Big Spring Creek

coyoterahn

coyoterahn

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 1, 2019
Messages
493
Location
Central Pa
Well, I’m finally going to take the leap and try my luck at Big Spring around Newville. It’s on my bucket list. I’ve been there but have never fished it. It’s an intimidating stream for my skill/knowledge level.
So I’m looking for some advice from some of you folks who may have some knowledge you would be willing to share. Not looking for any closely held secrets, just some practical advice.
Thanks in advance.
 
Here's my advice. Arrive at Big Spring, leave the vehicle running, get back in vehicle, go fish the Connie.
 
I concur with BrookieChaser. except head for the Yellow Breeches.
 
It's actually one of the easier limestone streams to fish, if you're not particular about size. It's got many small rainbows that are pretty easy to fool. Avoid wading as much as possible. There's lots of man-made structure in the stream. Fishing some of the plunge pools created by that structure is a good place to start.
 
Thank you for the advice guys. I’ll go with the advice from redietz.
I’ve been skunked on less intimidating streams. So if/when that happens I’ll still enjoy my time out and hopefully learn something!
 
Brookies really like the sculpins there.
Rainbows really like the cressbugs IMO.

Dont wade if you can.
Fish to structure. Fish hiding dont see you and are more apt to bite.

This is key. Show up at day break. I mean get there at dark, string up and wait until you can just see. Fish fast and when the people show up then go somewhere else.
Or fish in less than perfect weather.


I agree partly with BrookieChaser. You can get some good hours on it without many people at all.

When im done i usually head to the Letort though.
 
There aren't nearly the numbers of fish on there that were there even a few yrs ago. And the big fish numbers are way down. Up on the ditch you won't see much anymore other than tiny ones.
 
Thanks guys for the advice. I do appreciate it!
 
I was just there this past saturday 9/5 got there about 930am the first lot was filled if youre coming from rt11 i fished at the second lot it has been 7 years since i was there there wasnt a single fished that rised in 4 hours i talked to a few guys nobody set a hook the c&r area is fished hard if you would like to walk on onsolid ground and getting stucking the mud go down the stream towards newville and lastly at the first lot at 2 in the afternoon i just got out of the water and yakers came blowing down through in a foot of water then dragging against stones I was pissed so what its worth the trip is yours fish at the crack of dawn or the last light of day. I didnt even SPOT a fish in a half mile stretch.
 
Sal’s advice is spot on. I’ll add a few more. Avoid the weekends if possible. Be watchful of your shadow. Slow and stealthy is the way to go. Dark clothing helps. Don’t go into the day thinking the trout in Big Spring have PhDs. Some do, most don’t. Trout feed actively throughout the day and will eagerly take well presented flies that imitate their primary food sources.

I fish it 3 or 4 mornings a month on average and always start with a #8 Shenk’s black sculpin and switch to a cress bug/scud combo if the sculpin is not moving fish. A #20-22 red zebra midge is also effective.

 
I'm late to the party, but have fished BSC since the mid 80s. All of the advice given has been excellent. I especially like fishing there on cloudy/rainy days and during high water events. Don't be afraid to go unorthodox and fish a micro yellow or peach egg pattern. It's pretty cool watching trout bolt out from under cover and scoop up an egg pattern bouncing along the bottom. Late Winter sees Early Black Stones and when they're hatching, things can be really fun below the Ditch.
 
Are you allowed to night fish there?
 
I would say not in any special regulation areas.
 
Special regulation areas are open to night fishing (unless the land owner has signage that states otherwise; for instance, if it is in a park that is closed from sunset to sunrise). The old regulation and many of the signs have the one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset wording (or whatever the night restriction was), but that is not accurate. Don't take what people say as truth, or in this case, even what the signs say.

Look up the regulation (no mention of hour restrictions).

http://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pacode?file=/secure/pacode/data/058/chapter65/chap65toc.html&d=

The proposed rulemaking and justification for simplification:

http://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pabull?file=/secure/pabulletin/data/vol42/42-51/2470.html
 
Salmonoid is spot on.

The original Fly Fishing Only, the latter Catch & Release Fly Fishing Only, as well as the old Limestone Springs and Heritage Trout designations (which Big Springs was once part of) all more or less had sunset to sunrise restrictions.

That's long gone.

When it was in effect, it was a stupid rule considering it is about impossible to evening hatches and not break the rule.

As a frequent violator, I can also attest that it was never enforced as I am sure WCO's had more sense and knew when to look for poachers.
 
coyoterahn wrote:
Well, I’m finally going to take the leap and try my luck at Big Spring around Newville. It’s on my bucket list. I’ve been there but have never fished it. It’s an intimidating stream for my skill/knowledge level.
So I’m looking for some advice from some of you folks who may have some knowledge you would be willing to share. Not looking for any closely held secrets, just some practical advice.
Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

Agree ^

In addition to the old ban on night fishing, the PFBC has also dropped the requirement for barbless hooks, which was in place up until recent years. It too was a largely unenforceable regulation and I was never checked for barbless hooks when WCOs checked me for other things.
 
thanks for the help guys idk why i didn't check the regs in the first place duh. looks like im going to chuck some rodents here soon
 
Can someone tell me where the "ditch" is I have read cvtu newsletter just trying to put in prospective,


scs
 
scs_browntrout wrote:
Can someone tell me where the "ditch" is I have read cvtu newsletter just trying to put in prospective,


scs
Click to expand...

The "ditch" is the big spring at Big Spring.

In other words it's the long pond-like area at the head of BS where the water flow originates.



 

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