PA Rain Forcefield?

[lycoflyfisher]

Many of the larger creeks crested right around or slightly above flood stage in Lycoming, Sullivan, Columbia co. The river is supposed to creat tomorrow but the forecast has continued to decrease as the rain totals didn't get too out of hand. Looks like another big rain event later in the week so we may not be out of the woods as far as flooding.
For groundwater regeneration these big 2-3in rainstorms can't help much when it all comes in less than 24hrs. Id much rather have snow than rain during the winter.

 

[steliejim]

FEW dam level has gone from the winter level of 1300 ft. to 1380 ft and still rising! Gonna be a lot of water to dump once they are able to.

Looks like we could get 1.5--2 inches Wednesday into Thursday. Also calling for an active pattern for the next three weeks.

 

[Tigereye]

Yes, and 70 ft of that was in 24 hrs. That is an insane amount water

 

[tomgamber]

The NC part of the state, which has been one of the driest, got 3 feet of snow and then a bunch of rain, then more show.

West Branch of the Susky (which I walked across @ knee high on Labor Day) at Renovo went from 1000 CFS to 35,000 CFS and rose 10 feet over the last few days. Most of the people up there are darn glad to see it.

 

[Chaz]

It’s what happens when rain on snow events occur. But the downside is it can have a negative impact on the next year trout populations if the flows wash away eggs and adult trout.

 

[CRB]

Looks pretty dry for this time of the year:
https://waterdata.usgs.gov/pa/nwis/rt

 

[wildtrout2]

It isn't looking good right now. We haven't gotten much "Spring rain" at all.

 

[timmyt2]

I'm doing a rain dance

 

[troutbert]

timmyt2 wrote:
I'm doing a rain dance

Rain dances were the magical thinking of the past.

The modern day magical thinking is discussing the lack of rain on the internet.

Both work equally well.

 

[Bamboozle]

My wife believes washing her car brings rain...

 

[troutbert]

Bamboozle wrote:
My wife believes washing her car brings rain...

Could be.

Farmers say that cutting hay brings rain.

 

[RLeep2]

It really isn't that difficult to, umm, precipitate precipitation, but a few accessories are required as well as some driving.

Here's how it is done:

Load your fishing gear into the car, including a raincoat.

Drive to a fishing destination.

If you want it to rain, assemble all your gear but leave the raincoat in the car. As soon as you get more than 5 minutes walk from the car, it will pour.

And of course, if you do not want it to rain, take the raincoat and put it on upon arrival. Even if it is raining sheets when you arrive, it will stop and the sun will come out once you are more than a 5 minute walk from the car. And it almost goes without saying, do not remove the raincoat unless you want it to begin raining again.

Simple..

 

[allthingsfishing]

Just invite me on a fishing trip. Guarantee it rains.

 

[Tigereye]

Plan a 3 day camping trip at your favorite river. Guaranteed to rain.

 

[troutbert]

The streams in PA are at a nice level for fly fishing right now.

 

[Swattie87]

troutbert wrote:
The streams in PA are at a nice level for fly fishing right now.

The larger ones, yes. Small streams are lower than ideal. Fished two Centre County freestones this weekend. Both fished pretty poorly.

 

[lycoflyfisher]

Swattie87 wrote:

troutbert wrote:
The streams in PA are at a nice level for fly fishing right now.

The larger ones, yes. Small streams are lower than ideal. Fished two Centre County freestones this weekend. Both fished pretty poorly.

Fished several small Potter Co streams this weekend, struggled on the wild fish. As you mentioned the streams were low for this time of year, seemed more like summer flows, except the water temp was 40 when we started fishing Saturday am at 900. Managed a few brookies, but it was tough fishing. Ended up on kettle in stocked sections both Friday and Saturday to salvage the day and had great action on dry flies even with sporadic surface feeding activity.

We definitely need rain, but man I am having a tough start to my small stream fishing this year. Not sure if it should be attributed to current flows and perhaps lower water temps than avg this time of year or if the drought from last summer is playing an effect as well.

 

[troutbert]

I fished a small freestone stream in Clinton County on Sunday. The water level was fine. The fishing was slow, but I think that was because the water is still cold, it was bright and clear, and there was almost no insect activity.

At this time of year, with the weather still pretty chilly, the fishing is better on the larger streams at lower elevations, where the water temperatures are warmer, and where spring has sprung.

Where I was, the trees still had very few leaves showing.

The small mountain streams usually start getting really good around mid-May.

I know this from past experience, but still couldn't resist fishing a beautiful mountain stream with no one else fishing, rather than joining the hordes on Spring Creek or Penns Creek.

 

[k-bob]

Fishing may not be typical of the recent past on some small brookie streams given greater spring 21 snowmelt, which could have produced acidity increases that harm populations...

 

[wildtrout2]

I just pray that we don't get another summer like last year. I didn't make a single trip to NC because of the very low stream levels. If it happens again this summer you can bet there will be negative effects on the fish/fishing, if there already aren't.

People are free to think what they want, but I whole heartedly believe climate change is one of, if not the biggest threat to our wild trout and the streams they live in.