PA Tail Waters

[tomgamber]

My grandfather fished fished for shad in the susquehanna before and after WWII. The clothes hamper in the upstairs bathroom was an old giant backpack creel. Allegedly his back up to a like one he took to the Susky shore and packed fish home in. It holds a bunch of rod parts in mtmy basement now. That old footlocker under it is one of two i have.

 

[salmo]

Are there any natural lakes in PA?

Lake Erie?

 

[salmo]

I wonder what trout fishing was like on the Big Horn before the dam was built?

 

[tomgamber]

I wonder what trout fishing was like on the Big Horn before the dam was built?

 

[tomgamber]

 

[govtmule]

Regarding the 40s-50s water temperature, not so bad I mean look at the Stilesville gauge on the West Branch of the Delaware, June temps are high 40s and lotsa bugs and fish!

The temp highs on that graph you posted are generally between 1:30pm and 3pm. Look at Stilesville gauge on the West Branch of the Delaware and you'll see "somewhat" similar times....you can hover your cursor over the graph and see the actual times on the graph.

from ACOE - "Downstream release temperatures are managed to meet Chapter 93 Pennsylvania State High-Quality Cold-Water Fishery criteria."

Pohopoco Cr bl Beltzville Dam nr Parryville, PA

Monitoring location 01449800 is associated with a Stream in Carbon County, Pennsylvania. Current conditions of Discharge, Gage height, Stream water level elevation above NAVD 1988, and more are available. Water data back to 1967 are available online.

waterdata.usgs.gov

 

[krayfish2]

Regarding the 40s-50s water temperature, not so bad I mean look at the Stilesville gauge on the West Branch of the Delaware, June temps are high 40s and lotsa bugs and fish!

Allegedly. Talk about an over-hyped fishery

 

[BoulderWorks]

Big Hunting Creek: This is not a true tailwater fishery. It is actually a mid temperature or higher release below the lake. Physically, the "gate" used to hold back the water allows a minimum release of near warm water that is also heavy with algae bloom toxins, and any other swimming related debris/chemicals. The source lake has been closed many times due to toxin issues, for example in September 2023:

"Is Cunningham Falls safe to swim?

Due to this presence, the Frederick County Health Department (FCHD) is issuing an advisory warning the public that swimming is not recommended at Cunningham Falls State Park beaches. Microcystis aeruginosa is a naturally occurring algae in Maryland's Chesapeake Bay and fresh waters.Sep 30, 2023"

The lake and the releases have killed the native Hemlocks (Eastern Hemlock (Native Trees of Maryland), caused major rock snot issues, killed off prolific invertebrates - stoneflies, mayflies (Green Drakes, March Browns, Quill Gordons, Hendrickson were epic...) that have directly reduced wild fish and native trout populations.

Hunting Creek Temp Gauge below lake

The 70's or earlier hey day are long gone, when it was a gem within the Catoctin Mountain Park system.

 

[krayfish2]

So if I'm understanding you correctly, they returned the stream to its previous state which benefits the native fish. Sounds like a win-win except for the anglers. 😂

 

[BoulderWorks]

Krayfish2, actually, no. Hunting Creek, Little Hunting Creek have native Brook trout populations. However, in addition to bull dozing over the original drainage and replacing with a small lake, Maryland DNR stocks rainbows - usually March and April, and sometimes in the Fall season.

 

[krayfish2]

Never fished it but have driven over it for 30 years... usually in low light. Always wondered as it looked fishy