Never Fishing Here Again

[JeffP]

I worked on schoolwork all morning and just needed to get out of the house. With the water so high, I decided to hit ab local brookie stream from my youth. I haven't fished it in many years, although I have hiked it a couple times, maybe the last 10 years ago. Based on those hikes it's not doing well. The pics will give it away. I just figured I had to see if it had any of the little gems from my youth. I wasn't optimistic based on my fall low-water hikes. The lower section seemed pretty silted with tghe typical Forest Hill red soil. This I believe was due to some past game commission logging 10-15 years ago. The water was running nicely and obviously some of the old haunts were gone. Any longer holes has a lot of silt in the back. I had no luck as I worked my way up the lower section. I found some hemostats so someone has been up there the last couple years.

 

[JeffP]

Sorry for the the delay. Not sure why some of the pictures are turning to JPG when I airdrop but others are not.

 

[wildtrout2]

Sorry to hear that. I'm sure it was a letdown.

 

[JeffP]

As I worked my way up, I was about ready to call it quits. The last cast I lifted my rod up and a little brookie that fell off! At least I know they are in there! That's why I came.

 

[JeffP]

I went up a bit more and...

In the end, I caught 2 more and missed 2 others. Hopefully there was a male and a female in the bunch. No need to fish here again unless I make it to 70. It was a rewarding day! Beautiful 2 hours in the rain. I fished all the way up to where it flattens out and even caught 1 up there.

 

[rrt]

Don't give up on it, esp. at your age. It probably has more fish than you found today.

Someday you'll be my age (73). I had to give up on fishing a brookie stream I know because I just can't physically get there and back anymore.

So, don't give up on it!

 

[Millsertime]

Not sure how much rain that stream got the past couple of days but it sure doesn't look blown out or racing hard. Wonder how low it was 5 days ago...

 

[JeffP]

Don't give up on it, esp. at your age. It probably has more fish than you found today.

Someday you'll be my age (73). I had to give up on fishing a brookie stream I know because I just can't physically get there and back anymore.

So, don't give up on it!

Not sure how much rain that stream got the past couple of days but it sure doesn't look blown out or racing hard. Wonder how low it was 5 days ago...

If you don't know the stream, it is a trickle! I'd say we got 2 inches over the 2 days. Maybe not quite that much. We got a lot of brookies back in the day on it. It's nice to know they are there. I can't believe how many brookie streams I fished when younger. Heck, we would go to Penns and fish Poe, Panther, and Swift more than Penns. I'm not giving up on it. If I fish it again, it's just to see how it's doing. Pisses me off the way the game commission opens it to logging in the name of wildlife habit. Fresh signs and gouges but probably won't impact this stream. Interestingly there were some really steep areas that I'm doubtful fish coulkd get up it but I caught a fish above and below it.

 

[riverwhy]

Rainfall every 72 hours says .88 inches for that watershed.

 

[jifigz]

Dude, you can't judge a stream from one bad trip or outing. And the logging may have done little to no damage to the fish. Just wait and see.

Also, in a starving organization such as the game commission logging might be a valuable tool to help them pay the bills and generate their own revenue. Who knows, just speculation.

But your trout stream is most likely fine.

 

[JeffP]

I think a lot missed my point! I was really happy to find some fish there. The reason I said I will never fish there again, was that I at least know they are still there! I don't need to catch them, just need to know they are there.

 

[JeffP]

Rainfall every 72 hours says .88 inches for that watershed.

Seems hard to believe we only got that much.

 

[jifigz]

I did miss the point. Sorry. The last I checked from Friday until now we got a total of 2.25" all said and done at my place.

 

[Swattie87]

Always good to respect your Elders.

(I said the same thing last time I fished there. And haven’t been back.)

About halfway up I found a frying pan hanging in a tree and an empty gallon jug of peanut oil at the base of the tree. That stream is barely capable of producing a legal sized fish. I guess they were cooking up some Gemmie fries. Mmmmm tasty Gemmies.

 

[JeffP]

Absolutely. Well said!

 

[sixfootfenwick]

Always good to respect your Elders.

(I said the same thing last time I fished there. And haven’t been back.)

About halfway up I found a frying pan hanging in a tree and an empty gallon jug of peanut oil at the base of the tree. That stream is barely capable of producing a legal sized fish. I guess they were cooking up some Gemmie fries. Mmmmm tasty Gemmies.

Unfortunately that happens in that stream.
They know it's wrong too.

They have been caught a few times cooking and keeping fish that aren't legal. Each time they ran off before I could say anything.

I own 2 cast iron skillets now.

 

[JeffP]

Always good to respect your Elders.

(I said the same thing last time I fished there. And haven’t been back.)

About halfway up I found a frying pan hanging in a tree and an empty gallon jug of peanut oil at the base of the tree. That stream is barely capable of producing a legal sized fish. I guess they were cooking up some Gemmie fries. Mmmmm tasty Gemmies.

Honestly I missed your paragraph at the end. I'm not doubting you. I just find that crazy.

 

[JeffP]

Unfortunately that happens in that stream.
They know it's wrong too.

They have been caught a few times cooking and keeping fish that aren't legal. Each time they ran off before I could say anything.

I own 2 cast iron skillets now.

Are you serious? Any idea who the they is? Why would anyone waste their time? I'm guessing you live nearby.

 

[sixfootfenwick]

Are you serious? Any idea who the they is? Why would anyone waste their time? I'm guessing you live nearby.

Yeah, seriously. I have no idea who they are but I've seen them twice.
Yes I live very close by there.

 

[riverwhy]

I think that started during covid. You could just tell a lot of action up in there. Building dams and I think I recall a crude lean-to. Some trash. I used to cook trout along streams, occasionally. If I ever did it again it would not be on that stream, and I would only keep browns. Well maybe one brook to compare the taste.

That watershed is so small they should be keeping the logging and burning out, or at least far, far away from the stream. That stream always ran clear after rain despite being a "Furnace Hills Stream". I remember one time we had borderline flooding, and the stream was no more that milky looking.