Final Results

Received the final results of the 2016 Redd count for Spring Creek and the totals are about 20 percent less than 2015, the total for 16 was 1580 compared to a total of 1920 for 2015, according to observations this can be directly attributed to low water conditions of this year. A section that is along Rock Road was observed on 11-13-16 and had 18 redds was again observed on 11-27-16 and at that time had 51 redds with some having active fish on them.  Water levels and a later peak spawn resulted in our lower counts but even with a decrease we still had a great total of 1580 redds that we saw, not bad for a urban fishery, plus with the amount of wood in the streams to provide cover for the hatching fry we should have a good class of trout coming into the population in years to come but we still need a couple good shots of rain to provide enough water to allow the eggs to mature and hatch and not freeze or get scoured with ice flows during low water condition.
  Not much fishing going on now, just too cold and if you want a happy home life you would do well to stay home and help with Christmas prep. Time to get your fly tying material orders done and lay out your tying schedule for the winter. Keep and open mind about fishing in Jan and Feb., they are the typical start of good winter midge fishing for us.
Enjoy.

OMG how low can it go!

Just looked at the USGS and Penns is reading 45 cfs, that my friends will get us into some serious shit if the expected polar vortex comes to town next week, think anchor ice. If ice forms on the bottom and becomes even more widespread when the next shot of higher water comes we will have bottom scouring and some redds wiped out or the eggs that have been laid in the main stream will be frozen, not a good omen for natural reproduction. We will suffer for a few years of low populations of our brown trout due to the drought and the low reproduction rates we have seen, off course the PA Fish Comm. will have a magic solution, just stock a class "A" stream as they have now suggested as a quick fix- these guys will do anything to sell another license! We need to come to grips with the way our weather patterns have changed in the past years, seems as if the water turns off shortly after June is over and we do not recover our water table until very early Spring, yes we have short high water events but they are not long term solutions to our lack of water. Maybe we can talk someone into damming up the entire Poe Valley and making a huge hydro dam with a controlled bottom and top release, just a dream.
  Read and article in Southern Culture on The Fly about why a guy hates TU, interesting when you look at TU's stated values and their "wild trout" focus, his problem was with his local TU chapter and their focus on stocking of a delayed harvest stream and the members fishing the heck out of it just after stocking! Does this sound familiar, same stuff they have always done no new focus, no new ideas and no new young or female members with any influence in the chapter direction. Yes we all agree that the Trout in The Classroom could be considered stocking but the benefits that we see from young students being introduced to the wonders of the life of a trout give them a firm understanding of our natural world and how their actions have a direct influence on it. Look up the article and read it, makes for good thoughts.
  Another good read is "The Drake" magazine, short articles and off the cuff stuff- no me and Joe go fishing junk. Also now is the best time to tie flies, I have been filling my boxes with emergers, soft hackle emergers and "Big" streamers (but with no water they will not get wet)
Merry Christmas