Speedwell Forge Lake: refilled last yr, fairly good bass fishing already

In my obersvations they are from the PA turnpike upstream to the tributary off Old Mill Road (including in the trib). Unfortunately some of those areas are not open to fishing.
I saw several as in 20-30 in the section closed to fishing from 322 to Speedwell Forge Road.
Under the bridge at Speedwell Forge Road has a group.
Basically any of the slower deep water has them.
Enjoy! I've harvested a bunch myself.
 
Thanks sal. Those areas are very local so I will do my part and target a few bass. Do streamer patterns work best for bass on the hammer?
 
nomad_archer wrote:
Thanks sal. Those areas are very local so I will do my part and target a few bass. Do streamer patterns work best for bass on the hammer?
Click to expand...

You may want to try a Little Brook Trout Streamer!
 
Some of you guys may be interested in this group Sal is initiating (for real, by the way...)

https://www.facebook.com/TUHCWA/?hc_ref=NEWSFEED&fref=nf
 
Thanks Squatch!

I'll admit this non profit tax stuff is rather daunting. I do believe Iam going to hire a professional to help with this. We will get it off the ground and there are many good things already scheduled for this Watershed thanks to DTU!
Natures resilienacy will prevail because WE are going to make sure it does.
 
Thanks for the heads up, Squatch.

I'm not on Facebook but I definitely have an interest in your motivation here, Sal. I would like to take a more active role with DTU and this organizational effort could make me do that. Your efforts are appreciated.
 
You should definitely join! DTU has some exciting projects partnered with US Fish and wildlife, PAGC, PADEP, PFBC, and the conservation district for early next year and beyond.
Exciting times for this Watershed!
 
Nature will find it's way. No need for your high falooting "improvements".

I looked at the link.

yack yack yack..... facebooking and blabbing....

Do you even fish?

You guys can't even pull together a simple stream clean up. I HIGHLY doubt you will do anything but advertise, toot your own horns and popularize something that was perfectly fine.

kiss of death

 
foxtrapper's post is surprisingly ironic given his most recent complaining about the condition of another local stream:
"Used to be a beautiful stream.

They should change the name to Weed Choked Mud Hole Creek."

So do nothing and a stream goes to pots, FT complains. Do something to try and save a stream from invasive species and eroding structure, FT complains.

But it's OK. H8ers need not apply. Though if you would apply, you'd be most welcome.


 
Actually we poured tons of $ and time into Weed Choked Mud Hole and look at it now.

AND by the way squatch ....what did you and your fellow blabbers actually DO?

Yack Yack Yack
 
Well I would like to address your concerns.

Hammer has been rather a big pain to get people to even recognize as a viable trout fishery much less anything special. It was the recognition of a DTU member that got the current projects, he started to love this stream due to Andy, who in turn fell in love with it in part because of me.

I was there fighting Heidelberg Township and the reclassification of the Watershed. Where were you? We had some people but if we had more we might have won.
We were able to stop them from pumping into furnace run but now it has redirected back to hammer. Were you there for that?

Have you been trying to advocate to the Lebanon Valley Disposal owner that owns a good portion of the headwaters to try and plant a riparian buffer all these years? I have but it's fallen on deaf ears because I'm one guy. Perhaps if you helped it might get done.

Have you attempted to get DTU to work on this stream for over 2 decades? How about the original Hammer Creek Watershed Association?
I tried for awhile but gave up. Perhaps if you were there maybe. Good thing new blood in DTU has changed their vision and the have foresight beyond you having a private shallow structureless fishing hole.

Have you tried to get its tribs classified as class a? I remember speaking to Kauffman many years ago trying to get them to survey them because for awhile I believe they were. I don't think they did due to time constraints but I could be wrong. Where were you?

I have spent the last 3 months trying to get that pile cleaned up and I'm willing to do the work myself but cannot afford to throw it all away myself. I have been back and forth between agencies and landowners with it but there is a legal contest between who is to take responsibility for it.
I'll tell you what, Ill pay half, you pay half. Fair?
Will you be there now?

These issues are very complex and a lot of them are starting to get addressed. It isn't about babbling or tooting horns, we love this place, I have fished it for 29 years and I'm tired of seeing it abused. It takes a group to do this kind of work. We are one week old and are trying to network a core group of guys. I don't know how fast you expect that to go but it takes time.

Lastly, yes I fish. I have 2 kids that are finally getting old enough to join me more. I fish a fair bit now, more than I complain about guns, abortion, trump and what ever else you deem important in your world.


You just showed your true colors.
Have a nice life fox!
 
The proprietor of Hammer has spoken. And he knows what is best.


I wonder how heavy handed you are when talking to these people about their land? Now I have a better idea why some of the landowners up top are so negative about anything to do with fish or fishing. They see a guy with a Trout Unlimited sticker on his car and the answer is NO to fishing.

I got news fellows. That creek and it's fish were there for a long time without any of your "help" ( which by the way is just a lot of words like I said earlier). Read your long list sal....NOTHING happened. So you have promoted the creek to more people. That is how you help the stream you so love? Boot tracks everywhere year round. Land posted that wasn't before all the hub bub.

Yack yack yack.

If you really want to help go plant some trees or pick up trash.

Like the old saying goes "There are talkers and there are doers"

 
And you talk A LOT and with virtually no knowledge on the subject.


 
Now let's dive into your last response.

Most of the landowners up top are not hesitant to fishing because of anything I just discussed. It has to do with many other issues none of which you touch on.

Wild brook trout were not present in Hammer in any numbers or even at all in the 70's not about until 2003 according to the fish commission report I have.

Your concern about boot tracks in the area open to fishing is an approved trout water that sees much pressure all year round.
I see them there often but you would know that if you fished it.

The two long stretches open to fishing are going to remain so. Because it gets hammered as is. Extra attention is not going to post them. One is game commission property.
You just simply have no idea what you are talking about.

Stick to guns fox, you are out of your element.
 
So ready to join me in planting trees, cleaning up a trash pile and paying for it yet? I'm willing to go that extra mile with my dollars, are you?
 
"Wild brook trout were not present in Hammer in any numbers or even at all in the 70's not about until 2003 according to the fish commission report I have."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well there you have it. The experts are always right! I guess my high school days of fishing Brook trout there are all in my imagination.
 
sal- Some years back a stream clean up over at seglock was proposed on this forum. After about fifty posts and a lot of excuses it turned out that I was the only one who actually showed up.
 
I said in any numbers. According to the PFBC report in 2003, they question if they ever bred in the stream at all or if they are transients from feeder streams.

I still await your answer. Doer or talker fox.
Ill meet you tomorrow for that trash pile in the afternoon.
 
A FYI for parties interested

In 1973, 1976, 1977, 1983 & 1998 surveys conducted on Hammer Creek turned up no wild brook trout. It was not until the 2003 survey did wild brook trout first become documented. The removal of the Rexmont dams lowering summertime water temps, water quality increasing from fair to good, downstream dam removals allowing fish passage and subtle habitat improvements was likely the reasoning for them being able to take and holdover.

Since this time I believe they are reproducing in Hammer. I see habitat improvements, removing legacy sediment from the old dams, fixing eroding banks cause by the old dams and removing the dam in walnut run to allow more fish passage as a good thing not the kiss of death.
 
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