Middle Branch of White Clay Keystone Select Stocked Trout Water

[Mike]

Suitable habitat for the above mentioned program was questioned here and I have seen a few comments elsewhere about the stream's appropriateness for the program. A colleague and I visited the stream section in December and walked much of its length with some of those comments in mind. We found that suitable habitat for some 14 inch and larger trout was present about every hundred yards. Under typical higher spring flows the situation will be even better. Any trout of these sizes that can't find suitable habitat and move out of this stream section will in any direction cross into another stocked trout section or two where they will still provide Pa angler's with enhanced fishing opportunities. Most likely movement would be downstream and a turn to the left or right at the mouth would still place the fish in stream segments bordered on both sides by public land.

Bear in mind that the program is new and as in the case of any new program tweaking now and in the future is quite possible, just as was done with the mentored youth day after the program was introduced. Stream-side interviews of angler's regarding their satisfaction with the program are always possible as a means to measure angler opinions in the field. I appreciated the heads-up about habitat changes that had occurred over the years since I had last seen the stream, as there clearly are stormwater impacts to habitat, but we still found suitable habitat as noted above.

 

[geebee]

but if we don't get 'high spring flows' like we did this year, those fish are literally going to be 'fish in a barrel".

i live 2 miles from the WCC and for much of this year the DHALO was unfishable.

as others have said, it is probably the worst stretch to have a DHALO due to habitat degradation - imho the stretch from the london tract to the state line is much more suitable, in fact in october i found several pods of RT rising to midges in that stretch that were quite happy and i suspect had either moved down from the DHALO or had moved up from the DE FFO section which adjoins it.

its a shame about the upper area because its a pretty stretch of creek, but the last two years of winter floods have made it wide and shallow and filled in many of the holes to be little more than puddles.

 

[foxtrapper1972]

That creek gets warm and they won't have any chance of holdover. The Quittapahilla would be a much better choice because it stays cold and also has no wilds. Also has miles of open water below the regulation area.

 

[Mike]

Holdover is not a program requirement and the Quitty is not in the SE district.

 

[Nate540]

I live right up the road from the start of the DHALO on Good Hope rd. and fish there quite a bit. But I do agree the stretch fro the merge of the two branches down to the DE Line is a much better stretch. The only place I regularly find holdovers is about half way down the section where there is a fallen tree running down the middle of the stream always seem to find something there.

 

[Mike]

Ultimately, you will probably be able to find some Middle Branch origin fish in the main branch of the White Clay downstream from the Middle Branch's confluence. There is nothing to prevent you from fishing there for any brood fish that exit the Middle Branch after the season opens in SE Pa.

 

[Chaz]

There is no requirement for any DH stream to holdover trout. It happens only because many FFers release all of the fish they catch, but the water has to remain under 80 degrees.

 

[salvelinus]

Why not the EB Brandywine DHALO?

 

[lestrout]

Yo sal - re why not EB of the Brandywine - muskies?

 

[BrookTroutLover]

Is there anything that local FF anglers could do to help mitigate the effects of our winter flooding,mane improve the habitat so this program could be more successful? Do the White Clay Flyfishers engage in stream projects? I am embarrassed to say that whole I live about 2 minutes from the DH stretch of the WC, I fish in the Poconos 10 times for every trip I make to WC. Partially because of the shallow, featureless stretches. If there were folks organizing some work to create more holding water, my son and I would be in.

Scott

 

[Mike]

Past experiences suggested that the Middle Branch of White Clay stays cooler longer into the summer than the E Br Brandywine DH. Additionally, the Middle Branch DH is longer then the E Br Brandywine DH. The Middle Branch's narrower width was the only negative comparable.

 

[BrookTroutLover]

Mike: will there be enhanced enforcement presence? We have a pretty serious harvest in the DH problem on WC.

 

[HopBack]

^This

 

[Mike]

I don't know, but if I did I would not tell you.

 

[geebee]

BrookTroutLover wrote:
Is there anything that local FF anglers could do to help mitigate the effects of our winter flooding,mane improve the habitat so this program could be more successful? Do the White Clay Flyfishers engage in stream projects? I am embarrassed to say that whole I live about 2 minutes from the DH stretch of the WC, I fish in the Poconos 10 times for every trip I make to WC. Partially because of the shallow, featureless stretches. If there were folks organizing some work to create more holding water, my son and I would be in.

Scott

me too. even informally.

i can think of 2-3 spots just down from the London Tract bridge after the first bends, where some low level deflectors would greatly enhance the flows & depth in the summer and join the holding water above the dam to the holding water at the the first bends.

a lot could be done by a few guys just moving the cobbles up the bank imho. the same with the long shallow stretch above the bridge. some low level deflectors and removal of cobble would improve flows and depths and not get washed away by the floods - i know this, because i did the same on the creek on my property which is a trib of broad run two years ago.

although partly spring fed and normally runs around 6-12" deep, due to the subdivisions after a big rain it can run 6ft or higher. the low level deflectors always survive, and the silt that was there before is still clean gravel and the cress is now growing and i think it could hold wild browns now or even brookies too.

just my thoughts.

Mark

 

[afishinado]

S. Chester County

PFBC staff & a few helpers stocked the White Clay Creek, Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only, Keystone Select Stocked Trout Waters on Monday, 4/25. There was a float barrel available for this stocking, but there were not enough helpers to wade the stream and float-stock. Please consider coming out to help us stock these trout streams. A particularly unique opportunity is that a blue trout ended up in the stocking truck, and was stocked into the stream. Here is a page on our website that explains this oddity: fishandboat.com/anglerboater/bigblue.htm

The blue trout was a large 24 to 25 inch fish. Remember that if the fish is caught, then it will have to be limited to a photograph trophy as all fish must be returned to the water immediately and unharmed at this time.

 

[krayfish2]

Any bets that fish doesn't make it through the weekend?

 

[geebee]

interesting to read the PFBC saying blue trout are very rare - but most trout fisheries in Europe do have them :

http://www.lochann.co.uk/blue.html

http://northerntrout.co.uk/trout-fish-available.htm

http://britishtrout.co.uk/trout/farming-trout/

they fight just as well as stockies imho.

 

[pete41]

I grew up on white clay so I say be happy that you can get some trout fishing there because its not a trout stream ,its a stream they dump trout in.Great swimming holes though.