To hot to fish western Pa streams?

[Steeltrap]

As the temps are going into the 90's over the next 5 or so days, I can only assume the western Pa non-limestone streams will heat up and put the trout in survival mode? To hot to fish?

 

[RLeep2]

That's about the size of it.. It's a double whammy, temps and low flows.

Small, well shaded mountain streams might have reasonable temps especially in the mornings and could be fished, but even that would probably be more of a case of demonstrating it could be done (it could..) than anything actually worth doing.

Good time to find a bass creek or maybe the Allegheny and wet wade. This kind of weather and these sorts of flows sometimes offers some of the best smallmouth fishing of the year if you fish the shaded banks.

 

[CRB]

+1

 

[dryflyguy]

I was in 53 degree water below the Yough river dam monday.
One option, anyway

 

[afishinado]

dryflyguy wrote:
I was in 53 degree water below the Yough river dam monday.
One option, anyway

You have to look far & wide to find any stream below 20*C in PA. Suggest you give the trout a break and fish for warmwater species in the warm water.

 

[dryflyguy]

I drive an hour or two from Pittsburgh to be on streams with good hatches - (hopefully) - all the time anyway.

What's wrong with driving that far to be in cold water?
Especially, when I can confirm it on the usgs site before I go

 

[wildtrout2]

I fished a Pocono freestone yesterday that was 54F in the morning, and when I left in the afternoon it was 56F. Colder streams are out there.

 

[rrt]

REF, post 1 -- Limestone streams, too. Except for a rare few, these are going to go up-temp, too, including Spring Creek. The trout are going to have it pretty tough, esp for the next week.

I imagine it might be all right to fish for bass.

 

[evw659]

If one really wants to fish for trout during a heat spell like this (w/ generally low to very low flows), cold enough water can always be found.
I usually prefer to just fish for smallies in these kind of conditions though, to each their own.
On the fly, w/ a baitcaster, or w/ a spinning rod....theyre a blast either way imo.

 

[larkmark]

Yes. Use a thermometer and you will see. Don't listen to fly shop reports....always check for yourself. Water may feel cold but that means little. Give em a break.

 

[timmyt2]

Yuck yuck is summer over yet. Nothing more depressing than looking at a 14 day forecast with high of darn near 90 everyday, i'll take winter over this anyday

 

[Steeltrap]

Looks like early morning groundhog hunting will be on the "what to do" list.

 

[dryflyguy]

Steeltrap wrote:
Looks like early morning groundhog hunting will be on the "what to do" list.

That's funny
I just spotted one in my yard.

Looks like we're in for the longest stretch of hot weather that we've had in many years.
I sure won't be fishing much.
And if I do go down to the Yough river, I'll spend the afternoon swimming at the lake.

 

[troutbert]

This is going to be a brutal heat wave. Not good for trout fishing.

But during these conditions it's interesting to take water temperatures in late afternoon to see how warm our streams get.

I've done this a lot in the past, and the results reinforced the importance of having trees along the streams to provide shade.

Notice how many stretches of stream don't have trees along them. Without shade from trees, the water is rapidly warmed by solar energy.

Even in "Big Woods Country" there are many stretches of stream lacking in shade trees.

 

[wildtrout2]

This extended heat wave is really going to hurt some of the smaller streams. Some might just end up with a few isolated pools. Our only salvation might come from a few heavy thunder storms in certain areas during the week.

 

[Mike]

I did what troutbert suggests on a stocked stream two weeks ago. The temp was 68 deg at the upstream sampling location and 500 yds below that after flowing through a wide, shallow stretch that was perhaps 10-20 percent shaded the water temp increased to 72 deg F. It takes very little unshaded area to increase water temps substantially.

 

[drakeking412]

I just came home early from a Central to NC PA trip because the streams are just too low and warm. Also the heat takes it out of me quick too with all the hiking required.

I tried to save a small brown from an isolated pool on Slate but he was extremely uncooperative and I lost him. There were multiple pools with trapped fish on multiple streams though, mostly minnows and stuff though. I guess it's Yough or smallie time.

 

[troutbert]

Some baseflow stuff for stream nerds:

On the USGS stream flow website, you can find the current stream flow in cfs (cubic feet per second) and also the square miles of the drainage above the gauge.

By simple division you can get a ratio of streamflow per square mile, in the units of cfs/square mile.

For Spring Creek, a limestone spring creek, at the gauge near Milesburg the ratio currently is 1.29 cfs/square mile.

For Marsh Creek, which is a freestone stream just a few miles away, the ratio is .16 cfs/square mile.

The baseflow per square mile for the limestoner is about 8 times higher than for the freestone stream.

 

[maxima12]

Well, I have to disagree, never too hot to fish, you just fish a little different. Target a few different species. You think you will do damage

Damage has already been done. Heat, low water, toxic organisms.

How about some nice rock bass on minnows. Makes a great meal. Beer battered. A nice Bass, poached then made tuna salad style. Hot, hotter and then some. Crayfish steaming in a pot with a little butter. Maybe 1/2 dozen a person, Why not? A dozen stone cats and a dozen to take home and put in a aquarium. Works nice both ways. A couple fish and a wonderful eyeful enjoyment.

Fallfish a good eater, a good smoker and a fun time on the rod. Don't forget now is the time for the "old trappers", make some bait.

Harvest a little, don't take a lot! A little goes a long way amongst friends. A taste, a cold one, sit back and relax. Now that is Pa. Beautiful! The grand design of fishing friendship!

Maxima12

 

[k-bob]

tb: "Without shade from trees, the water is rapidly warmed by solar energy."

yeah, even in mountain tribs have to watch water temps and fish early. tribs that flow down the north side of ridges may be cooler? some of those in northern pa have hemlock canopies blocking light. this is about columbia cty ny but same idea:

https://hvfarmscape.org/sites/default/files/hemlock_forest_09.03.2015.pdf

(article notes hemlock forest more likely on N & W facing slopes...)