvest section and it is one of the supposedly "trophy" trout waters where larger fish are stocked.

I fished from the Ned Smith Nature Center down stream about 3/4 of a mile. I fished the entire 3/4 mile section. I waded in at the top and stayed in the stream the entire time. Fished from 10:30 to 4:00.

I never saw a single rise, saw a total of four little tan caddis, and never had a single bump on any of the nymphs or streamers I used. The clarity in many places was quite good and I never saw a single trout.

I did though happen upon a pool about 5' deep that had a relatively smooth looking bottom with no big rocks that was literally filled with 11" - 17" smallmouth! I caught the first 14" bass by accident while drifting a #10 brown stonefly nymph.

I switched over to a #4 black wooly bugger with a 1/4" red bead head and proceeded to land seven more bass, lose two that jumped and threw the hook, and had a couple of short strikes.

I figured every slow and deeper pool would have a bunch of smallmouth in them but I was wrong. I fished for another three hours and 1/4 mile and while I found four good looking pools none of them held the number of bass as the first one did.

While it was fun I doubt I'd drive 50 miles to fish one pool that might not have any fish the next time. I want to know where all the "trophy" trout were? I had a funny feeling when I saw the PFBC Delayed Harvest signs on the trees looked like they had not been changed in years. Often times streams I've fished the signs are changed every year. Also while there is a path wide enough for a stocking truck the entire length of stream I fished I didn't see any tire tracks so I'm wondering if the DH water was stocked at all.

 

[717BrownTown]

That section was float stocked by the local school conservation club. There were a decent amount of trophy Browns and the rest were Brook. It was stocked March 1 and I fished it many times in March and didn't catch a brook tout after March 3. Did manage a few decent brown trout but I believe we may have been catch 2-3 of the same fish. All fish came out of the same hole . I just do not think the stream is capable of holding fish. I think they moved on. The lower section has some slow deep water that I have not fished much maybe they are in there.
I will say there has been lots of fisherman there trying their luck . Mostly spin fishers and I did not see many fish caught.
I usually catch a bass or two in that stretch when the water is low .
I live close and I do not think it is worth the trip. Maybe I should try to find where they are because they are in there somewhere !

 

[wbranch]

717BrownTown wrote;

I just do not think the stream is capable of holding fish. I think they moved on. The lower section has some slow deep water that I have not fished much maybe they are in there.

Thanks for your response. I consider myself to be a pretty good nymph man and fished it very hard and know I was getting good drag free drifts. I fished two nymphs until I caught the smallmouth when I switched over to the bugger.

I should of turned over some rocks to see what kind, if any, bug life the stream supports. Considering I only saw four small tan caddis in 5 1/2 hours I tend to think it might not have much in way of mayflies or caddis flies.

I waded all the way down to a gate that crosses the path and from there on down the water was quite deep and probably difficult, if not impossible, to wade. Besides it didn't look very appealing. It looked like it would be best fished with an ultra light spin rod and little Mepps spinners.

On the path side I saw many foot prints where the banks were muddy and more trash than I would think I would see on a trophy (I wonder how much of a trophy?) stream. Maybe it is getting poached with bait. It surely is out of the way down in there. I won't be going back.

 

[krayfish2]

Matt,
I sent my nephew's there the Thursday before "opening day". They pulled in and parked to check the select section out and get in a little fishing. They were confronted by a guy hanging out by a pick up. He told them that they had to leave. " This is closed until Saturday " is what he told them. I've never fished it so I can't offer any feedback to you. The guy hanging out and running off the kids sounds shady to me. I'm guessing he was about to do some poaching or was the lookout for guys poaching. Yes, fish move but I'm thinking the PFBC did little more than set up a "Keystone Select Poaching" section.

 

[wbranch]

Kray,

Yes, fish move but I'm thinking the PFBC did little more than set up a "Keystone Select Poaching" section.

It has always been my understanding that a "Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only" was open all year long even if it was stocked before the official "Opening Day".

As I might of mentioned the signs on the trees indicating the special regulations were faded, torn, and had seen better days. I can't say this is always done but I thought that PFBC puts up new signs every year so they are legible and current. Maybe this is not the case. I'm going to look up the policy on whether or not the "Trophy Water" on the Wisconisco was closed prior to April 02.

 

[krayfish2]

It was open prior to the trout opener. I pulled it up on my phone, took a screenshot and sent it to my nephew. When the text reached him, they'd already gotten back over the mountain on their way home.

 

[wbranch]

Then it is likely the pick up truck guy might have been a look-out for some worming poachers. I wonder if he would of pulled a stunt like that with a older gentleman who might not have been so gullible.

 

[Swattie87]

I never understood the allure of poaching PFBC stockers...

To use an old Crocodile Dundee line..."You can live on em', but they taste like sh*t."

 

[JG63]

Probably the same crew who cleans out Manada and Clarks. To their minds, it's the ONLY place where there are fish and it's their God given right to take them all regardless of other anglers, seasons, bag limits, or special reg waters. Sintrul Pinnsiveenya is full of them! An erstwhile brother in law of mine brags on the fact of how many he cleans out in one session after a PFBC stocking event. WCO's are almost never in the right place at the right time. I once saw a group shooting fish with a .22lr at the Sawmill section on Manada. I called the WCO and he could hear the shooting in the background. He then said there's really not much he could do.... The reasoning was that the perps would be gone when he would get there. Hmm, they'd string me up from the flagpole if I got caught poaching. Ahh well, I still do my part in observing restrictions and laws. Nice guys like us finish last on ATW streams.