Sinnemahoning Creek water level

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Accountant
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2011/05/02 11:32:24 (permalink)

Sinnemahoning Creek water level

Hi All,

I'll be heading up to the Austin/Wharton area to fish the First Fork, east fork, and tributaries this weekend. I took a look at the USGS charts and noticed that the water level has fallen pretty dramatically on the first fork the past few days. Is the water level back to about average on the sinnamahoning? If there is more rain, will it have a bad impact on the creek?

Thanks.
#1

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    Wifeguide
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    RE: Sinnemahoning Creek water level 2011/05/02 18:54:14 (permalink)
    Hey Accountant-  I'm a big guy and it is dangerous to wade above 500 cfs and you still have to pick your spots at 350.  I've successfully fished the big hole on the delayed harvest at 900 cfs from shore, but the water was warmer and I fished to risers.  I am going up this weekend too and hope for dry skies, but it doesn't look too good.  Kettle Creek is just a little smaller and the flows rise and fall in unison with the FF.  The USGS has historical data for Kettle Creek on the streamflow page.   The data for 5-2-11 is below.  The 75th percentile(only 25% of daily flows historically are greater than this value) is 362 for Kettle which would translate to about 400 cfs for the FF.  So it is way above normal now.  Good (fly)fishing for me is 150 to 400 cfs.  If it's higher than that I try a few things:

    The big cliff hole on the East Fork.  It's almost too slow to fish now* in normal flows but I have done OK when the fish were ripped off the stringer trying to get back across.
    The hole above the first island above the lake at Stevenson dam.  if you can get to the upstream end  of the Island, you can usually cross the current and stand in still water to fish towards the road shore.  Works till about 900 cfs.
    Watch the gauge for the FF below the dam.  They can't seem to make small adjustments and often drop the water level over nite.  witness today.  http://waterdata.usgs.gov/pa/nwis/uv/?site_no=01544000&PARAmeter_cd=00065,00060,00010
    Put down the fly rod.  Drag heavy spinners or bait through backwaters.  This is my last gasp when I have to stay on shore and the water is cold.

    If you see a big guy in a dark Forester trying to placate his wife, stop and say hello to Wifeguide.  Good luck.
    *-oldtimer alert

    Min
    (1946) 25th
    percen-
    tile Median Mean 75th
    percen-
    tile Most Recent
    Instantaneous
    Value May 2 Max
    (1996) 79 160. 255 324 362 595 1620
    #2
    Accountant
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    RE: Sinnemahoning Creek water level 2011/05/03 11:03:14 (permalink)
    Wifeguide,

    Thanks for the valuable information. This will be my first time in potter county, and it sounds like the sinnemahoning might be too high/fast to fish safely given the current conditions. how about the smaller feeder streams? obviously they dont have guages but do they generally stay high when the big streams are high?
    #3
    Esox_Hunter
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    RE: Sinnemahoning Creek water level 2011/05/03 12:46:49 (permalink)
    You still have a few more days until your trip and I certainly wouldn't count it out as of now.  With the spring growth finally starting up there, the streams will runoff quickly.
     
    I was in the ANF from last Weds-Sun and found nearly all of the streams to be very fishable by Friday and at nearly optimum levels by Saturday.  We didn't venture over to the Kettle area, but there is always something that will fish well regardless of what the bigger streams look like.  
    #4
    Flying Fish
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    RE: Sinnemahoning Creek water level 2011/05/03 14:05:45 (permalink)
    I am heading up also.  Arriving Thursday AM.  Hope the rain stops soon!
    #5
    Erie Mako
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    RE: Sinnemahoning Creek water level 2011/05/03 16:23:19 (permalink)
    I was up in that neck of the wood today at work...
    I took a few pics of creek at Driftwood and Sinnemahoaning...
    Hope this helps!
     
    At the new bridge in Driftwood.
    The guy in the water just released a nice 'bow that he caught...he just waded in about 5 minutes before I took the pic.
    He said that 2 or 3 days ago it was really high, but has since come down considerably...
     

     

     
     
    These are at the Iron Bridge at the Willows...
     

     

     
     
    These are at the cement bridge over First Fork just up from the Willows...
     
    Looking downstream:

     
    Looking upstream:

     
    Most of the smaller tribs toward Benezette (Hicks, Dent and Medix) are looking good and not really high.
     
    Pics aren't the best, but hope they help!

    On the internet, EVERYONE is entitled to their opinion!
    #6
    Flying Fish
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    RE: Sinnemahoning Creek water level 2011/05/04 10:23:57 (permalink)
    Thanks for the pictures.  I am relieved to see that.  Leaving today for several days of fishing.  Rain stopped last night and little or no rain in the forecast today.  Expect the creeks in good shape for tomorrow and the weekend.  Hitting Kettle Creek and other smaller creeks the next few days.
    post edited by Flying Fish - 2011/05/04 10:25:45
    #7
    Accountant
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    RE: Sinnemahoning Creek water level 2011/05/05 16:55:59 (permalink)
    looks like the discharge has risen slightly since the post was began. good news is no rain really in the forcast, so i expect the tribs to be ripe for the picking. i cant wait.
    #8
    Flying Fish
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    RE: Sinnemahoning Creek water level 2011/05/09 15:30:16 (permalink)
    Water was great this weekend.  Fish were active and the bugs are starting to hatch.
    #9
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