Fall Fish, one of PA’s original native predators: Thread for techniques, reports, and Fisheries.

[Highstickdrifter]

Fall Fish Thread


View attachment 1641230615

Before introduction of non-native smallmouth bass, channel catfish, walleye, largemouth bass, rainbow trout, brown trout, and muskellunge, fallfish were thought by many to be one of the major native apex predators of eastern flowing streams in the mid-Atlantic. Does not seem to be a lot of info on the size and abundance of these fish before non native introductions.

They are a large, hard fighting, and predatory game fish but often ignored because of being arbitrarily branded as “undesirable” or misidentified as “chubs”. While anglers complain about the usual non native trout fisheries being packed these days, these fish exist in large abundance in most if not all PA fly anglers areas and take streamers, dries, wets, and nymphs.

Those who chose to pursue them have some amazing fisheries all to themselves quite frequently. Who out there besides me is targeting Fall Fish?

I have always enjoyed catching them, first on Mepps spinners, then later in my fishing evolution, on fly gear ( usually wooly buggers). Some of the larger ones (15”+) have fought very well indeed. I find them to be a very handsome fish, although they’re kind of the Rodney Dangerfield of fish, “No Respect”, lol. I believe many anglers mistake suckers and creek chubs for Fallfish, and hence say that Fallfish don’t fight well.

 

[caddisflyer]

I have seen pods of fish rising to take bugs and then waded across wide, deep spots to get into position and realized they were Fallfish. I try to avoid them when fishing for trout.

 

[jifigz]

I basically only routinely catch fallfish out of the Juniata. I won't turn my nose up at one. There is one trout stream I frequent that has good numbers, too.

I like em. They'll eat dang near anything. They are easy to catch. Good fighters, at least I think so. Native to the Juniata which is cool.

I'd much rather target redbreasts, though.

 

[Fish Sticks]

I basically only routinely catch fallfish out of the Juniata. I won't turn my nose up at one. There is one trout stream I frequent that has good numbers, too.

I like em. They'll eat dang near anything. They are easy to catch. Good fighters, at least I think so. Native to the Juniata which is cool.

I'd much rather target redbreasts, though.

I like both readbreasts and fall fish too, i like popping bugs and a 2-3wt glass rod for redbreasts and streamers/ nymohing techniques I enjoy on trout too when i feel like doing that. To me it just depends on what mood I am in. I want to get better t night fishing for them since I enjoy fishing at night so much. More about big wets under surface than surface patterns(over meniscus) gurglers alot more than brown trout i have noticed for fall fish

 

[6xAdams(Jones)]

I know we're usually about C&R but does anyone eat these things? The only time in my 50+ years that I heard of anyone cooking a chub was when it was the surprise ingredient on Iron Chef. (The original show in Japan's Kitchen Stadium and dubbed into English - not the stupid one in Los Angeles).

 

[TheBluegillMaster]

A couple years ago, my buddies and I caught one and cooked it up. I forgot what we did, but it turned out pretty average. Lots and lots of bones, and they’re slimy as hell and stink (when cleaning)

 

[jifigz]

Fallfish have beautiful white meat. I used to actually target fallfish in the Juniata with dry flies. I was mostly looking for the smaller fallfish, though, and they went straight into the cooler or on a stringer or something. I would then chunk them out and turn them into cut-bait for catfish.

 

[6xAdams(Jones)]

So, "pretty average" and "beautiful white meat... for catfish." I'll continue to enjoy catching them and tossing them back.

 

[Fish Sticks]

I know we're usually about C&R but does anyone eat these things? The only time in my 50+ years that I heard of anyone cooking a chub was when it was the surprise ingredient on Iron Chef. (The original show in Japan's Kitchen Stadium and dubbed into English - not the stupid one in Los Angeles).

Chubs are common too but different species. Creek chubs unlike fall fish do not loose the black stripe that runs laterally on n them as they age like juvenile fall fish do.

Semotilus Corporalis-fall fish example

Semotilus Atromaculatus-creek chub example


The creek chubs take dries as well and in developed suburban headwater streams or Ag impaired headwater stream can go “Brown Lining” for them with 3weight 7 foot glass 7 foot or shorter leader and size 16-18 dries

 

[jifigz]

So, "pretty average" and "beautiful white meat... for catfish." I'll continue to enjoy catching them and tossing them back.

So you're saying you don't want me to keep a couple for ya for dinner?

 

[jifigz]

And in my opinion, Creek chubs aren't great for sport.

I do support fallfish though..

 

[5footfenwick]

 

[Fish Sticks]

And in my opinion, Creek chubs aren't great for sport.

I do support fallfish though..

If I lived in Mifflin Co id be blue lining a-lot and still fishing for fallfish in the juniata. But if you lived in Hershey and only had 2 hours to fish you might find yourself “brown lining” for creek chubs in housing developments and next to coffee shops or maybe not. Sometimes creek chubs save the day on a 3 weight glass rod with bushy dries when I otherwise would not get much fishing in or other local rivers packed with yaks, tubes, and fishermen.

 

[ryansheehan]

Fall Fish Thread


View attachment 1641230615

Before introduction of non-native smallmouth bass, channel catfish, walleye, largemouth bass, rainbow trout, brown trout, and muskellunge, fallfish were thought by many to be one of the major native apex predators of eastern flowing streams in the mid-Atlantic. Does not seem to be a lot of info on the size and abundance of these fish before non native introductions.

They are a large, hard fighting, and predatory game fish but often ignored because of being arbitrarily branded as “undesirable” or misidentified as “chubs”. While anglers complain about the usual non native trout fisheries being packed these days, these fish exist in large abundance in most if not all PA fly anglers areas and take streamers, dries, wets, and nymphs.

Those who chose to pursue them have some amazing fisheries all to themselves quite frequently. Who out there besides me is targeting Fall Fish?

Krayfish is known far and wide for targeting these fish and taking beautiful pictures of them as well.

 

[Fish Sticks]

Krayfish is none far and wide for targeting these fish and taking beautiful pictures of them as well.

Hope he finished eating that one

 

[rustbeltwilds]

Couple from my fallfish hotspot lol

 

[Fish Sticks]

Couple from my fallfish hotspot lol

Nice!!!! What they take?

 

[bigjohn358]

LOVE my fall fish! I don't usually target them but I do know certain spots where I expect to catch them while trout fishing. They get a bad rap but I always tell people they are native fish that weren't raised by man, fed pellets, and dumped in from a truck. They eat almost anything from moving baits, dries, and nymphs. They are important fish to the ecosystem. Their big pebble mounds they build for spanwing are also spawning grounds for a lot of other minnow and darter species. I was really upset when fishing the delayed harvest area on Loyalsock the other day and finding one someone threw on the bank. Just complete ignorance to throw a fish like that on the bank.

 

[jifigz]

LOVE my fall fish! I don't usually target them but I do know certain spots where I expect to catch them while trout fishing. They get a bad rap but I always tell people they are native fish that weren't raised by man, fed pellets, and dumped in from a truck. They eat almost anything from moving baits, dries, and nymphs. They are important fish to the ecosystem. Their big pebble mounds they build for spanwing are also spawning grounds for a lot of other minnow and darter species. I was really upset when fishing the delayed harvest area on Loyalsock the other day and finding one someone threw on the bank. Just complete ignorance to throw a fish like that on the bank.

People tossing fallfish, suckers, etc on the bank is a far too common occurrence.

 

[JeffK]

Glad someone mentioned redbreast sunnies. Another native that is not appreciated. Over in NJ they stock the non-native bluegill and it gets all the good press. But I feel the native redbreast are better in every way and have never gotten a straight answer to why bluegills are the only sunnies stocked. The only possibility is that maybe bluegills do better in ponds while redbreast are more of a river fish. BTW, the NJ fisheries chief is interested in native and rare minnow and sunfish species (especially the ones from the Pine Barrens that end up in the aquarium trade) and I didn't get a straight answer from him. He has tried to get stream protection similar to that offered for wild trout streams for rare minnows and sunfish, but that gets no love and even some mockery.