Little J rainbows

[rrt]

Afish,
Yes, you're probably right, though it seems odd that these pee pee's just recently appeared adjacent to the src property. It would be difficult to imagine their doing something long term. No one seems to fish that 100-yard property with 11 acres that the empire bought for 335,000 dollars. The previous owner had bulldozed much of the stream after a flood and then DEP forced him to replace the bulldozed rock. Only beaver's avarice could be responsible for his having his minion, "forked tongue," arrange to buy this property. I guess I got to rambling again -- you probably are right, though, about the little rainbows.

 

[Fishidiot]

Several times in recent years when I've fished the public Harvey section of Spruce, I've seen large bows (likely from club water) spawning. This is usually in Sept. I'll bet you've seen it too. Over the same period, I've also caught a good number of tiny bows in this section that I've always assumed were the wild progeny of these spawning attempts. Doesn't it make sense that some of these little bows could find they way downstream to the LJ? Or, perhaps, these big bows could be spawning in the J just as they do (or try to do) in Spruce? Perhaps the clubs are stocking fingerling bows, but I find this unlikely (and really don't care what the clubs are doing).

The obvious answer - in my view - is that bows are establishing wild populations in Spruce and that this appears to be spreading into the rest of the LJ watershed. Is this good or bad? I'm inclined to think it's a good thing. Time will tell.

 

[Maurice]

I agree with Mr Idiot. Overspill from Spruce Creek pellet pig progeny or perhaps pellet pig progeny procreated in propriate pebble areas of the LIttle J.

Interestingly this year for the first time I caught a wild bow in the Muddy Creek Watershed. Then 4 months later I hear from a club near the area I caught it that they are catching many wild looking bows. They send pics I confirm and say I would be doubtful if I hadn't experienced it myself near there in May.

During the first year there are many smaller nursery waters for the fry to fingerling to survive, when they become 4-7" long they need to occupy the lies of larger fish which push them out, downstream to bigger water, warmer times in summer push them back up where they have to compete for cover and food. It is at this time where the rubber hits the road for their survival. Can they outcompete the resident wild browns who have a foothold within the watershed? Then continue through the next year as larger fish with the same cycle only now make it through to sexual maturity in the larger warmer crik. This will be the test to see if the population continues to be robust.

 

[fritz]

I caught two small bows that appeared to be wild above Spruce Creek this week. Caught one larger bow. All the rest were browns.

 

[dryflyguy]

I've also been catching a few more rainbows on the little j lately - all appearing to me to be stockies.
I figure they've been coming in from shaver creek on the lower end, or bald eagle creek on the upper end - besides spruce creek of course.
Don't really have a problem with it. Browns still seem to outnumber them by far - from what I've caught anyway.

 

[Spiral]

It's a low water high temperature year. Rainbows have more of a propensity to move and be nomads. While the Spring Ridge Club might be putting them in, i bet alot of them come from tributaries of the J where they were planted.

Last time I fished Big Fill Run years ago, i caught a pile of small rainbows. There is a co-op up there and there seemed to be an over-abundance of smallish rainbows in the section adjacent to and downstream of that hatchery. Maybe with a low water year they ditched a bunch of fish instead of losing them. Just offering up another angle or possibility.

But I agree with whoever said above.....that many fish showing up that quickly say's stockies to me.



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