Stockers Saved the Day - 27Feb21

[Johnsfolly]

Looking at the weather this weekend, I had to plan on a fishing trip on Saturday due to rain expected for all day Sunday. Wanted to run up to Susquehanna river tribs to try for walleye, but family didn't want the long drive. So with the idea of trying for a pumpkinseed at the Spillway below Unicorn Lake, I headed North. The Maryland DNR had just stocked 300 rainbows in the Unicorn Branch below the spillway earlier in the week. I expected there to be a crowd. As I pulled up there was a man and his son in the spot where I usually catch a few pumpkinseed. I decided to fish above them closer to the spillway.

I had on a trout magnet minijig set-up with a small foam float. I had 2# Pline fluoroclear line and one of my 7' Airstream UL rods. I was able to cast 20 to 25 ft with this setup and the tight quarters of the narrow creek that should be enough to reach the fish. Most of the sunfish tuck in next to the rocks near the banks and the pilings of the decking above the water on my side. No luck on sunfish. When I got a good drift, I found some fish holding in a seam towards the other bank. I hooked one rainbow and lost just as I was reaching for it. To be honest that was going to be a caught fish if I wasn't able to get into a better location.

I was watching a fly fisherman on the other bank. I could see his indicator and when it got close to what looked like a deeper run, he would get a strike. He landed a few trout while I was blanked. There was a open area on the rocks downstream enough from him that I would not be fishing his water. It also gave me easy access to the seam that I hooked that rainbow.

I had on an orange body that I have had success with the panfish here before. It didn't take long before I had my first bluegill in hand. I followed that with a feisty 9 inch rainbow.

The kid across from me got a couple of bites where I was catching a trout or bluegill every few casts. I ended landed one that was just over 14 inches from that cast across and drift method.

I found that a little jigging could induce a strike.  I switched to pink, yellow, and white bodies. I caught one trout on the yellow and two on the pink. The fly fisherman headed downstream and I was able to cast upstream into that run next to the bank.  I caught two quick trout one which was 12 inches. By that time the kid came over and was fishing above me. The fly fisherman came back and fished above him. This kid had little ethics in terms of fishing around others. He would often drift his baits into the hole that I was fishing and he would catch fish there. He also would not wait for the flyfisherman to finish his drift before casting upstream and got tangled with him. I would wait until he would cast upstream before I would drift my bait in that hole. I had decided that if I could land my tenth rainbow that I would leave. Once I had that fish in my net the kid made a cast to where I hooked that fish. The bait landed within 3 feet directly in front of me. At that point I called him out on his behavior. He soon took over my spot as I was leaving. 

Anyway I did catch three bluegill but no pumpkinseeds . Catching and playing with and landing those ten stockers saved the day on this short trip. I fished for less time than my entire travel route to and from this spot. 

[Quillback]

That's a good day.  I remember my east coast trout fishing, they didn't stock a lot of trout compared to what we see back here and the pressure was intense.  

[Johnsfolly]

15 minutes ago, Quillback said:

That's a good day.  I remember my east coast trout fishing, they didn't stock a lot of trout compared to what we see back here and the pressure was intense.  

Maryland will stock over 300K across the state this year, which is less than i believe that Taneycomo will stock this year. Opening day of trout in PA was always a zoo. Folks would camp out on the better holes of many of the creeks.

[Quillback]

15 minutes ago, Johnsfolly said:

Maryland will stock over 300K across the state this year, which is less than i believe that Taneycomo will stock this year. Opening day of trout in PA was always a zoo. Folks would camp out on the better holes of many of the creeks.

Opening day in Mass, was a zoo too.  

[BilletHead]

                            Stockers or not the day was saved. I would of been happy. As far as the other deal I am afraid it is going to get worse. Folks just don't care about others anymore  

[Johnsfolly]

6 minutes ago, BilletHead said:

                            Stockers or not the day was saved. I would of been happy. As far as the other deal I am afraid it is going to get worse. Folks just don't care about others anymore  

The day was a bunch better than what I had when near freezing water was rushing over the spillway. Felt good to figure out those fish either trout or those sunfish and where they should be as long as those flow patterns continue.

Folks don't teach their kids about respect anymore. Sad really. As you mentioned it's  likely to get worse unless there is a change in how we interact with each other.

[Ham]

Good on ya John. You've had a rough go of it so far.