First Fork Sinnemahoning Creek Watershed - Brooks, Norcross, and Lushbaugh Runs

[silfeid]

Hi all. Pretty simple, just looking for info on those three streams beyond the bare bones of what's easily found via google. I know that all three streams are on the repro list, and that Brooks and Norcross are Class A, with Right Branch Lushbaugh Run also Class A. All are either on State Park or State Forest land, so no issues there. I'm wondering how large the streams are, how large the fish in them tend to get, what the habitat/geology is like, and how they generally fish. Really can't seem to rustle up so much as a photograph of any of them, and can't find anything on PAFlyfish other than some very scanty info on Brooks. If it helps, I tend to only harvest one or two trout a year, and never a brook trout, wild or stocked. Any fish I take out of these three runs, I'll endeavor to put back as little the worse for wear as I can manage, hopefully for some other responsible angler to catch another day when they've grown a little larger. If you'd rather not "spot-burn" anyway, send me a PM and I can maybe return the favor for a couple of similar blue lines holding natives in SW PA. Thanks in advance!

 

[Swattie87]

They’re all small. Norcross, more accurately, is tiny. Generally small streams like this do not produce large fish, that’s pretty straight forward. And the fish that are larger are typically Brown Trout. The ones you mentioned predominantly hold Brook Trout. Most adult wild Brook Trout in PA do not reach legal (7”) size.

That area experienced a severe drought last Summer/Fall, followed shorty thereafter by a flood level high water event in December. Haven’t heard much yet on the impact on wild Trout populations, but that combination is certainly not good.

Lushbaugh is difficult to access and get out of once you do. Study the maps well and have a plan before you venture into it, if you do.

 

[troutbert]

Fishing small, unstocked tributaries on public forest lands is very enjoyable. These are examples of that type of stream, and there are hundreds of others that you can see on state forest and state gameland maps. Have fun!

Even when the fish you catch are small, and not in great numbers, it's the exploration that makes it fun.

 

[gulfgreyhound]

Lusbaugh used to be rattle snake central and not for the faint of heart. GG