TROUT--Favorite spots? Favorite bait?

[ReadyJettyGo]

Lets talk Trout----------

My favorite trout areas are up north in Lycoming Co. ( Pine Cr.) and the Western Branch of the Delaware.
When it comes to trout I'm strictly a fly fisherman, preferably with dry flies but I'll also use wooly buggers & bead -heads.

Where are your favorite "areas"? It doesnt have to be exact spots. And what do you like using?

[ANDY L]

My favorite is the Little Lehigh in late feb and march. you can crush them in there on sucker spawn patterns. I think I might try it this weekend as long as the water level stays down.

[ 02-10-2005, 06:04 PM: Message edited by: ANDY L ]

[bucktail3]

I like Darby creek in Delaware county. Yea, lots of pressure around there on trout day, and the next weekend, but after that, the fish become more weary and challenging. I use a small panther martin spinner or a small kastmaster.
A trick I learned earlier this year is when the fish are not cooperating, get a 1" or 2" swirley tail, I like yellow, but it on a hook with a split shot about 1 foot above it, and tip the hook with a dab of power bait. nails em'.
I also like Hay creek out in berks county. Its a small, fast moving creek, but there is a good mix of native trout and stockies, which makes for good action. Plus another 2 or 3 co-op nurseries that stock it at various times of the year (including june).

[fatboy]

Fishing Creek in Columbia Co. This stream holds large numbers of fish all year and the entire stream is a good hole! I dont get real fancy a black rooster tail with a silver blade=black magic!!

[NIGHTSTRIKES]

Favorite Spots:

I've fished three in my lifetime...Growing Up
In NW Philly the Wissahicken Creek was my stomping
grounds.Kitchen Lane,Devils Pool and the Red Covered Bridge above Vally Green is where I had
my most success...

I later found some excellent Trout Fishing on
French Creek in Kimberton/Phoenixville...

But My Favorite was some annual opening day
trips to Bald Eagle Creek in Upstate PA.. It
was sort of between Raystown Lake and a Campus
of PennState.. Beautiful Area, Small Mountain
Stream That Had Some of the Prettiest Native
Brookies and Rainbows...

[ 02-10-2005, 08:16 PM: Message edited by: NIGHTSTRIKES ]

[NIGHTSTRIKES]

Favorite Bait:

I started out with mostly bait, Kernels of
Canned Corn,Velvetta Cheese Balls etc.,worked
very good early in the season.. Later into
the summer Live Minnows were killer....

I quickly fell in love with artificials,
Roostertails,Mepps,CP Swings & Daredevils did
the trick.. My Largest Brown Trout on Opening
Day one year was caught with a Panther Martin..

I still have alot of these little killer lures
most of them close to 25yrs old now...

Micro Ultralight Reels From Penn & Diawa that
fit into your palm and a 4'Graphite Fenwick Stick
were my weapons of choice...

[ 02-10-2005, 08:17 PM: Message edited by: NIGHTSTRIKES ]

[Makojoe0317]

I am not a huge trout fisherman, but when I do I fish Pickering Creek in Chester County. Do very well in one stretch especially after all the opening day commotion settles down. I use 2 1/2" fin-s in natural collors. Black and silver, brown and silver, etc. I fish them on an 1/8 jig head in the heavy current, and 1/16 in the lighter stuff. It is usually an immediate bite and then it dies out. I had one day last fall where I had 4 or 5 in the first 7 minutes and then 1 over the next hour.

Also fish streamers on the fly and do OK.

[ 02-10-2005, 08:27 PM: Message edited by: Makojoe0317 ]

[fatboy]

On the Wissy the pools at Rex ave. and below the Canoe Club are pretty sweet as well!

[njvbass]

Not really big on trout, problay because I never caught a big one. But anyway I have a great time going on opening day or after a stocking usually at haddon lake .Nice and close get my limit,the little guy gets his.

[RhinoScores]

njv... last year they stocked in January. This year it as stocked in December. I like because like you said it is close, but not very exciting like fishing a running creek. I need to learn how to fly fish for them buggers... and then for the linesiders!

[Jerseyjoe]

While growing up in Glassboro we used to Iona lake during the winter months. I also spent alot of time over in Mullica hill. I used to like fishing in the stream at Mullica hill but I think that it is privately owned. Now that my girls are at an age to take them fishing I was thinking about getting back into trout fishing. NJ is supposed to up the amount of trout this year.

[mch]

I grew up fishing Darby Creek & always had my best luck on salted minnows.

The tournaments & stockings are actually what made me stop trout fishing. I was a 14-15 year old kid & would walk down to the creek & fish it all summer for everything, smallies, rock bass, leftover trout, sunnies, eels, & even suckers. Then spring would come & it would be full of aholes in MY stream, bitching at ME because they were crossing my line while they were trying to foul hook the big trout in the lip with their trout jigs. I never grasped the fun factor of 20 people standing in a circle waiting for somebody to come along & dump a bucket of fish in the water.

Trout fishing is awesome though when you get those rare days when youre by yourself.

Other good areas are Ithan, Chester Creek, & Saw Mill Rd.

[Capt.Mike4108]

Readyjetty- You know my favorite local haunt is Valley Creek. Great hatches, generally cooperative native browns, with relatively light traffic for being in the middle of suburbia. I love the brown caddis hatch that happens around the opening day of trout season. I strictly dry fly fish in the Valley (not that there is anything wrong with soaking a wolly bugger), just my preference. I'll walk from the covered bridge in park all the way to where the Little Valley comes in, stopping at every pool and riffle looking for sippers. I've made that walk several times, up and back, without taking a cast and that's okay with me. Other times I won't make it past the metal bridge with all the action you could ever want.

Me biggest trout from there is 19.5" but I know where a real slob lives. He's been there for at least 7 years. I've missed him so many times it's not funny. Maybe this is my year. I'll start the quest in the next 2 or 3 weeks.

[on the hook]

Best 4 me was Little Bushkill! Thats 4 big trout, limestone creek, and browns to 6#! Like the flys then. As far as trout, a LOT of small streams, and a helgramite for bait! Can't beat that with a stick. Used to load up any time of the year. So many small streams in the Poconos that I would have a hard time remembering them.

[leedz49]

South Branch of the Raritan-Beadhead, flashback hare's ear, size 16-12.

If the Ken Lockwood Gorge isn't the pretiest place to fish in N.J., I don't know what is.

[ReadyJettyGo]

Hey Capt., working in KOP its very easy for me to head to Valley after work. The blue winged olive hatch in March/April & the Sulpher hatch in May are my 2 favorites. My largest there is 13.5". I've seen fish over 20" in there, mostly below the falls. I had 2 fish, both well over 20" chasing my spinner down where the creek runs into the Schuylkill. My heart was in my throat.

I work til 3 on Tues. I may head there afterwards.I think its supposed to be 50.

[rubrbsct]

Ridley Creek, (PA) 'fly fishing only' stretch year round is a nice place that is close to where I live. The local T.U. and the state stock nice fish and the T.U. feeds them all winter. Browns, Brookies and Rainbows all nice size ....but watch out on weekends is heavily fished...I caught a 26" breeder stocked there on a 7x tippet swwweeeet!!

[gandy dancer]

Id have to say Levittown lake after todays Ice fishing results . 37 rainbows biggest 14.5" in 4 hours

[OVER THE RAIL]

Capt Mike- I used to fish the Valley. beautiful natives. Really cool to see them jump the waterfall. I like dries, too. But, for the big boys, it was large streamers in the middle of the night. Lots of little limestones in Chester county with native brookies. You'd be surprised where some of them are.

[ReadyJettyGo]

Originally posted by rubrbsct:
...I caught a 26" breeder stocked there on a 7x tippet swwweeeet!! WOW! That really is impressive. Way to go!

[Capt Buck]

Leedz,you right,Ken Lockwood Gorge hands down for trout fishing.
It's absolutely beautiful in mid-October as well as being good trout fishing.

[ReadyJettyGo]

Fished French Creek outside of Phoenixville. I caught 3 Brownies on a beadhead. A nice start to the spring.
Then went to Valley. I didnt catch anything but I did see some BWO floating on top. Its almost time!!!

[Philly]

My favorite streams are up in Vermont, when I can get up there. Those trips are few and far between
now.
Locally, from late fall through the middle to end of May, the FFO stretch of Ridley and Valley Creek, though I fish mostly in the park. Middle of May through late fall, the Wissahickon. The trout offer a nice break from the smallmouth and sunfish.

[Capt.Mike4108]

Thanks for the report ReadyJetty. I couldn't get out this weekend. The wife has the flu so I had to play Mr. Mom. Over the rail- I know where a couple of those streams are and it is suprising. Along side of major highways? Up in the Lehigh Valley, where I work, there are a few hidden treasures as well. I love finding spots like that. I fish a couple spots that I've never seen another fisherman, ever. The fish are as small as the creek but I feel like they're mine.

[ReadyJettyGo]

I've already caught my trifecta of trout this year---Brook, Rainbow, Brown.
All on flies!

[AllMyne]

For me it's pine creek as well, followed by kettle creek, they did some extensive work there last year. Around here it's the beltzville lake area. I mostly fly fish, but do keep the spinner in the car just incase. Will be doing alot of trout fishing this year since I lost the boat in an ugly divorce. I did take my girlfriend to penney packer park late in the season she landed her limit in 45 minutes on the fly rod her first time. Got her hooked for this year. Hope to run into you guys on the stream this year!

[Bunka Chunka]

Trough Creek ,Huntingdon County I also like Stream fishing up at the Gap.HRL
Worms and Panthers

[ 02-17-2005, 08:58 PM: Message edited by: Bunka Chunka ]

[Joe R.]

Anyone remember Big lebanon Run at the foot of the Atlantic City xway. It was one of the few moving streams stocked in The southern part of Jersey.I loved it there back in the late 60 and early 70s .after the dam went and housing came it was done. also the creek outside of mullica hill they use to stock was nice. I use to trout fish up untill june then the salt would take over.Have not bought a lic. for the past 10 years.I only liked to fish moving water and in the so. jersey not much of thet is aval. anymore. except,maurice or cohansey.1 hr drive and not much time .I fish salt as my boat is docked 10 mins from work april-dec.Every once in a while I feel like giving it a tRy again for old time sake. glad to see this Form on sweet water even just to brouse. Joe R

[Esox1]

I can't get away from this creek - pennypack park. I have been fishing this creek since I could walk. But my newest and best spot now is in potter county. I lease land and a stream runs thru the property. Nobody fishes this area. Just me and the bears. I love it.

[AllMyne]

Esox1, where in potter county, I have a camp there go up atleast 5 times a year. It's great having a stream all to yourself. we have one behind the camp 200 yards away.

[fatboy]

Esox, we are getting fish this fall in Pennypack. I have probably seen you there. I have had years were I caught 400 plus there.

[kev316]

i got 15 rainbows on rooster tails and power bait last sunday.you can get them on flies there,too.black wooly bugger.it's close to home to get out for awhile,but i'd like to fish moving water this year.i've only found 1 little creek with trout in it in s. jersey.

[Predator]

"Anyone remember Big lebanon Run at the foot of the Atlantic City xway. It was one of the few moving streams stocked in The southern part of Jersey.I loved it there back in the late 60 and early 70s .after the dam went and housing came it was done. "

Joe R,

Knew that spot well. Grew up a walking distance away and fished it all season. Got more into bass fishing as a teenager. But plan to try the Maurice this year.

[Venator]

Kev,

I am always looking for a trout stream close to South Jersey. I normally go to the Brandywine or to Ridley creek. Is Pennypack closer? Would you mind giving me some directions? Thanks

[REELKNOT]

Venator give me a call i will tell you were to go at pennypack-been fishing trout there for 20 years.267-825-4272 Chet I also do very well on the brandywine on the east branch.I fished ridley and like the pool under the brtidge but brandwine is better.

[REELKNOT]

If you can't catch 20 plus trout in pennypack in 30-45 min something is wrong.It is not a trout stream but a swimming pool.

[Venator]

Thanks REELKNOT....I'll give you a ring.

[Bunka Chunka]

Hey Kev316 Im goin to North Jersey for the 8th straight year.I fish a nice stream that doesnt get a lot of pressure.If ya wanna go on a road trip I have the 3rd week of April off let me know.Predator I used to love to fish that stream.It was always loaded with Trout we used to fish Salmon Eggs under the Undercut banks.The Stream I was telling Kev about is just like that ,but has a rocky bottom.Same type of Fishing.Bait or Panthers.HRL

[Esox1]

Allmyne - I just bought a house in the West Bingham area and the land which I lease with 20 other guys (1300 acres)is also in West Bingham. I am going up this weekend to pick up my bear which I shot two bear seasons ago. Its finally ready. Probably do a little ice fishing on the cowanesque lake.
Fatboy- I fish the old "little city" area in pennypack. I have a hole which I fish every year which always holds fish.

[RyanF]

Been away for a while and just came across this post.

Live 10 minutes from the FFO stretch of Ridley Creek and fish it often. Also love to wade from just above the handicap area all the way to colonial plantation area. Great way to spend an afternoon tossing small panther martins and never leave without catching

[kev316]

venator,send me an e mail at quaylou@yahoo.com.bunka chunka,let me see what my work situation is like that week and i'll let you know.thanks.