Spanish Creek, Quincy

Iasc Beag · Veteran Member

Spanish Creek, Quincy

Cole Davis · Senior Member

Denis, my buddy John is from quincy and has fished Spanish creek quite a bit. Matter of fact he lived on the banks of the creek on his buddies property for a few summers. They did some habitat restoration on some of those tribs a number of years ago. Looks like some good water pumping through there. Last year in late summer we drove through Keddie and there was hardly enough water to fish. Don't know if that's where you took the picture....and there used to be an odd brown trout or two haunting those waters as well.

Packrat · Senior Member

If you liked Spanish Creek, try Nelson Creek sometime.....

KW · Member

that looks awfully nice up there!

Iasc Beag · Veteran Member

Thanks folks, I might take a trip over to Nelson Creek in a few years, looks like it is only about two or three miles away. However, I have barely dipped my toe in the water in terms of Spanish creek so I recon I will concentrate on that gem of a wild trout stream for the years to come.

Heading to the upper sections of another little gem of a small trout stream this weekend called Shirt Tail Creek a trib on the North Fork, apparently it use to be a fantastic brown trout fishery (so say the locals) thirty years ago before them dammed the head waters to create Sugar pine reservoir. Access is minimal due to mining claims and private property but where there is a will there is a way. Got some very pretty fish there last year but its very over grown from a lack of flooding making casting difficult resulting in a literally on your belly stalking approach to catching trout and a lot of vegetation snagging. Here is a photo from last year.

SK60 · Senior Member

There's a number of small streams in that area, but most years there isn't enough water to bother after the end of June. Since stocking stopped, these streams have seen a lot more pressure and what used to be fast action small fish is now slow action small fish. I believe the decline is due to the removal of these small fish in an attempt to fill a skillet. Most are 6" and under-an 11 fish is a monster. Too little cover and food to get bigger. Upper Spanish Creek towards Bucks Lake is pretty much fishless-small, shallow, little cover, and lots of waders. I assume you were on the lower creek near Quincy or down along Hiway 70.

ONEWEIGHT · Senior Member

I have fished lower Shirttail Creek, right where it empties into NF American, and up about 1 1/2 miles. It used to be a great small trout fishery, with a few lunkers in it. After the low water year of about 3 years ago it seemed void of fish. I think maybe a big die off during the low water, hot summer. Afte a couple of poor trips up there, I haven't been back in a couple of years.

Bob

Iasc Beag · Veteran Member

Bob, I will let you know how I get on with shirt tail creek. I had a half decent day on the main line of the north fork today. I will write it up and post pictures on Monday when I get to work.