Mahoning creek muskie fishing

[Troutbum82]

Does anyone fish mahoning creek in armstrong county for muskie and i dont mean the lake. The section i am refering to is from the spill way to the mouth. I recently read a page on the pa fish commission site that ranks muskie rivers and lakes and this very small river was given the second best rating. So obviously they are present but would these fish be travelers or full time residents in this creek? Or could it be a seasonal thing and if so what season would be the best to target these fish? Any help or tips would be appreciated.

 

[Fishidiot]

I've never fished this creek but would suggest it's worth checking out. Lots of creeks in western PA have native musky populations and some are supplemented with stocking. My guess would be that any local muskie folks familiar with the creek would likely be pretty tight lipped about the fishery but someone might chime in. The fish are probably full time residents but will migrate around seasonally. In creeks, to be sure, muskies tend to lay up in the deepest pools with woody cover all year since much of the rest of the creek is too shallow or fast. In larger rivers, they spread out in summer and often hang out in mid river channels and then, about this time of year, will migrate to deep pools and shoreline eddies. Late fall is a great time to chase muskies in creeks and rivers. If you can locate a fish by getting him to chase a fly or lure, there's a good chance you can come back and catch him later.
Good luck!

 

[Troutbum82]

Thanks fish idiot i always get a few every november out of the allegheny and the clarion. I am really hoping this holds true since its pretty close to home.

 

[RLeep2]

My guess (and its just a guess based on past observation of how the Commission manages Mahoning Creek)) would be that the musky fishery there is probably the result of fingerling (or even fry, for all I know) plants and that fish from either the river or the lake (above the dam) don't augment the musky pop. in the creek much, if at all. If there is some augmentation, its probably in the section just upstream from the junction with the Allegheny.

Over the past 20 years, give or take, they've tried a variety of different management plans for the creek below the dam. Back in the 90's, I think, they loaded it up with walleye fingerlings. I don't think they took hold though. Also, maybe in the later 90's or so, they tried to establish a stocked trout fishery immediately below the dam. I don't think that worked out either. So, I guess they're trying it with muskies now and it must be working out.

It would seem to me that the top section of this stretch below the dam, say upstream from where 28/66 bridges it, would be less than ideal musky water. But what do I know, I'm not a fisheries biologist. Anyway, I used to fish it a lot for smallmouth and there weren't very many holes of any consequence in this upper section. Lots of flats and shallow runs. Or at least that's how i recall it.

 

[Troutbum82]

Well rleep, i was thinking the same thing. Like you said other than the lower mile or so it has poor structure lack of holes and very poor flow. I have been fishing redbank creek for the better part of ten years. It's the next trib up from mahoning i'm sure you know of redbank anyhow its larger better structured and i have seen no evidence of muskie in it. It is basically a smallmouth fishery with a few pike and walleye in the bigger holes. So maybe like you mentioned it may be a new project of the fish commission.