Trout derbys

I am looking for trout tournaments in south central pa.I do the one in Chambersburg and one in Reedsville. There was one for the Bendersville fire company but it was canceled.
Any info is apperciated.

I fished it in 05/06 both years it rained. Both years they stocked the fish hours before the tournament. Both years the fly rod was a lost cause. The year of 06 I landed half a dozen trout that NONE of them had a tag. Your lucky to at best get ONE hole and you better be there by 5am. Just like you said its a total ZOO! I doubt Id ever fish it again. Those fish are so spooked from every momo wading across all the good currents its insane.

They stock like 8 miles of stream with what.... 300 tagged fish.... those arent good odds when you have a 1000 anglers.


I thought you were talking about "derbys" for kids.

Sometimes I catch those taggers below Julian just to show you how much they move. What they should do on that stream is stock 500 or more when the fish commission stocks for the first day. The ENTIRE length of the creek. Then you could cough up the enterence fee before season and IF you caught one you could take it in. Bet that would encourage people to let some of those 10" fish go to swim another day.

That is very interesting that you catch the tagged fash down past Julian. It is truely amazing how far the trout will move. Were they trout mostly browns, rainbows or a mix? My dad and I stock a stream behind our hunting cabin. The browns hold over fairly well most years, but the rainbows tend to struggle. Always wondered if they just died or if they said the heck with this and started swimming down or up stream for colder waters. I fish the Potomac Rver in the DC area just below Great Falls. I have personally never caught a trout there, but know of several that have been caught in that area, usually by walleye anglers. The closest river or stream that it stocked by a public agency is nearly a 20 mile swim for the trout. I guess a good rain and water temps the trout don't like and perhaps they start looking for a better home...

I work in Fairfax Co, which is on the VA side of the Falls. The VDGIF stocks Accotink Creek which is in Fairfax Co with trout each fall and then again in the spring. Accotink Creek flows into the Occoquan River which then flows into the Potomac River about 3 miles from that point. It is then another 15 plus miles up river from there to the Falls. So I suppose it is possible those trout may eventually wonder their way up there. The Maryland Dept of Natural Resources also stocks several streams in Montgomery Co. on the MD side with trout and there is some fine tailwater trout fishing behind a couple of the dams. So I suppose a few of those trout may get lost and wash down stream into the Potomac. I just don't know if there is year round habitat for them. The Potomac River is rather warm in the summer. I regularly get temps in the mid 80's. Just not sure if in some of the deeper holes if the water is cooler in the depths, but with it being a moving river I doubt there is much difference. There maybe some spring seeps here and there that may provide some hold over habitat? Only small striped bass can survive summer in the Potomac, the larger ones must leave and head north because of the water temp/dissolved oxygen issues. So it would seem if stripers can't survive, trout surely couldn't. Interesting that you saw a guy catch that many trout at a time... I have never heard of anyone catching trout with that kind of consistancy. I have read differing views on what lethal temps and dissolved oxygen rates are for rainbows and browns. What time of year did you see the trout being caught?

There are a few pools that come to mind, is it above or below Chain Bridge? Must be above if it is Maryland waters... Below the American Legion bridge? I usually fish the Fletcher's Cove area which is in DC waters further down stream, I fish out of my boat. Trying to boat the section of water I believe you may be referring to would be a tad dangerous. I know there is some excellent walleye fishing and smallie fishing in that section and I have heard even some tiger muskies have wandered down to there, I wonder how they survive the ride down through Great Falls to get to that point! They are some nasty falls! Class 6 rapids... I looked on the MDNR web page and they currently stock two creeks that flow into the Potomac near Great Falls, Great Seneca Creek and Northwest Branch Watershed... So that is most likely the source of the trout in and around Great Falls. With the guy having caught those trout in late May, early June I am guessing they were not hold over but rather trout that were stocked in late winter to early spring and just washed down stream, but who knows! Would be interesting if trout really could hold over in the main stem Potomac River in that area. I know there is great fishing in far western Maryland in some tail waters belows dams such as the North Branch of the Potomac. But even they rely on cold water releases from the dams to keep the water cold enough. I am curious though, what species of trout was that guy catching if you can remember... 

I never fished one of these contests. It sounds like fun if you can fish in a crowd and hold your temper.
I had no idea they had one in Chambersburg.
The one in Reedsville I knew about. My family is from the Lewistown area.

Cool thread by the way. Thanks!

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