Stoney Creek

[dc410]

It has been decades since I fished Stoney Creek. Went back in several miles past the Ellendale gate last week to check it out. I got skunked in several hours of fishing, in fact I can’t say I even saw a trout (stocked or wild). The substrate was just as slippery as I always remembered it to be. It actually seemed worse due to the rocks being mostly covered with a dark green algae type of material that I never remember being that prevalent. Was wondering if anybody has any information on the overall conditions and health of the trout population in Stoney in recent years? Even with the lack of catching or seeing any fish it’s still a great area to get away from things a bit and do a little exploring.

 

[byron]

The thing with Stoney back past the gate, is that it all depends on the stocking. I know, that many years ago, members of Harrisburg Hunters and Anglers helped float stock that entire stretch. They did a great job, but I'm not sure they still help out much.
I really do not fish much back there anymore, but spend a good bit of time there in the fall. I'll see long stretches of water with lots of trout still left, then I'll see long stretches of water without a trout to be seen. I'm mostly duck hunting.

Every year, the number of volunteers that show up to help stock any stream gets smaller and smaller. The result is more bucket stocking and large stretches of troutless water.
I've talked to many guys who have claimed great days fishing back Stoney, and I've talked to just as many who had the same experience as you did.

Another thing to keep in mind is that it was a long cold winter and Stoney has not been stocked yet this season, so fish are few and far between anyway.

 

[Swattie87]

Its water quality is generally improving thanks to the diversion well on Rausch Creek in its headwaters. Rausch actually contributes more water than Stony does at their confluence. There's wild Brookies in Rausch up to the diversion wells, and I've caught them down into Stony for a short ways below their confluence. My guess is they're further down than that too. Haven't caught a wild Brown yet, but I've been back at the well when DFTU was there dumping the limestone in. They said that they can get the water in Rausch to darn close to 7.0 PH most of the time. My guess is it could support wild Browns too now.

There's other acidic sources to Stony downstream of that (Rattling Run and Yellow Spring are both dead), but the stockies seem to do pretty good. I've caught clear obvious holdovers the following Winter on it, below Rattling Run.

 

[dc410]

Thanks guys for the insight. It all makes a lot of sense. I appreciate the feedback.

 

[IdratherbePhishing]

I live a stones throw from the stream and do not fish it ever. Fishing is terrible in my opinion. Drop over the mountain to Clark’s.