Looking for a spot to trout fish near Cabelas Hamburg?

[Mike]

Stocked this week with RT from the combined total of a preseason and inseason stocking was the Little Schuylkill River in Port Clinton, one mile north on Rt 61 from Cabelas. Flows were high this week so fishing pretty much started yesterday. I did angler counts and with the cold temps only about 15 anglers appeared in the one mile of stocked water all day. Midges were thick last evening and spinners, plugs, and minnows produced for the anglers, who were mostly C&R. Also saw one 11 inch wild brookie caught and released. Conditions should be good today and this week. The stocked stretch runs from the mouth at the Schuylkill River up through town and along the wooded stretch, terminating at 3 C's Restaurant along Rt 61. The River is wide, fairly shallow, and fast moving with a rocky/rubble bottom. The River should stay cool at least through May. The river's width plus its fairly shallow nature leaves plenty of room for prospecting. Watch the slipperiness though. Have heard of a sulphur hatch, but I can't confirm. Baetids present for sure.

 

[Maurice]

Good report Mike...

 

[Chaz]

Thanks for the report Mike. For those who may not be familiar with the Ltl. Schuylkill, be cautious when wading, use a staff, this section and others on the Ltl. Schuylkill are slippery. It's big water for trout fishing in SEPA, be careful.

 

[geebee]

an 11" wild brookie in SEPA. wow !

 

[Chaz]

geebee wrote:
an 11" wild brookie in SEPA. wow !

If you know where to go in SE PA that's little.

 

[SBecker]

Mike, how do wild fish hold up in the Dhalo section. I guess I should ask if there are any.

 

[Mike]

The few wild trout in the DH Area are probably not there year around due to warm water temps in summer.

 

[RyanR]

geebee wrote:
an 11" wild brookie in SEPA. wow !

Keep in mind that trying to call that area SEPA is a joke. I know officially it gets thrown into the Southeast Region but it's mostly on the North side of the Blue Mountains ridge and so it's much more akin to the Northeast region. Nonetheless, a good piece of water to wet a line.

 

[Chaz]

It's south of I80 that's good enough for me, and it is in the PFBC SE Region.

 

[Mike]

The stretch that I referenced could best be described as being within the Blue Mountain water gap.

 

[Chaz]

That's right, it is right in the gap. There always seems to be good fishing in our "gaps."

 

[RyanR]

Yes, I know exactly where the stretch is. Including Schuylkill County in the Southeast Region has just always seemed a little odd to me in light of the majority of the county lying north of Blue Mountain.

 

[Mike]

Stream looked great this morning. Wished I was fishing. One angler counted. None there two days ago. Many fish stocked last week, hardly anyone fishing. It's a pity as it is nice water. Can 't see this continuing.

 

[Chaz]

RyanR wrote:
Yes, I know exactly where the stretch is. Including Schuylkill County in the Southeast Region has just always seemed a little odd to me in light of the majority of the county lying north of Blue Mountain.

It's in the Delaware Watershed and empties in below Philly= SE. I think that's the logic.

 

[RyanR]

Chaz wrote:

RyanR wrote:
Yes, I know exactly where the stretch is. Including Schuylkill County in the Southeast Region has just always seemed a little odd to me in light of the majority of the county lying north of Blue Mountain.

It's in the Delaware Watershed and empties in below Philly= SE. I think that's the logic.

Logic huh? Well besides the fact that the Little Schuylkill River DOES NOT empty in anywhere near Philly but rather right there in Port Clinton we're talking about a county. By that logic since the Lehigh River empties into the Delaware in Northampton county then maybe Carbon County should be in the Southeast too? My point was that it's just odd to me considering most of the county lies north of the Blue Mountain ridge. Geographically and weather-wise most of the county is much more akin to three of its neighbors Carbon, Columbia and Northumberland counties- all in northern regions (Northeast and Northcentral.) Just my own observation and opinion.

I'd likely be fishing it this weekend if I didn't have a Hunt Test to volunteer at this weekend.

 

[SBecker]

You don't fish anymore, Ryan. Who you trying to fool?

 

[Tups]

Our friendly Regional Biologist is dropping a broad hint. If the Little Schuylkill R. in Port Clinton does not see some substantial angler interest soon, the trout stocking will cease. Perhaps a LSR Jam might help.

 

[RyanR]

Tups wrote:
Our friendly Regional Biologist is dropping a broad hint. If the Little Schuylkill R. in Port Clinton does not see some substantial angler interest soon, the trout stocking will cease. Perhaps a LSR Jam might help.

Yeah, I thought that might be what he was hinting at too. Not saying a jam.wouldn't be nice there but I find it a little hard to believe that just because "not many" anglers are there on the one or two days the PFBC is taking a casual head count then stocking will cease. It is still early in the season and been colder than average too. The Little Schuylkill is one of the main trout streams stocked in that county, with plenty of public access, and that particular section does see angling attention each season. I've seen it with my own two eyes. As for the LS on a whole, it's seen a good amount of angling pressure most weekends since the season started.

Ha ha Shane, I'm planning to refocus my fishing efforts this year. I did just spend last Sunday afternoon on Spruce Creek with my nephews and Joe Humphreys (obligatory name drop!) You're impressed, I know! :lol:

 

[AFISHN]

Thanks to Mike's report,I fished the LS yesterday from 9 AM until 1 PM.
Nothing showing on top, but caught a few on soft hackles.BTW:In the town of Port Clinton itself there was some major road work being done, with several roads blocked off

 

[Chaz]

The Schuylkill drainage ends in Philly!!! Most of the drainage is in SE PA.
The Lehigh also ends in SE PA at Easton. However most of the water is above blue Mt. It is included in the NE Region.