Toby isn't exactly the most pristine trout water in the world but this year something definitely seems wrong.  Until today we haven't had any rain for a while and yet the creek has had a muddy brown look to it.  I also noticed that trees laying in the water seem to be coated in orange.  The creek looks pretty bad.  Anybody know what is up?

I doant know but i was there on Sunday as well and i couldn't stand fishing it with the orange mud color.  It looked really bad.  I dont fish it much but i dont remember it lookign like that ever before.  I agree something did not look right.  

I believe the problem is the bridge work they are doing in Brockway.

If you go thru town and turn right to head to DuBois you'll find they are tearing down the old bridge and will be building a new one this summer...

That's my guess at the cause of the dis-colored water...

i seen it upstream of that bridge as well i thought that was the cause but it appeared jut as bad upstream.

well then ----

????????????????

The problem, whatever it is, is originating far upstream of the bridge near McDonalds.  I was as far up as the Furmantown Bridge and it was the same up there.  I'm really hoping that the orange color isn't sulfur spilling in from somewhere.  A lot of work has been done to make Toby a good troutstream and I'd hate to see that undone.  

I sent an email to Spring Reilly who is listed as the NorthCentral contact for the regional reports on the Fish Commission website.  I recommended that he/she have someone go test the water and compare it versus previous samples.  If I manage to find out anything I'll let you all know.

Contact Bill Sabatose of the PFBC....

He is from Brockway and Toby Creek has been his life long project...

I know.  I searched online but couldn't find an email address for him. He should be able to see the problem himself already.  The business he owns is very close to the stream. What it looks like to me is that mine water is making its way into the stream and they are dumping a bunch of lime in to neutralize it thus giving it the milky look.

That would make sense.  I am betting the fishing is great on Toby near the mouth.  I am thinking that might be a trip worth taking this weekend.

I got this response from Spring Reilly of the Fish Commission, "Hi Justin,I appreciate you passing on the information.  I have passed on your information to the local WCO and NC Region of Law Enforcement. Thank you again!"

Here's the scoop...

Thanks.  We are looking into this, though DEP has the lead.  This started a couple weeks ago.  It appears to be from a subsurface mining collapse.

Brian B. Burger, Region Manager
Northcentral Region - PA Fish & Boat Commission
PO Box 5306, Pleasant Gap, PA 16823
814-359-5250     FAX: 814-359-5254
http://www.fishandboat.com/dir_regions.htm

Nice to see the PFBC is answering us anglers when we have questions...

well that is good to knwo but that cant be good for the watershed.  Thanks for the investigative work.

Yeah I'm rather pissed off quite frankly.  First my favorite stream (Driftwood) gets dumped into by a railroad spill two years ago and now this.  I think I'm cursed.

I am hearing good things about driftwood this year they are really catching them up that way.

I was up and was going to fish the Toby this past weekend but agree that it looks horrible.  I talked to some people who said that there was a mining company doing some drilling or something that hit an old mine shaft and now a pile of acid mine drainage is running into the creek and it is more than their treatment station can handle.  I am really concerned about this.

It may look ugly...

but guys are stopping at the store and telling me they are catching fish and the color and STORIES of fish kill are keeping the crowds away and that is making them happy....  

--Last edited by Dr Trout on 2008-05-21 22:18:53 --

I fished the Little Toby this weekend and the water looked great.  Totally different than last weekend.  This weekend it looked just as clear, or more clear, than it has in other years.  

Had two solid days of fishing on both the Clarion and Little Toby.  Caught 9 Sunday and 8 today.  Biggest was a 15" rainbow from the Clarion.