Getting Off the Beaten Stream

The storms last week that brought long periods of heavy rains to the Central Pennsylvania area were devastating for the trout fishing.  The combination of the rain mixed with the remaining snow led to the streams to quickly rise almost 3 1/2 feet above normal flow.  Since last weeks storms the streams continue to be turbid and have not yet receded to an easily fish-able level.  It was almost a week since my last trip to the streams and I was really starting to feel the fishin' itch getting to my nerves.  Reluctantly I headed back out to my usual spots on Spring Creek, but this time I found myself on a new kind of adventure! 

The water was still 2 feet higher than average flow, making the fishing very challenging.  After a failed attempt at my usual spots I dedicated the rest of the afternoon to the small "cricks" in the area.  You all know of them.  Small, seemingly useless little drainage flows for small springs in the summertime, that eventually lead to the productive streams.  These little streams can't possibly hold fish, right?  You may be surprised.  Follow one of these small streams the next time your regular fishing waters are blown out with high water.  You may find a couple deeper pockets that hold wild trout or even natives.

I have known about the stream in the video below for a couple years now.  I was finally able to take my rod out and throw a couple casts into one of the deeper pools upstream from where it enters into the Bald Eagle Creek.  This area was formally home to an Iron Furnace that produce pig iron during the 1800's.  The pool I landed the wild brown trout in was actually a swimming hole at one point for the families who worked and lived on the property of the iron furnace.  Take a look!