Brandywine Creek smallmouth

[mdamm318]

I've recently started wet wade fishing the Brandywine in the area above Chadds Ford. Been catching quite a few smallmouth and a couple of largemouth but nothing over 10-11". I've heard there are some big smallmouth in that stretch from Chadds Ford up to the split. I'm not finding a lot of parking access in the Chadds Ford section but it looks like a nice stretch with deeper water which I'm sure is where the bigger ones hang out. Anybody else having any luck this summer in that area?

 

[Fish Sticks]

I've recently started wet wade fishing the Brandywine in the area above Chadds Ford. Been catching quite a few smallmouth and a couple of largemouth but nothing over 10-11". I've heard there are some big smallmouth in that stretch from Chadds Ford up to the split. I'm not finding a lot of parking access in the Chadds Ford section but it looks like a nice stretch with deeper water which I'm sure is where the bigger ones hang out. Anybody else having any luck this summer in that area?

I catch em in downingtown in 5-7” range
Had a huge one come out and try to eat a rainbow once there

 

[Bamboozle]

I've recently started wet wade fishing the Brandywine in the area above Chadds Ford. Been catching quite a few smallmouth and a couple of largemouth but nothing over 10-11". I've heard there are some big smallmouth in that stretch from Chadds Ford up to the split. I'm not finding a lot of parking access in the Chadds Ford section but it looks like a nice stretch with deeper water which I'm sure is where the bigger ones hang out. Anybody else having any luck this summer in that area?

I always started my Brandywine fishing in that area by parking at the Brandywine River Museum, walking the RR tracks downstream to access the river and fishing back up to my car.

The parking situation and easy access north of Route 1 along Old Route 100/River Road is pretty much non existent until you get above of Route 926 where are a few right side shoulder pull-offs. Be advised folks fly on that road so you need to be careful.

FWIW - I know that the former Lenape/Brandywine Picnic Park up the road off of Route 52 is closed and was sold last year, but at one time the previous groundskeeper used to let me and a buddy park in their lot. It might be worth attempting to contact the new owners and ask if they would allow access & parking on their property.

I also asked and once got permission to park in Sklar Surgical Supply's parking lot also on Route 52.

As far as the fishing went in those locations, it was a while ago with a lot of action from sunfish and smallmouth but no big bruisers.

Good luck!!

 

[Mike]

The following should give you some idea of what to expect regarding the length distribution in SMB in SE Pa streams within the Delaware River basin. See paragraph #1. The rest of the report describes the electrofishing abundance indices and the variety of species found. While the info is old, it is the most recent in most cases, perhaps all cases, and my experience in sampling some streams annually has been that the length distributions of adult fish doesn’t change much in warmwater streams. As a result, I would bet that the data in the report regarding lengths could very well be accurate today.

Note what was said about the habitat being representative of the habitats in these streams. Deep holes that could not be waded were uncommon and would not have been a representative habitat type. On the other hand, if you want bigger fish than were sampled, seek out the unusual holes that would not have been wadable. Good luck.

PFBC 2009 Biologist Report - Darby, Ridley, West Branch Brandywine & Manatawny creeks

 

[springer1]

Are there any Pa State organizations responsible for recommending steps (minimal or otherwise) to assist the survival & health of Smallmouth ? SEPA’s environment is nothing like it was 50 years ago. Has there been any measurable steps taken to respond & keep up with that ? Has there been any recommended that were not adopted ?

 

[Mike]

In the Area 6 fisheries management area the primary problems for SMB are 1) loss and diminishment of physical habitat due to the forces of stormwater runoff on stream channels and the amount of sediment/gravel dislodged from the banks and carried into the streams by the runoff. 2) Warm water temps in the shallows in the main rivers or sections thereof at times and probably sometimes farther off-shore as well producing disease or acting synergistically with other potential disease causing factors.

 

[springer1]

So ….. Has there been any measurable steps taken to respond & keep up with that ? Has there been any recommended that were not adopted ? Because if not, it seems like the State has organization(s) that are saying “We’re the experts but there’s nothing we have implemented or proposed."

Didn’t a recent (within the last 10-12 years) Governor sign legislation reducing the required setback from streams? Knowledge of factors is good but worthless if there are no actions. I may have missed them, but what measurable steps has the “Fisheries Management” implemented ? Because if there aren't any ….. then they are not Fisheries Management, rather Fisheries Experts.

 

[Silent Ocelot]

I fished Chadds Ford in Aug/Sep of 2020. I parked at the River Museum. Picked up some decent sized fallfish and a lot of redbreasts. On one day when the water was stained I picked up two 14 inch smallmouth on a clouser styled to resemble a perch. A buddy and I heard a larger bass break the surface in the evening but it was hard to discern how big it was. I love this stretch for the wide expanses where I can hit some redbreasts and fallfsh. The Brandywine always seems to have a good supply of good-sized fallfish that are willing to take poppers.

 

[jgish92]

There are a few musky in that stretch above Chadds Ford. Some big ones.

 

[Mike]

So ….. Has there been any measurable steps taken to respond & keep up with that ? Has there been any recommended that were not adopted ? Because if not, it seems like the State has organization(s) that are saying “We’re the experts but there’s nothing we have implemented or proposed."

Didn’t a recent (within the last 10-12 years) Governor sign legislation reducing the required setback from streams? Knowledge of factors is good but worthless if there are no actions. I may have missed them, but what measurable steps has the “Fisheries Management” implemented ? Because if there aren't any ….. then they are not Fisheries Management, rather Fisheries Experts.

If and when any recommendations of the type that would impact stormwater runoff control or erosion are made by a fisheries manager they would be made to PaDEP and/or its closely associated County Conservation Districts. On other occasions recommendations would perhaps be made to township supervisors concerning road grading activities or to the PFBC Habitat staff concerning specific small project possibilities, usually on or along wild or stocked trout streams.

 

[Silent Ocelot]

There are a few musky in that stretch above Chadds Ford. Some big ones.

LIES

 

[jgish92]

 

[Mike]

LIES

I assume you’re saying that tongue in cheek, because they have been caught for decades in the Brandywine all of the way down to Wilmington, DE. These fish have been escapees from Marsh Creek Lake, Chester Co and possibly years ago escapees as well from Struble Lake, Chester Co. More recently, specifically since about 2010, pure muskies have been present in apparently good numbers in the E Br Brandywine at times.