We finally got some rain after a long stretch of very little. The only upside during the period of dry weather was temperatures stayed in the low to mid 70’s for the highs. For the trout that remained in local streams, that gave them a chance to make it into late June, especially if we got measurable rainfall. I watched the stream gauge flow data for the area creep upward after a couple good rain events and it was enough to get me to drag my fishing gear back out. I opted for Yellow Creek, but this time went to the Ferrier’s Run Road section, which I hadn’t fished since I was in my early 20’s. If nothing else, it was a chance to see some water I wasn’t familiar with.
I was surprised when I arrived and there was already a vehicle at the parking area. While I was getting ready, another fisherman showed up toting spinning gear and he seemed to be in a hurry to go somewhere downstream. My first thought was it’s a good sign that people are still fishing. My second thought was if he’s going downstream, I’m going upstream. I found some nice looking water right away and the Yellow Creek valley offers scenic beauty for much of its length, particularly this area. When I stepped up to the first pool I wanted to fish, a trout rose and took a bug from the surface just below me. If I was wondering if there were still trout around, it didn’t take long to get my answer.
Using my Euro rig, I started off with a gold dubbed Frenchie, which is a go-to fly for me on Yellow Creek. It didn’t take long before I was netting a feisty rainbow. The first thing I noticed was its deep coloration, with is typical of stocked trout that have been in the stream for a while. In this case I know it was there since early May when the stream was last stocked. I ended up landing two more rainbows on this brief trip before work, one more on the Frenchie and one on a Walt’s worm. I did a little exploring and marked several spots on my onX app for future reference.
Any time you’re still catching trout in late June, that’s a win. It was nice to get out and with the weather prediction over the next few days, it looks like I’ll have more opportunity. If we get enough rain I’ll give Little Mahoning a try another time or two before the high heat of summer kicks in. For my next trip to Yellow Creek, I think I’ll try the downstream section from Ferrier’s Run Road. Here’s hoping we get the rain that’s predicted and the water temperatures stay suitable for trout fishing.
