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Monday thru Friday - 5:00pm to 9:00pm Saturday - 10:00am to 5:00pm Sunday & Holidays - Closed Phone: (717) 786-0951 Fax: (717) 786-4291 qtimes@epix.net |
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Map Pre-season Stocking In-season Stocking Catch and Release Stocking |
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The West Branch of the Octoraro starts in Nickle Mines, a small Town in the Southern End of Lancaster County (Amish Country), Pa. It joins the East Branch at the Octoraro Lake and makes it�s journey into Maryland, where it flows into the Susquehanna River, just below the Conowingo Dam. The West Branch is stocked by the state from Drywells Road to King�s Bridge on Noble Road. The Southern Lancaster County Sportsman Club also stock sections of the stream. There isn�t any natural reproduction on the stream according to the Fish Commission, but every so often you will catch a 4� to 5� brown trout. Most of the stream is open water, you can fish with any type of bait or rod, but there is a two mile stretch that is Delayed Harvest Fly Fishing only. The Delayed Harvest Fly Fishing is divided into two different sections; the upper section is wooded with a lot fast water. The lower section is meadow with long pools and a lot of pocket waters.
About 1 mile above the Octoraro Lake, the chances of catching trout are slim, but small mouth bass are always willing to take a fly. This holds true the rest of the way to the river. In the spring, Shad also Migrate up stream. You might also catch a stripper at the mouth of the Octoraro.
Please practice catch and release when visiting the Octoraro.
Quiet Times Fly Shop is located five minutes from the upper section of the Catch & Release Fly Fishing Only Section.
Hatch Chart for West Branch Octararo
July
Surface:
- Yellow Drake (#12)
- Slate Drake (#10)
- Midges (#22-24)
- Trico (#24)
- Terrestrials (#14-16)
Subsurface:
- Bead Head Nymphs (#12-18)
- Pheasant Tail (#14-18)
- Woolly Buggers (#10-14)