I’m on the hunt for warm water fishing opportunities. In particular, I’m looking for some places within a reasonable drive that hold muskie and pike, as well as smallmouth. Today my plan was to revisit an old stomping ground of mine, the stretch of Mahoning Creek above the confluence with Little Mahoning Creek. I left the house around 6 a.m. and on the way noticed Crooked Creek was muddy. It hit me then that the areas north of where I live got heavy rains overnight and it was possible my fishing plans could be compromised. The only way to find out though was to make the drive. I figured if nothing else I could use it as a scouting opportunity for a better day.
I arrived in Smicksburg and could see from the bridge that Little Mahoning Creek was flowing chocolate brown. Not good! When I got to the confluence with Mahoning Creek reality set in that I wasn’t going to be doing much fishing. While not as muddy, it was still off color and I don’t like wading in water I can’t clearly see the bottom of. My plan switched to driving along the stream and looking for good access points.
Just passed what is locally known as “the loop,” I found a nice pull off spot and noticed a distinct trail leading to the creek. I parked the truck and proceeded to check it out. When I got to the water I noticed a small camping/picnic area and a spot that looked like a popular kayak launch. This is bigger water and easily run on a kayak or flat bottom boat.
Speaking of, when I was either a senior in high school or maybe it was the summer between high school and starting college, my friends Brian Burns and Bill Conrad and I decided to take my dad’s aluminum flat bottom boat down this stretch of water to do some fishing. I seem to remember dragging the boat more than floating in it, but we found some good spots and I caught a really nice smallmouth on spinning gear and a nightcrawler. That was the only time we did the trip. Thinking back, we tried it too late in the summer and would have been better served using kayaks. Of course, none of us had a kayak and as you do when you’re that age you make do with what you have.
I did some looking around and decided it was a spot I needed to try someday. It seems I could enter at this spot and fish around the loop that takes you back to the road for an easy return to the parking area. One thing is for sure though. It’s a desolate area with no cell signal so I’m going to have to do it when I can clearly see where I’m stepping! It might be time to invest in a satellite phone.
Since I was already in the area, I decided to make a quick run to Mahoning Creek Dam, which is a hydroelectric dam owned and operated but the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. I hadn’t been there in decades and looked forward to checking it out. Historically the tailwaters has been a good spot to hook into a pike or muskie. When I arrived, I did a little hiking around and was satisfied that this would also be a good spot to return to. It’s bigger water than I’m used to fishing but the only way to learn is to jump in and do it.
It was a lot of driving around and I never got my fishing gear out, but I’m now better prepared for when I do get a chance to hit these waters of my past. I estimate it has been close to 30 years since I last fished there. Where has the time gone? The better question might be, how could I let that happen? To be continued.