The other Fishing Creek

[Coontail77]

I’ve been getting back in the mood to wet some lines, get back on the fly tying bench and generally speaking start my season. I live in Columbia county where Fishing Creek flows, has anyone been out on this stretch at all this year? I’ve spent the better part of the last 20 years along the banks of this creek. There’s many public access points along Fishing Creek and are dynamite in the winter months. Great to be back on PA Flyfish, and can’t wait to read all of your stories about the good and bad days on the water. Tight lines forever!

 

[wildtrout2]

Haven't fished the main stem of Fishing Creek, but I've fished the WB of Fishing Creek/tribs many times over the years. Love being in that area. Some real good fishing up in the Game Lands, if you're willing to put in the time and effort. Used to stay at the Fishing Creek Lodge for a week and fish a lot of the streams in the area. I'll be back up there this summer for sure! Need to be mindful of the locked SGL gate at Emmons.

 

[Coontail77]

Haven't fished the main stem of Fishing Creek, but I've fished the WB of Fishing Creek/tribs many times over the years. Love being in that area. Some real good fishing up in the Game Lands, if you're willing to put in the time and effort. Used to stay at the Fishing Creek Lodge for a week and fish all a lot of the streams in the area. I'll be back up there this summer for sure!

The Tribs up in the gamelands above Central are always a fun hike. Lot of good holes from 118 to Bloom.

 

[Chaz]

I’ve been getting back in the mood to wet some lines, get back on the fly tying bench and generally speaking start my season. I live in Columbia county where Fishing Creek flows, has anyone been out on this stretch at all this year? I’ve spent the better part of the last 20 years along the banks of this creek. There’s many public access points along Fishing Creek and are dynamite in the winter months. Great to be back on PA Flyfish, and can’t wait to read all of your stories about the good and bad days on the water. Tight lines forever!

Haven’t fished there in a couple of years, but it will be a target this year. For me now I plan to back to some streams that pretty soon I won’t be able to fish anymore, so is an urgency.

 

[troutbert]

I’ve been getting back in the mood to wet some lines, get back on the fly tying bench and generally speaking start my season. I live in Columbia county where Fishing Creek flows, has anyone been out on this stretch at all this year? I’ve spent the better part of the last 20 years along the banks of this creek. There’s many public access points along Fishing Creek and are dynamite in the winter months.

I'm happily surprised that you have "dynamite" fishing there during the winter months. In the winter, approximately what percentages of wild vs stocked trout are you catching?

From the somewhat limited fishing I've done there, I encountered a lot shallow water which was discouraging. I guess you have to explore and find the better habitat spots.

 

[Coontail77]

I'm happily surprised that you have "dynamite" fishing there during the winter months. In the winter, approximately what percentages of wild vs stocked trout are you catching?

From the somewhat limited fishing I've done there, I encountered a lot shallow water which was discouraging. I guess you have to explore and find the better habitat spots.

Depending on what stretch I’m in, this can sway the stock/native pie chart. I thoroughly enjoy the native stretches during winter months. My verbiage of “dynamite” may have a bit of poetic license to its use, seeing as I tend to come up short of my overall spring/summer numbers, but I always leave with a more profound feeling with the fish I catch in the solitude of the winter months.

 

[Jay_H]

I’m thinking of making a trek there soon. How much are flows impacted by rain? Particularly south of Lamar.

 

[Mike]

I’m thinking of making a trek there soon. How much are flows impacted by rain? Particularly south of Lamar.

Wrong Fishing Ck.

 

[Jay_H]

Wrong Fishing Ck.

See…this is why I should’ve read a little deeper. My bad.

 

[Mike]

There are at least two other Fishing Creeks that are pretty good too. I particularly like one of those.

 

[Swattie87]

See…this is why I should’ve read a little deeper. My bad.

“Easy mistake there boss, could happen to anybody.” - Captain Ron

 

[Shalom]

Does anyone have a rough hatch chart for fishing creek? I’ve searched online but no luck… assuming it will follow the general pattern of other creeks in central Pa but just curious

 

[Swattie87]

Does anyone have a rough hatch chart for fishing creek? I’ve searched online but no luck… assuming it will follow the general pattern of other creeks in central Pa but just curious

Below is a chart that’ll give you a general idea. Just gives months, not dates, but it will get you in the ballpark.

Try basing your searches on “Big Fishing Creek”, as opposed to “Fishing Creek”, in the event you weren’t already. It’s more commonly referred to as “Big Fishing Creek”, or “BFC”.

Its closest facsimile is probably Penns. For lower BFC (downstream of I80) you can pretty much just use Penns’s hatch chart IMO. For upper BFC, including the popular “Narrows” stretch, figure a week or so behind Penns, maybe as much as 10 days or two weeks some years. Also, figure about one size smaller on the flies for BFC vs. Penns.

TCO - BFC

 

[Shalom]

Appreciate this input! I fished the narrows a few times last year and plan to be back a few this year.

I should’ve specified more clearly though, I’m looking for some info on the Columbia county fishing creek. I live in Bloomsburg and fish the stretch between Orangeville and Benton primarily

 

[Swattie87]

“Easy mistake there boss, could happen to anybody.” - Captain Ron

This is really a great quote. Haha. Sorry. Assumed when you mentioned Central PA, you meant BFC.

Don’t have any info on that specific Fishing Creek. I’ve fished it a couple times, but it was early season, and the hatches really hadn’t gotten going yet. It’s a freestoner with some somewhat odd geological features for a freestoner. It sinks in places like a limestoner, but I don’t think it has any real limestone influence - Someone correct me on that if I’m wrong.

In that sense its hatch chart will probably differ some from the Central PA limestone streams. Maybe try looking at some of the other larger freestone streams across the northern tier of the state that have good water quality…Sinnemahoning/Kettle/Pine/Lycoming/Loyalsock? There’s probably some slight differences, but I think that should get you close.

 

[Shalom]

I’ll give that a shot, thanks!

 

[NEPATROUTFISHER]

I’ll give that a shot, thanks!

I fish that stretch a lot from Benton all the way down to bloomsburg!

 

[Shalom]

I fish that stretch a lot from Benton all the way down to bloomsburg!

Any luck yet this year? I was up earlier in the week but it was super high

 

[wildtrout2]

Any luck yet this year? I was up earlier in the week but it was super high

When the main stem of FC is too high, you might be better off by fishing the WBFC, up in the SGL.

 

[Shalom]

When the main stem of FC is too high, you might be better off by fishing the WBFC, up in the SGL.

I’ll give that a go some weekend, a bit too far to drive up after work lol