Southern Chester and lower Bucks Co sampling this week (plus the Susquehanna below Bunner Isl)

[Mike]

Sometimes angler tips work out in locating marginal wild trout streams, sometimes they don’t. The past week was an example of the latter. We sampled Hodgson Rn, trib to Big Elk Ck, but no trout were found. I suspect that rosyside dace were once again possibly mistaken by an angler’s friend as being wild trout. That has happened before in S Chester Co....a fly angler sent me a photo of a “cutthroat” from the Middle Branch of White Clay Ck. The good news about Hidgson was that we found a nice population of sculpins.

While in the vicinity, we moved on to Rattlesnake Run, a trib to Muddy Rn. While it looked like it might have potential for a marginal population from a topo map and in person, no wild trout were found.

Likewise a trip to Brock Ck in Lower Bucks produced no trout despite an angler’s claim that he caught wild trout there. We also ventured into the central Bucks limestone belt, found a true limestoner north of New Hope, but no trout. Finally, we went to the other end of the belt and sampled a good flowing, wooded, good gradient trib to Neshaminy that we picked off of a topo map, but it turned out to be a warmer than desired trib based on the fish community.

The only great success this past week was on the Susquehanna where in just an hour of boat electro fishing we collected SMB adults for pathological exam, collected Walleye for PaDep’s fish flesh contamination exam lab, and saw or captured a number of nice Muskellunge in the lower Susquehanna’s Muskie Alley....York Haven Dam downstream to Haldeman Riffle near Bainbridge. If you are a Muskellunge fan and like fishing rivers, you could do no better in Pa than to go to this stretch. They are numerous and nice, and our catch rates via electrofishing are equivalent to the best ones on the North Branch.

 

[Dave_W]

Mike wrote:
The only great success this past week was on the Susquehanna where in just an hour of boat electro fishing we collected SMB adults for pathological exam, collected Walleye for PaDep’s fish flesh contamination exam lab, and saw or captured a number of nice Muskellunge in the lower Susquehanna’s Muskie Alley....York Haven Dam downstream to Haldeman Riffle near Bainbridge. If you are a Muskellunge fan and like fishing rivers, you could do no better in Pa than to go to this stretch. They are numerous and nice, and our catch rates via electrofishing are equivalent to the best ones on the North Branch.

If we ever get out of this months long wet cycle, I can see the Susky for 'eyes and skies as possible game this winter. While I prefer sections upriver, this section has treated me well.

Thanks for the update - keep 'em comin.

 

[fritz]

The Brunner Island warm water are has long been a good spot for muskies as well as areas below the York Haven hydro. Unfortunately these areas are now mostly inaccessible by foot/wading from the York County side since Talen Energy decided to close off/post their land. There are places to get in and get your feet wet if the river is down below 4' on the Harrisburg gage. There is a spot to get a boat, kayak or canoe in near Saginaw which is a bit below the lower end that Mike is talking about. Boating access can be made from the Lancaster County side.