Oil Creek

[Hounds]

Hi guys I'm finally going to have a day to get on the water tomorrow. I live near New Wilmington, Pa. I usually fish the Neshannock and Slippery Rock Creeks but they are blown out for now. Looking at the Oil Creek Gage things look to be fishable. I've never ventured to Oil Creek before. Could you guys offer some advice as to where I should start my fishing up there. Will my standard nymphs be OK? Any suggestions.

Thank you

 

[FarmerDave]

I'd love to help you, but I think it's been over 25 years since I fished Oil Creek. So please take this with a grain of salt.

My first Brittany's AKC name was Baron of Oil Creek.

When I lived in that area, I usually fished outside of the special regs. My favorite spot was probably about a mile upstream of Hunter Station bridge.

Downstream was also a popular spot, but I usually went upstream.

There was a parking area on a bend in the road on the West side where you can park and walk down over, otherwise the walk up from the bridge area is easy since it is a bike path.

I believe they use the bike path for stocking, so it probably doesn't matter much where you go. The special regs areas were very popular, which was why I usually avoided them.

Hatches varied a lot, but I will say that light colored flies and caddis were the ticket. Attractor patterns worked well for me there, too. I usually fished dries, but you standard nymphs should work fine.

 

[flipper]

Start at Miller's Farm Bridge. Try right under the bridge and downstream until the first big bend. Then go to the Canoe launch right up from the Petroleum Center bridge. After that I might go the whole way down to Rynd Farm.

Hope that gets you started.

The special regs sections are great but lots of people and very skittish fish.

 

[salmonoid]

Have only fished it a few times when visiting family, but I always enjoyed the stretch above Centerville - west of route 8 and south of route 77. Don't think I've ever seen anyone there. Maybe the fishing is poor, but I enjoyed it nonetheless and there is some good habitat in that stretch.

 

[ocfisher]

I’m think Farmer Dave may be mistaking Petroleum Center Bridge (on Oil Cr) for Hunter Station Bridge (on Allegheny in Tionesta). But otherwise spot on. The entire park section is great, if you want convenience try Blood Farm (1st access after entering park) but for more solitude Miller Farm (further up towards Titusville.) Good luck.

 

[FarmerDave]

ocfisher wrote:
I’m think Farmer Dave may be mistaking Petroleum Center Bridge (on Oil Cr) for Hunter Station Bridge (on Allegheny in Tionesta). But otherwise spot on. The entire park section is great, if you want convenience try Blood Farm (1st access after entering park) but for more solitude Miller Farm (further up towards Titusville.) Good luck.

Close.

I meant Miller Farm.

No idea why I said Hunter Station. Maybe I was thinking golf? LOL!

 

[RLeep2]

>>Have only fished it a few times when visiting family, but I always enjoyed the stretch above Centerville - west of route 8 and south of route 77. Don't think I've ever seen anyone there. Maybe the fishing is poor, but I enjoyed it nonetheless and there is some good habitat in that stretch.>>

I wouldn't call it so much "poor" as interestingly variable. Due to the direct connection to Canadohta and the (sometimes) swampy, mucky terrain it flows through, there is quite a grab bag of fish in that section of Oil Creek. In addition to trout, I've caught northerns, LMB, SMB, bluegill and yellow perch down through there. Not many of any of them, but you never know what the next fish is going to be.

The Centerville to Titusville section, below the junction of the branches, is the same way, only more so. It's actually a pretty good bass fishery. If you fish it on foot, you'd want to either wear cleated boots/shoes or studded felt. Otherwise, you'll spend more time on your can than upright. Slick clay/mud banks like goose poop on linoleum...

I like streams like that.