Tohickon Creek above Nockamixon

[KeviR]

I just moved to the area north of Lake Nockamixon. I was walking my dog along a trail by the upper Tohickon above the lake. I have only looked at the section just above the lake but it looks very fishy. I plan to fish it regardless, maybe once there is a break in the weather, as I'm not very fond of getting cold. Anybody have any idea what am I likely to find there? It isn't stocked apparently. Has the PFBC surveyed it and published the findings? Where could I find that info if they did?

 

[PennKev]

Tohickon doesn't appear on the wild trout streams listing/map. Also, the satellite imagery of the area shows what appears to be 2 or 3 small impoundments (or one larger one?) between Richlandtown RD and the backwaters of the lake. So maybe take that into consideration. This could be good smallmouth water though.

However, there are several wild trout streams just to the north, including several class A's. With only this info, I'd probably focus on the very headwaters of Tohickon first, hoping to find conditions similar to those just a few miles to the north.

Published PAFBC survey reports are sparse to put it lightly. You might be able to find out more by contacting your local WCO's.

If you like exploring, go for it. I've found a number of streams that aren't (or weren't at the time) on the wild trout list just by checking out streams that looked good.

 

[Nympho]

Tohickon Creek comes out the bottom of Nockamixon. I believe its Haycock Creek that comes in the top. Tohickon is stocked with trout in the spring but they dont hold over. It also has a healthy population of smallmouth. If you can still access the bottom of the dam it use to have good walleye and musky fishing.

 

[KeviR]

Tohickon Creek comes out the bottom of Nockamixon. I believe its Haycock Creek that comes in the top. Tohickon is stocked with trout in the spring but they dont hold over. it also has a healthy population of smallmouth. if you cab still access the bottom of the dam it use to have good walleye and musky fishing.

Haycock creek does enter the lake, but so does the (upper) Tohickon and Three Mile Run. Haven't had a chance to look at either of the other two.

 

[Bamboozle]

Haycock is tributary to the Tohickon which is a tributary to Nockamixon as are several other streams like Three Mile Run.

I would say it safe to assume if you like sunfish and fallfish you'll have a ball fishing in anyone of them. If you are hoping for trout...

...fish elsewhere.

 

[JerryC]

It's Haycock Creek that flows into the lake above 563 at the north end. I had to check out the map. I have fished the area where the Tohickon flows under 563 from shore and the cove where it enters the lake from a boat. It's been several years. Definitely no trout, but bluegills, pumpkinseed, bass, chain pickerel and if you get lucky or unlucky a muskie.

 

[Bamboozle]

The Tohickon flows into Nockamixon at the Route 313 end of the reservoir flowing in from above Route 563 and it is the historic Tohickon stream channel that flows through the center of Lake Nockamixon.

Haycock Creek flows into Lake Nockamixon at the Route 611 end of the reservoir also entering from above Route 563 and because it is the Tohickon that was the historic stream channel, Haycock Creek is technically considered a tributary to Tohickon Creek as is Three Mile Run.

Whichever steam the OP was talking about the fishing results species-wise will be the same.

 

[hooker-of-men]

I don't know nothing about nothing, but you might throw some bass bugs around either of those bridges...

 

[Mike]

RBSF and CP Tohickon above the lake. Limited CP in Haycock, as it suffers from annual very low flows. Possibly some SMB and LMB in Tohickon above the lake, but if so, not much of a population of SMB. Could be fair numbers of LMB a short distance up from the lake since Nockamixon is one of the best if not the best for EF catch rates of 15 inch and longer LMB in the state in recent times. CP continue up through Quakertown and beyond, with some pretty nice size ones for a creek. Headwaters wooded, but suffer from low flow and low gradient. Trout unlikely.

Possible that Walleye used to run into the first pool above Rt 573 during spawning, as under Rt 563 was a well-known prime spawning spot, but numbers in lake now exceptionally low, so not worth targeting. Probably a better chance of finding a muskellunge in that pool these days, as Nock is also one of the top lakes in Pa for Mky abundance.

Putting all of this into a historical perspective, the lake fishery was pretty poor overall in 1985. It had overabundance of white perch and a history of water quality problems. White perch pop almost entirely starved to death over the winter of 1985-86 after nearly cleaning out most of the YOY of other species for a few yrs. Times change and stockings that followed combined with reproduction of species that remained plus improvements in water quality were boosts for the fishery. White perch never returned except for the very low density population that remained and continues today.

 

[KeviR]

Thanks, Mike. Interesting info about the white perch.