Surrounded by Carp and Catfish at Kelly Drive

Hello, Readers! I wanted to post this last post of the month with the title of "Carp Frenzy at Kelly Drive", but a friend cracked me up with the title "Surrounded by Carp"... Therefore, there we go!

I decided to make the last day of the month a trip to Kelly Drive, looking for some Carp.

I arrived there at 6 a.m., and started promptly at 6:11a.m. The weather was good, and the spawning activity was low compared to the days before. I REALLY REALLY hoped for a good day, and the God of fish (lol) didn't disappoint me!

The first fish came 7:13a.m.: a small 3.5lb catfish. Of course I was a bit disappointed it wasn't a carp, but a fish is still a fish. As far as something bites, and there's action, then it's good!

The second fish came at 7:32a.m. - a 16.2lb Common Carp! It's size is above average for that section of the non tidal Schuylkill, and this one pulled an INCREDIBLE fight! Maybe it was because of the lower temperature, or maybe because he ate good...I don't know. However, it took me 25 minutes to get it outside of the water. I took a couple pictures, and put it back.

The third fish (and second carp) came shortly after, 8:01 a.m. It was slightly thinner than the first one (this one was 15.5lb), but it put a good fight as well as the first one. I was thrilled by then, and satisfied already. These two fish alone were my day already.

The fourth fish was a small 11lb Common Carp (9:08a.m.), followed by a 5lb catfish (9:41a.m.). After that, I landed two more carps (10lb - 10:39a.m., and 8lb - 12:00p.m.) and one more catfish (12:58p.m.).

After all these, I was so satisfied that I packed my stuff and went home! Absolutely no better way of ending a month! The pictures are below: please, don't criticize the lack of quality because I had no one to take pictures for me. I wanted to make them quick, and just show the fish; so I could put them back in the water as soon as possible. I guess that carp the other day scared me quite a bunch when it took it quite a while to revive and swim away. Anyways...Enjoy!

16.2lb. Biggest one of the day.

15.5lb.

11lb.

10lb

8lb

3.5lb

5lb

3lb

Best of luck for ALL OF US!

And hopefully next month will be better than this month...

Sincerely,

Leo S.

Another Carping Session at Kelly Drive

I did another carping session at Kelly Drive this past Tuesday, July 26th. I went out at 10:30 a.m., arriving by my spot at noon (12:30 p.m.). I fished till the end of the afternoon, around 5:30p.m.

To tell the truth, I didn't expect a any fish that day. Maybe the regular catfish, but not carp. The spawning activity was very high, and fish were certainly jumping non stop at that portion of the river. They were jumping so high that a person could see them for a good 1-2 seconds outside of the water! It was extremely beautiful, and artistic in some ways...

The first fish came at 2:45 p.m. It was around 7-9lb, by naked eye (I didn't have a chance to measure it), and it got away right in front of me, before I could net it. It unhooked itself, and swam away. I didn't lose any equipment on this one, and hopefully his mouth will heal soon!

The second one came at 3:38 p.m.. This one gave an extremely good fight! It took me a good 20 minutes to land this one. He ran wild until the middle of the river, and resisted the long fight for quite a while. It was definitely a good and pleasurable experience. It weighted 16.8lb (which is above the average size for that area), and it took quite a while for it to revive and swim away. My bet is that the fish was very tired from the fight, and tired from the heat too. After a little while, it started to swim slowly....slowly disappearing into the Schuylkill. It wasn't a "floater", thanks God. Hehe.

The third and last one of the day came at 4:40 p.m. It weighted 11.2lb, and it was beautiful and healthy.

It was really a good day; I couldn't have asked for more.

I'll definitely post something interesting once I find time to do so! For now, best of luck for all of us!

The biggest one of the day

The third and last one - ready to shake my hand

Long days and pleasant nights, people!

Leo S.

Fish, Temperature, and Oxygen at the Wissahickon Park

I went fishing at the Wissahickon on July 19th - this past Tuesday. My primary goal was the good old Carp, considering that there are good amounts of Carp in the creek. I went out really early, and I arrived at the park 6:40 a.m. Pulled my rods out, chummed the water at the moment, and landed a 9lb Common Carp almost after three hours of waiting. The reason for the wait was simple: I noticed that the levels of water at the creek lowered, and the vegetation increased. The water was not even flowing past the 2 little dams at the entrance of the Park next to the Wissahickon Transfer Center. Of course the water wasn't stagnant; However, it's common that fish may seek other locations to stay at when water levels drop (specially at summer time). It's common to see fish moving from location to location due to Oxygen levels in the water - fish will prefer locations that I richer in oxygen. Temperature is also another factor - this Tuesday was extremelly hot: 90-95F. When the water temperature rises dramatically, it certainly influences the eating behaviors of certain species of fish.

Therefore, I found fundamental to do an oxygen and temperature review, specially using the Wissahickon as an example.

First, we should divide the different species of fish in the Wissahickon according to their temperature preferences. I'll divide the temperature in three ranges:

1. Coldwater (50-60)

Rainbow Trout; Brown Trout; Palominos.

2. Coolwater (60-70)

There are no species in the Wissahickon (that I know) that are classified in Coolwater.

3. Warmwater (70-80)

Largemouth Bass; Bluegill; Rock Bass; Redbreast Sunfish; Channel Catfish; Common Carp and variations.

Before continuing, we should notice three things: (1) Trouts are only present in the creek because they are stocked by the Fish and Boat Commission. Therefore, if they did not stock trout, the creek would basically have only Warmwater fish. (2) Carps prefer temperatures that range from 73F to 86F. This means that Carp tend to bite less if the water temperature is ABOVE 86F. (3) Even though those are the species preferenced water temperature, it doesn't mean they will be found only in that temperature range. They move mostly according to food: fish will be present where food is more plentful.

The reason trout can actually survive high temperatures at the Wissahickon creek on summer time is the fact that Coldwater fish are limited to waters that provide refuge for cold, oxygenated water on summer time. Therefore, it does make sense that all trout anglers usually fish for trout deeper when it's hot, and usually right under dams - where water is rich in oxygen due to circulation; food comes downstream with flow; and water is cooler due to convection and surface area of circulating water.

Warmwater fish, on the other hand, are species that walk around their respective waters the whole summer - when temperatures are high.

The Carp that I landed (the 9lb one) was caught at a very shallow portion of the creek, which kinds of prove the fact that they will be where food is more plentiful, despite temperature conditions. After all, fish are clearly opportunists, and they take advantage of any kind of bait when they have a chance to eat it.

Also, the same day that I went fishing for Carp, I switched spots to try for different kinds of fish. I went to a spot further inside the creek, after crossing a red bridge. There, the water had a much stronger current, and it was perfect for casting lures. I ended there with one Rock Bass, 4 Largemouth Bass (not big, though), and one small Brown Trout caught on a trout magnet at the bottom. Therefore, this is clear evidence to support the theory that temperature is an extremelly important factor to determine the activeness of a certain species of fish.

Ample dissolved oxygen MUST be present in the water fish live at. To balance with air, water absorbs oxygen in contact of air. Therefore, a similar experience happens when water is moving (e.g. Dam): just as the temperature drops because of convection and area surface of the flowing water, oxygen is absorbed in bigger quantities due to the surface and flow of water. Also, oxygen can be produced by aquatic plants. Notice that it's not EVERY plant in the water that produces oxygen, though. Just because the plant is in the water, it doesn't make it aquatic. Basically, certain species tolerate lower oxygen levels than other fish(e.g. A Bullhead tolerates much less oxygen than a Trout), and this factor determines the location of fish in certain waters.

In reality, there are three factors that determines the amount and size of fish: the water temperature, the dissolved oxygen level, and fertility.

Maybe one day I'll do a post on fertility. For now, that's all.

I hope this was informative for your guys.

Best luck for all of us.

Long Days and Pleasant Nights.

Leo S.

Fishing, Carping, and "Unknowing"

One of the top pleasures in fishing is the fact that you never know exactly WHAT will hit your hook. It could be "that fish" that you get at that spot all the time; maybe a new species that you never fished before; or even a piece of trash may get snagged - which would be a pain to drag and remove depending on its size and shape. The "unknown" is an very important factor in this sport that promotes excitement, boosts curiosity, and causes amazement.

I remember a couple years ago, when I first started fishing for catfish at the tidal Schuylkill River. I used to get the channel cats all the time. Soon, the white perch came - and I was astonished by that fish. After all, I've never seen it before, not to mention that fish are all beautiful to my eyes. Then, I continued for the regular channel cats, and often getting a couple white perch. Then, one day, after a couple rainy days, I got my first American eel in the river. To know that there were American eels in the river was a pain for me, since I consider them to be the true "knot masters". Once they get in your line, it's almost certain that they will tangle it better than you can possibly do it. I continued my journey fishing the Schuylkill and my curiosity for new species increased dramatically, not to mention my excitement. After that came the Yellow Perch, the Spot Croaker on fall (YES, there are spots on the Tidal Schuylkill, normally on fall), Largemouth Bass, and all different kinds of sunfish - even the rarely seen Pumpkin Seed (rarely seen at the Schuylkill), and the endangered Warmouth.

Due to my curiosity and my excitement, I had expanded my horizons by fishing different spots at the Schuylkill river. I moved from the Walnut bridge to a spot near Spring Garden, and there I caught my first Common Carp. I moved from that spot to the Fairmount Dam, and I caught my first walleye (small), Striped Bass (small), and Black Crappie. I couldn't believe there were Crappies in the river, as many other fishermen told me. However, after I fished there, I understood a critical concept in the World of fishing: just because the fish is not at your spot, doesn't mean the fish is not present in the river.

I have yet to fish many species in the Schuylkill River. I'm not presently targeting muskies or bowfins, but I would love to hook a Quillback Carpsucker! That's actually my next goal for this summer time.

A good example of "unknowing" happened to me yesterday. As a went fishing for Carp at Kelly Drive, many unusual things happened - things that I really didn't expect to happen!

First, something was biting on my rod. When the Carp hits, the rod bends in a very powerful way, as the fish runs the fastest it can. When the Catfish hits, the rod bends consecutively, as if following a music beat. When small white perch hits, the rod "shivers" and the line usually looses. In conclusion, every species of fish has their own way of hitting the bait, and the anglers that focus on those certain species know right away which one is hitting it (or at least they can have a hypothesis of it - a smart guess). Yesterday, something was hitting my rod - something I thought it was VERY SMALL. The tip of the rod was shaking just a little bit, and sometimes the rod would bend slightly as the line was being pushed. I really couldn't guess what kind of fish was that, and the "unknowing" made me think it was a Quillback Carpsucker. I got full of excitement thinking I was about to fish a new species of fish, and it ended up that the "fish" that was hitting my rod was a TURTLE. As a matter of fact, I fished two turtles yesterday at Kelly Drive on sweet corn. Isn't it funny how the unknown can turn excitement into frustration in a blink of a second? It was awful taking the hook out of its mouth, but it was even more awful knowing that if I snapped the line he would live with that hook in its mouth for a long time. Therefore, I did some effort to take it off CAREFULLY, harming as least as possible, and the turtle swam back safety.

Second, I was deceived by a fish! It was around eleven in the morning that I got a hit on my big rod. The drag was set really loose, so the line started to burn. The fish ran a good amount, but not enough for me to think it was a Carp. And just when I doubted my judgement, the fish slipped inside a hole (probably under a rock), and I got stuck. I really wanted to see what fish was there, and so I got frustrated thinking that I would lose that one. Instead of forcing or snapping the line, I just decided to wait. I could still feel the fish in the line, therefore I just left my rod on the holder. After 15 minutes of waiting, I finally saw my line moving from left to the center of the river! As I pulled the fish up, it surfaced on the water. For my surprised, it was a 5lb Catfish regurgitating AT LEAST half pound of my chummed corn! It's funny how I really didn't expect a catfish, specially because they don't usually bite at daytime at Kelly Drive, at this season of the year.

5lb Catfish

Weightning the fish

I stayed there from six in the morning until one-thirty in the afternoon. I ended the day with two turtles, one catfish, and two carp - 8lb and 12lb. It was a very productive day, and I was entirely satisfied at the end of the fishing session. Even if only ONE FISH showed up, I would still be satisfied. I always think positively, and one is better than nothing. Actually, anything is better than nothing.

12lb Carp

8lb Carp

Best of luck for all of us!

Stay tuned for future updates...

Long Days and Pleasant Nights.

Leo S.

Carping with a "Pro"

Yesterday, I woke up REALLY EARLY: three in the morning. I already had a goal in mind: catch some big carp! I had scheduled a fishing session a couple days ago, for yesterday, with one of my colleagues from PAC: "GC". Now he's more of a friend to me than a colleague, hence we already met in real life.

For the people unfamiliar with PAC: PAC is the Philadelphia Anglers Club (one of the biggest online fishing Forum made by LOCAL ANGLERS in Philadelphia , and their logo is "Serious Multi Species Fishing". The website itself, which is actually a fishing forum as mentioned before, is run by two really charismatic local fishermen, from Philadelphia: "Louis Cook" and "Matt Coll". They are both very wise, serious, and dedicated fisherman; and if you wish to know more about them - google their names, or join the PAC website. You can click on the link below to obtain more information.

http://www.cookplex.com/pac/

If you took a look at the website above, you will see that there are two sections on the PAC website: (1) "Welcome to Philadelphia Anglers Club", featuring the following topics: About Philadelphia Anglers Club, Local Issues, General Fishing, Local Fishing, Not So Local Fishing, Events, Resources, Off-topic Discussion, and Philadelphia Area Tackle Shops. This section of the Forum is open to every guest and person that registers in the website, and contains a considerable amount of fun, knowledge, and discussions about fishing. However, if you are really into the "SPECIFICS" of fishing a certain species, and you consider yourself a serious and dedicated fisherman, you should become a member of PAC (the monthly fee for joining PAC is only $3 a month, which is actually very low considering that you will meet some legends and pros in Philadelphia, be able to talk to them, ask for tips and hints about fishing certain species, etc). The second section of the website is divided by species, basically: (2) "Club Members Only", featuring the following topics: Bass, Carp, Catfish, Esox, Salmonids, Shad, Walleye, Members only reports, Members only Trips & events, and David has a melt down.

I am a member of PAC since the beginning of June, and I can clearly say that I enjoy very much paying only 3 dollars to stay in touch with those wonderful fisherman, not to mention that I would never really met GC in real life (which is a CARPING PRO) if I didn't become a member. Therefore, the PAC website certainly already have my gratitude for certain achievements that I've obtained lately, in terms of fishing skills.

Anyways...."GC"; which is the person I scheduled the fishing section with, and also one of the oldest members of PAC; is a very knowledgeable person when it comes to carp fishing. One may really call him a "Carp Pro", among many others at the PAC forum. GC fishes for carp almost for seven years now, 200+ days a year, and he has caught nearly 3000 local carps since the beginning of his Carping career as a fisherman. Among the different types of carp, GC has already caught the Common Carp, Ghost Carp, Koi, Mirror Carp (Including a Full Scaled Mirror Carp, and a Linear Scaled Mirror Carp), etc. The only type of Carp that GC has yet caught is the Leather Carp (considering that he possibly caught a Grass Carp before). Overall, his techniques and skills in Carping are really great and wise - and he's certainly one of the top levels "carpers" here in Philadelphia.

We started our fishing session yesterday around 5:30 a.m., at Kelly Drive. We talked for a good while about Carp fishing during the day, including subjects such as: choosing certain spots for better chances of landing a fish, chumming and preparing the spot before fishing (meeting nutritional needs for the fish is a plus), using adequate rigs for Carp (e.g. hair rigs and its variations), preparing and choosing different kinds of chum, choosing the rods and the adequate pieces of equipment while fishing for carp (including a discussion on poles, drags and reels, and lines), etc. By 9:30 a.m. we caught two carps. They weren't measured with any tools, but GC measured them with his eyes: the first one was proximately 8lb, and the second one was proximately 12lb. For a spawning season at the non-tidal Schuylkill river, we were more than satisfied with two fish over nothing (the photos are below).

The First Carp - Proximately 8lb.

The Second Carp - Proximately 12lb

The Second Carp However, GC wanted me to really have a good experience in fishing for Carp. Therefore, we packed our gear and we moved to Delaware river waters, next to the Philadelphia Airport. The place was certainly beautiful, with an amazing view. The water was tidal, meaning that there was much more current compared to the waters of the non-tidal section of the Schuylkill river. We stayed there from 10:30 until a little bit over 2:30, and we got 4 fish over there - all bigger than the Schuylkill river ones. Those included a male carp (which was REALLY long, and put up a REALLY good fight), a full scaled mirror carp (the first one in my life - and very rare, weighting around 20-21lb. Note: It weighted 25lb with the net), and two other common carps. The pictures are below:

First Carp at the second spot next to Delaware River - clearly bigger than the Carps at Kelly Drive

The Male Carp - Very long and Torpedo shaped

Fightining with the Fish - Notice how the face and the hand is showing persistance towards the fight.

The Full Scaled Mirror Carp - a very rare finding according to GC

Sometimes they slip - don't let them fall! You may get sticky, but don't let them get hurt.

Finally, I would like to thank GC again for this wonderful opportunity. He had the patience, and allowed me to learn and experience the fish itself.

Best of luck for all of us!

Stay tuned for next updates...

Long Days and Pleasant Nights.

Leo S.

The Monster of Wissahickon Creek

Hello, Readers!

 

In theory, every body of water with some aquatic life has its own monster: the "biggest" fish in it, or the most exotic fish. A small creek, a big lake, turbulent rivers, reservoirs: every place with fishes consequently has a "King". Myself, I've heard many stories of big fish under dams; some others hidden between structure or cover; under bridges; and in reality, I've seen some myself!

 

Last time, I saw a monster Rainbow Trout at PennyPack Creek that was at least 2lb, which is very uncommon for that creek (unless it's a Palomino). The PA fish and boat commission rarely stocks Trout that are bigger than 1lb in the Pennypack Creek. That huge Rainbow Trout followed my spinner 2 times, carefully analyzing it while following it. That fish was so sharp! Such a wariness! And the most interesting fact is that the Trout was hiding under a bridge (close to Verree, actually), swimming back and forth every time I threw my Spinner. That monster just wouldn't bite...it knew that the spinner was "an anomaly." Maybe that fish is still there nowadays... 

 

Anyways...It was this morning, while I was fishing at a certain portion of the Wissahickon Creek, that I saw a "monster fish." It was a yellow Carp (at the beginning I thought it was a Koi), and it looked very similar to an Ogon Carp. It surely looked like a "King" for its exotic features: it had 2 other common carps by its side (Black-colored), and all three of them were suspending on top of the water - perhaps sunbathing. The quality of the picture is not really good due to the quality of the camera and the reflection of the water. However, I can assure (by experience) you that this fish is at least 15lb, considering the size of its girth and the length of its body by naked eye. Not only that, it truly looks like one of the 7 Carp Kings - the "legendary" Ghost Carp. It amazes me to see that there's such a big and rare fish at the Wissahickon Creek, and I surely wish to catch it one day (hopefully)! I'll give it a shot on that spot one of these days, if this monster stays around this portion of the creek.

 

The "legendary" Ghost Carp, one of the Seven Carp Kings (Common Carp, Mirror Carp, Fully Scaled Mirror Carp, Koi, Ghost Carp, Linear Carp, Leather Carp).

Anyways... Today was not very productive - I ended up the day with one 4.7lb Common Carp on the corn after 3 hours of fishing, in the morning. This carp almost dragged my rod inside the water, hence I wasn't paying attention at that moment. After this incident, I've decided to always tie my rods to some sort of rope, so they don't start disappearing or flying away (Update: note that nowadays I use fishing rod-holders). Hehe

Stay tuned for more updates, people!

Best of luck for all of us.

Long days and pleasant nights.

Leo S.

Exploring and Fishing the Wissahickon Creek

Hello, Readers!

 

Today, I'm introducing you guys to the Wissahickon Creek from East Falls to Valley Inn. The Wissahickon is one of the two main Creeks suitable for fishing around these areas, the other one being the Pennypack Creek. The Creek is stocked with Trout during the Spring season, not to mention that it has a healthy population of Redbreast Sunfish, Rock Bass, and even Smallmouth Bass (among other Species). The name of it comes from two Lenape words: "Wisaucksickan" and "Wisamickan," meaning yellow-colored stream and catfish creak, respectively. Interesting, huh? Heh.

 

I still remember my first time there! After a long time fishing in Philadelphia, I had finally decided to explore the Wissahickon Creek. Living close to the Frankford Transportation Center, I would always see the Bus "R" getting out of there, going directly towards the "Wissahickon Transfer Center."

I remember that at that time, somehow, I never really thought of going there. I guess it was due to the fact that I was pretty happy fishing my regular spots and catching the "regular" fish. But soon the urge to explore came, and the Wissahickon was soon added to my list.

My first time there was on July 1st, 2011. I went out very early and took the R Bus from the Frankford Transportation Center to the last stop - Wissahickon Transfer Center. For those that use public transportation, note that not all R buses stop at the Transfer Center! You can look at the bus schedule here.

In reality, there are many positives in taking public transportation when going out for fishing. It's true that it can be time consuming on one hand; however, on the other hand, one doesn't need to worry about parking or gas (no tickets, yay!) or traffic, not to mention that using mass transportation means less pollutants in the air (after all, less cars on the move). The concept of a "greener World," I guess. Haha.

As I arrived at the Transfer Center, I crossed the street to enter the Park. Now...good news, guys: right at the entrance of the Wissahickon Park, there was already a Dam! Normally, for anglers, dams are godly places to fish. That's usually where the big fish are, seriously. Isn't the Fairmount Dam one of the best spots in the city? Doesn't the Trout in the Pennypack Creek concentrate below the dam? Well...you can go to both places and find the answers for yourself!

It was a little bit weird to fish there, though. Everyone was looking at me, specially the people waiting for the buses at the Transfer Center. If you are really the kind of fisherman that doesn't care about it, cast near the base of the dam and rest assured: you will get something. =)

I remember clearly that my first day the Wissahickon wasn't very productive. I ended up with a couple Redbreast Sunfish and Green Sunfish. But still, I was amazed for finding a new place to fish!

Now, after two years of fishing around Philly, I can say that I've explored a good portion of the Wissahickon Creek (from East Falls to Valley Inn), not to mention that I've fished tons of different Species from the Wissahickon!

So, let's get down to business. These are the types of fish that I've caught so far in the Wissahickon Creek:

Redbreast Sunfish: Just like the other Creeks around Philadelphia, the Redbreast Sunfish are the abundant population in the Creek! They come in all sizes, and they can be found almost everywhere! During the Spring season, it's lots of fun to fish for bedding Redbreast Sunfish, since the bigger ones can be sight-fished in the shallow water. Worms will work fine for them; although, I've caught the bigger ones on 3-inch Senkos, in-line spinners, and Trout magnets.

May 4th, 2013 - Redbreast Sunfish caught on a sinking 3-inch Gary Yamamoto Senko.

May 20th, 2012 - A bedding Redbreast Sunfish caught on a Trout magnet on the bottom.

 

Green Sunfish: The Wissahickon Creek has a limited population of Green Sunfish. They are more aggressive than the Redbreast Sunfish (above), and less aggressive than the Rock Bass (below). The same techniques used for Redbreast Sunfish will work with them.

 

August 9th, 2011 - Green Sunfish caught on a Gulp! Minnow.

 

Rock Bass: Neshaminy>Wissahickon>Pennypack: this is the order that I would give to you readers when it comes to Rock Bass populations in Creeks around here. The Neshaminy Creek is in Bucks County; therefore, the Wissahickon is definitely your best bet for catching a nice Rock Bass. Fortunately, the Wissahickon has a healthy population of them! The bigger ones are lots of fun to catch during spawning season (around end of April, beginning of May), since they are bedding.

 

Small ones are often caught on nightcrawlers, close to structure. Bigger ones can be caught on Trout Magnets, in-line spinners, small Senkos, etc; just like the Redbreast Sunfish and Green Sunfish. Note that the Rock Bass are much more aggressive than the Redbreast Sunfish, and they also tend to fight better than the Green Sunfish! Using an ultra-light set up to catch them is a blast.

 

May 4th, 2013 - Rock Bass caught on a 3-inch Gary Yamamoto Senko, wacky rigged.

May 4th, 2013 - A small Rock Bass, caught on the same lure as cited above.

 

Creek Chub: Somehow, Creek Chubs are very rare in the Wissahickon Creek from East Falls to Valley Inn. Maybe it's because the population of Smallmouth Bass in the Creek ate them all. So far, in two years of fishing at the Wissahickon, I was only able to catch one Creek Chub, and it was on a Gulp! Minnow. From my experience, Creek Chubs will eat all sorts of insects and little baits; therefore, the regular nightcrawler is an ideal bait for them.

 

May 20th, 2012 - Creek Chub caught on a "Gulp! Minnow," on a 1/64oz. jig.

 

Common Carp: There's a very limited population of Common Carp in the Wissahickon Creek due to overharvesting. To start with, their numbers were already very low. Somehow, people just love to harvest them for human consumption, even though they are highly contaminated with PCBs (Polychlorinated Byphenils) and heavy metals, not to mention that they supposedly taste like mud.

 

Slow pools and currents are your best shot for them. My advice is to always chum in-session and be patient. =) In the Wissahickon between East Falls and Valley Inn, they can get up to 8lbs or so.

 

July 19th, 2011 - Common Carp caught on a piece of kernel corn.

 

Smallmouth Bass: Other than the stocked Trout by the PA Fish and Boat Commission, the Smallmouth Bass are probably the best Gamefish in the Wissahickon Creek! The Creek has a moderate amount of Smallies, and their sizes range from 6 inches to 15 inches.

My advice for fishing this Species of fish is to cast and walk - in other words, the "finding the fish" approach. I've been successful with Senkos and in-line Spinners, but I'm pretty sure that fish imitations (i.e. shallow crankbait) and flies will nail them very good!

May 20th, 2012 - A Smallmouth Bass caught on a Dragonfly softbait.

May 4th, 2013 - A Smallmouth Bass caught on a 5-inch Gary Yamamoto Senko (clearly).

Rainbow/Brown/Golden Rainbow Trout: They are stocked by the PA Fish and Boat Commission during the Spring. You can check the stocking schedules here.

Browns can be caught on a variety of lures and live bait. Different than the Rainbow Trout, Browns will feed mainly on live organisms! They are also more aggressive than Rainbows, and they put up a better fight. Nightcrawlers and in-line Spinners work best for them. Powerbait, corn, and other types of "dead" baits can catch them, but are less effective. Rainbows are caught more often on "dead" baits: Powerbait is a good option for Rainbows, as well as kernel corn, salmon eggs, etc. Similar than Browns in terms of Trout lies, Rainbows can usually be found in deep pools and currents. In other words, lures will work for both Species! The last one of the three stocked Trouts - The Golden Rainbow Trout - is a rarity around these areas! It's usually referred as the "Palomino Trout," which is a wrong definition of it (for more details, click here). Some people refer to it as the "fish of a life time:" It's rare, it's big, and it can be easily seem in the Creek (meaning that their wariness is top notch). They seriously behave like a combination of Brown and Rainbow (I know it sounds like Pokemon now, but it's just the way it's) - they strike lures, eat Powerbait, nightcrawlers, bugs, etc.

June 18th, 2012 - Rainbow Trout caught at Forbidden Drive, on an in-line spinner.

October 18th, 2012 - Rainbow Trout caught on a piece of kernel corn. They used to be stocked at the Wissahickon Creek during Fall. Now the Trout Stocking at Wissahickon Creek is only during Spring.

April 6th, 2013 - Andrew N. with a Brown Trout from the Wissahickon Creek, caught on Powerbait. You can watch the video of him catching it here.

April 6th, 2013 - Andrew N. with a Golden Rainbow Trout from the Wissahickon Creek, also caught on Powerbait. You can watch the video of Andrew N. catching the Golden Rainbow Trout here.

April 6th, 2013 - A Golden Rainbow Trout from Forbidden Drive, Wissahickon Creek. 

These are all the Species of fish that I've caught at the Wissahickon so far. My advice: look for them in currents, deep pools, slow pools, and under dams. =)

Best luck for all of us.

Long Days and Pleasant Nights,

Sincerely,

Leo S.