Not a pretty picture for the start of the season

[wildtrout2]

I had a feeling we were going to see these conditions, and it's going to get worse before it gets better from the way things look. I lose a lot of my enthusiasm when streams get super low. Up north most freestone streams are still on the chilly side, but they are as low as I've seen them.

 

[troutbert]

Young Womans Creek is at 12 cfs.

That is lower than I'd like to fish, but it is common for it to get that low. It probably gets that low nearly every summer.

I don't think that a lot of trout die when it's around 12 cfs.

I've seen the stream at around 2 cfs. I think that when it gets that low, that the trout population does take a significant hit.

 

[geebee]

yup, apart from the odd T-Storm, SEPA is pretty low too. the Brandywine looked cloudy up at Dorlan Mills on Saturday when we biked the trail.

 

[afishinado]

troutbert wrote:
Young Womans Creek is at 12 cfs.

That is lower than I'd like to fish, but it is common for it to get that low. It probably gets that low nearly every summer.

I don't think that a lot of trout die when it's around 12 cfs.

I've seen the stream at around 2 cfs. I think that when it gets that low, that the trout population does take a significant hit.

 

[724flyfishing]

No rain in the 10 day forecast for us in my area of SWPA. Temps in the 80's after tomorrow. Creeks are already low. It won't be pretty. I might be signing off from the Laurel Highlands for a couple months unless we get a couple good soakings. What creeks stay cold year round around here will still be stressed to the max after these 10 days. I've been wanting to work on my streamer and smallmouth game anyways.

 

[krayfish2]

I've never begged for a hurricane but I might have to. Only problem is there's virtually zero activity in the Atlantic right now so I have a better chance of spotting a mountain lion. 1" rain storms every 2 weeks with 85-90 degree temps in between ain't gonna cut it. USGS map is showing a lot of red dots on the northern tier. Rain dance time everyone. Smallie fishing is even tough. Almost the entire section I fish is knee deep. Tough to find any holding water.

Pat, the map hasn't changed much from March until now. Lots of red. Doesn't look good for extended forecast either.

 

[riverwhy]

I was up in Lebanon County checking out some streams. Sad. One of the tribs to Evening Branch had barely a trickle moving in from the culvert with fish trapped in the pool. Bear Hole terrible. Trout Run a tad better. Mandada muddy but low. I barely wet a line just drove around looking for water. It seems Dauphin County has gotten more of the downpours. My lawn in growing like crazy in Hershey. You are right about needing a hurricane or at least some type of large weather systems.

 

[Bearski]

I have a canoe trip planned on the kiski this weekend....the discharge was near an all time low earlier this week. Rough year for the fishes

 

[riser]

Yikes! Young Woman's is at 4 cfs. It's so low that when a bear pees in it there's an uptick on the graph.

 

[FiveWeight]

It means very little. The fish have survived for thousands and thousands of years in high water and low. It'll all average out. Next post from the worry warts on the water issues will be something to the effect that all the flood waters are an issue. The only thing it bothers is us humans. The wildlife know how to deal with and will be just fine. Now if it was something we could control..... That would be another story. Give it a bit. We'll be eyeball deep in water.

 

[pcray1231]

Pat, the map hasn't changed much from March until now. Lots of red. Doesn't look good for extended forecast either.

Right. But again, March wasn't the time to worry. The fact that March was dry has no impact on now. And if March had been wet, now wouldn't be any better anyway. They have no (err, very little) bearing on one another.

But yes, now IS the time to worry. Some places are worse off than others, as is normal, but the "better" places are still below average, and the "worse" places are pretty bad.

EPA's gonna get some rain this evening. Discrete cells forming into a line as we speak. Just enough to maybe hold things over for a bit, but not a solution.

Ironic, I had flood warnings Friday (it didn't actually rain more than a tenth of an inch or so, and things remain low).

It means very little. The fish have survived for thousands and thousands of years in high water and low. It'll all average out

True, but in those thousands and thousands of years have been thousands of population fluctuations that are largely weather related. Nobody is concerned about extinction. We're concerned that populations will be temporarily reduced. By temporarily, we mean up to a couple of years.

It does all average out. Some years with abnormally high populations, some with abnormally low populations, averaged, makes "average" population levels. The concern is one of going from above average to below for the next year or three.

 

[dgshannon2000]

First Fork 4 1/2 miles above Costello was 69 degrees at 10 AM on Saturday.

 

[krayfish2]

Most of the rain went south of me. Only had a few drops fall. It does appear that a good band went through the north central region which desperately needed the water.

I hate the heat but it doesn't look like there's a change in the patterns for a little while yet. Hopefully we keep getting some fronts to kick up storms and keep a little water in the streams until the weather cools.

 

[wildtrout2]

pcray1231 wrote:
But yes, now IS the time to worry. Some places are worse off than others, as is normal, but the "better" places are still below average, and the "worse" places are pretty bad.

This sure is the time to worry, because after tomorrrow the party is over. The next 7 days are supposed to be in the 90's! I believe some streams will actually dry up in places, and I think we will lose some trout. This is the first time I have only fished NC one time at this point in any trout season because of super low conditions. I'm praying for a nice coastal storm.

 

[k-bob]

Hmmm I had the chance to be in SE clinton County on Monday AM when young women's was at 4. Not the conditions to catch many fish/many large fish, but I just hit some bigger mountain tribs early in the day and liked it. Tribs were very low but cool enough in the AM. I do wonder about the impact of high heat on tribs that are very low.... forecast low temperature of 74 over the upcoming Sunday night. Hopefully fish may have some cool seeps for refuge.

 

[krayfish2]

Well, if nothing else, the last week put some water back in the rivers. Maybe help with dissolved oxygen too. Unfortunately, high dew points and lows in the 70's have kept temps up. The following week should see lows in the 50's - 60's and lower dew points. Things should start to improve pretty quickly. A couple TS possibilities in Atlantic too. That would also help.

 

[Acristickid]

All day rain here south hills of Pittsburgh- also the last 3 days. Not used to green and growing grass in August.

 

[krayfish2]

My yard is still 75% toast. Hope it bounces back before winter.

 

[steveo27]

Everything is so green here in Northern Westmoreland Co. It reminds me of late May, not mid August.

Keep the rain comin.

 

[pcray1231]

We are probably through the worst of it for non tailwaters. In addition to the recent rains and cooler nights coming in the next few weeks, night also is beginning to noticeably last longer, and the real hot portion of the day is shortening.

Tailwaters, though, continue to deplete supplies of cold water.