Stoney Creek, Dauphin County

[scottrum]

Has anyone fished this stream in the past year? Looks like a great placed to fish but I am hearing that it doesn't hold fish due to the water conditions and as little or no wild trout. Any information would be helpful.

Thanks.

 

[Swattie87]

I haven't fished it in a few years. The lower, Dauphin County end, is stocked heavily, and has a good number of fish put in it. Problem is, it's a long stretch that's stocked and if the fish don't spread out, and you're not at a spot where some buckets were tossed, you're in for a slow day. Last time I fished that stretch I caught one stocked Brown.

Stony's a bit of an anomaly in that it generally gets more acidic the further downstream you go. Most streams are the opposite. In its headwaters, on the Lebanon County end, there's a limestone diversion well and the PH is pretty good. There's Brookies up there, up to immediately below the well. May be Browns too, but all I've caught is Brookies. As you go west, the tribs that come down off the mountain are all acidic and dead though...Yellow Spring and Rattling Run being the bigger ones. This water all ends up in Stony.

 

[scottrum]

Thanks.

 

[dryflyguy]

Never fished it.
But I once biked an upper section of it with my wife.
At the section around cold spring road, I saw a few nice pools that had rising fish. This was in late summer too

 

[salvelinusfontinalis]

Years ago my brother and i biked the gated trail and fished miles in January.

I remember we caught three stocked fish.
Still one of my favorite trips. The scenery and seclusion was worth it.

 

[salvelinus]

When I was a young man and used to help stock, the WCO would decide which sections to float. There were numbered markers along the trail marking the beginning of a float. I think 13 was the first up from the gate at Ellendale, and numbers went to at least 26 above Rattling Run. So if you fish and don't see fish, try another float. I assume the markers are still there.

I used to take the SGL auto tour in the Fall. PGC opens the gates and you can drive through to Gold Mine. I'd take my gear and fish a bit, and I always caught trout. So they do hold over. The big problem other than the acidic tribs is the tannic acid in the high Spring flows, which is why PFBC hasn't stocked preseason for years. There's a lot of swampy areas upstream of Cold Spring.

 

[Swattie87]

salvelinus wrote:
The big problem other than the acidic tribs is the tannic acid in the high Spring flows, which is why PFBC hasn't stocked preseason for years. There's a lot of swampy areas upstream of Cold Spring.

Yep, good call too.

 

[troutbert]

A fishing buddy and I fished upstream from Cold Stream Rd and caught some small native brook trout as well as stocked trout.

So there is at least some water on Stony Creek where hatchery trout are being stocked over native brook trout. I'm not sure in how much mileage of the stream that is occurring. But that should be ended.

 

[krayfish2]

Up near Cold Spring Rd is probably your best bet if looking for gemmies. Be aware....that valley is choc full of rattlers. Just watch your step as you make your way around.