Kettle creek 12/11/01

[pap-paw]

I fished the FFO and noticed that the large brown signs with fly fishing only on them at both ends of the project were removed. They have been replaced with large reflective signs that say Kettle Cerrk Boat Launch. Anyone know what is going on here. Are they planning on doing away with the FFO aera?

 

[tomgamber]

I doubt it...the only boat launch signs i remember were at the lake...the ffing signs i recall are at the bridge. I guess you could call DCNR and ask...

 

[troutbert]

I haven't seen it but if someone knows more about it, I'm certainly interested. Maybe they are trying to promote Kettle Creek as a kayaking stream?

 

[tomgamber]

You are talking about up in Potter correct? Because I found this marked as an access area on the PFBC site.

129 Kettle Creek
County line downstream Owl Hollow

This would have to be Clinton though.

Maybe someone screwed up a work order...

 

[reds]

He is correct there is a sign at the upper end of the fly only project. I figured the PFBC was trying to make sure it is designated as navigable so they don't have to worry about it being posted.

 

[troutbert]

So two people have seen it. A boating access sign at the top of the Kettle Creek flyfishing only area. That's it. I'm moving to Montana. Y'all come visit.

 

[JackM]

You can fly fish from a canoe, can't you? I am missing the apparent conundrum.

 

[fishingspider]

You'd be pretty hard-pressed to fish Kettle from a canoe up there.

'tis a mystery...

 

[troutbert]

The stream is too shallow to canoe there except in rather high flow. But you can kayak there, and even on much smaller streams.

On lower Spring Creek, the PFBC took out the West Penn Power dam, then the McCoy Dam. And they are going to put in canoe & kayak launch pads at the McCoy site.

Fishing license sales are going down.

Kayaking and canoeing popularity are going up.

And they get a fee on boat registrations.

You can see where this story is going.

 

[TimMurphy]

Dear troutbert,

I don't want to say that you are to far off base, but a non-powered launch permit is $ 10.00 a year and a fishing license is what, about $ 29.00 if you get a trout stamp?

I really don't think the Fish and Boat Commission has some nefarious plan to cut their revenue stream by 2/3 rd's.

Face it, demographics are changing and getting outdoors to a lot of people means driving their $ 60,000 SUVS full of mountain bikes and canoes and kayaks to places that only us crusty old farts used to know about.

It sucks, but what can you do? Those people have jobs and pay taxes and they have at least an equal right to access streams and rivers the same as fishermen.

Regards,
Tim Murphy 🙂

 

[pap-paw]

I sure don't understand what is going on here. It would sure be nice if someone from the fish commission would explain it. It will not be much fun fishing this area with a steady flow of boats going by. I have experienced this on some of the lower sections of kettle creek. If they want a kyack and canoe area why not put it below the dam at kettle creek park where there are few trout and less fishing pressure. I realize the boaters have as much right to use the creek as the fisherman do but this section of the creek is not well suited to this type of activity.

 

[troutbert]

pap-paw wrote:
I sure don't understand what is going on here. It would sure be nice if someone from the fish commission would explain it. It will not be much fun fishing this area with a steady flow of boats going by. I have experienced this on some of the lower sections of kettle creek. If they want a kyack and canoe area why not put it below the dam at kettle creek park where there are few trout and less fishing pressure. I realize the boaters have as much right to use the creek as the fisherman do but this section of the creek is not well suited to this type of activity.

Very well said. In the lower miles of Kettle, it's a much bigger stream. And it's only stocked from the big dam down to a little way below the campground near the recreation dam, and the rest of the way down to the mouth it's unstocked. And it's very scenic down there. So the boaters would have a good float without much conflict with anglers.

Way up in the C&R area, it's a much smaller stream. There's no room to go behind a wading angler, the boater would have to go right through where a guy is casting. And it's VERY heavily fished in that section. I've seen at least a dozen guys fishing just near the bridge.

And there are a couple places in the C&R area where there have historically been downed trees. There used to be a massive logjam just up around the first bend above the bridge. Superb trout habitat. But it could kill an inexperienced boater. So if they convert that to a boating stretch, I imagine the logjams & downed trees (large woody debris) won't be around for long.