I was doing some work in coal country in the extreme southwestern corner of Pennsylvania this past Friday. My new employer does a lot of work for one of the major coal companies that operates in the area, and I expect to be spending a lot of time in Greene County for the foreseeable future. There are a number of streams that I would like to explore when the opportunity arises. This past Friday, my colleague and I finished up by mid-afternoon, and I wanted to jump into South Fork Tenmile Creek and see what was in there. I would have been happy to go in alone, but my colleague Dave, a sport fisherman, was curious enough to join me. He saw fish that many sport fisherman never knew existed, and quickly learned to identify the darters. We had a great time for a couple of hours.

We entered the stream in a public park just east (downstream) of Waynesburg, and worked our way downstream to the I-79 overpass. We found the following:

Green Sunfish
Pumpkinseed
Bluegill
Rock Bass
Smallmouth Bass
Rainbow Darter
Johnny Darter
Greenside Darter
Banded Darter
Creek Chub
White Sucker
unidentified shiner species
Water Snake

Some of the rainbow darters were quite striking. Greenside darters were everywhere; the stream seemed to be overrun with them.

It was a great way to spend a couple of hours after work on a Friday. I think Dave enjoyed it also. Hopefully we can do it again.

With the exception of banded darter, and a watersnake, sounds like our trip list.

I went back to the same spot a couple of weeks ago, January 18 to be precise. I worked my way upstream from the entry point instead of downstream like last time. The water level was considerably higher, making it difficult to walk. And it was ice cold, but the day was sunny and nice. The fish seemed to be scarcer, either because of the high water, the season, or for some other reason. I did see some of the same species that I saw last time, but not all. Specifically:

Pumpkinseed
Rainbow Darter
Johnny Darter
Greenside Darter
Creek Chub
White Sucker

However, I was also able to add to the species list for the stream the following:

Fantail Darter
Central Stoneroller
Emerald Shiner

I've noticed there are less fish when the water level rises, even just a few inches. Maybe they move into the slower areas of the stream?

I've noticed there are less fish when the water level rises, even just a few inches. Maybe they move into the slower areas of the stream?

I need to figure out where they move to, and look for them there, if possible

Are you going to hit Whiteley Creek near Garards Fort by any chance?

It's right off the Garards Fort/Kirby exit of I-79 and runs through state game lands.

Awww Ed, a watersnake in February? That's a bad omen for me, someone with a not so good history of watersnake encounters!!!

Dean

Awww Ed, a watersnake in February? That's a bad omen for me, someone with a not so good history of watersnake encounters!!!

The water snake was seen there in September.

Are you going to hit Whiteley Creek near Garards Fort by any chance?

It's right off the Garards Fort/Kirby exit of I-79 and runs through state game lands.

I was actually planning on hitting Whiteley Creek in those state game lands that day last month. I had been to a job site that morning near Alicia with my boss. He was going to return to the office, while I was going to head to another job site near Waynesburg (across the street from the township park where I entered Tenmile) for the afternoon. My intent was to spend my lunch hour in Whiteley Creek and then continue on to the second job site. However, my boss wanted to meet the client in Waynesburg for lunch. So much for stopping at Whiteley Creek, and so much for spending my lunch hour in the water. I went to the job site near Waynesburg after lunch. When the day was done, I clocked out and jumped in the stream where I was.

Yes, although I have not been in it yet, I definitely want to get into Whiteley Creek eventually. I'm impressed that you in NC are familiar with it. Did you once live around here, or do you travel here? If you're in the area, and you want to hit Whiteley Creek and/or some other streams, that would be great.

I was actually planning on hitting Whiteley Creek in those state game lands that day last month. I had been to a job site that morning near Alicia with my boss. He was going to return to the office, while I was going to head to another job site near Waynesburg (across the street from the township park where I entered Tenmile) for the afternoon. My intent was to spend my lunch hour in Whiteley Creek and then continue on to the second job site. However, my boss wanted to meet the client in Waynesburg for lunch. So much for stopping at Whiteley Creek, and so much for spending my lunch hour in the water. I went to the job site near Waynesburg after lunch. When the day was done, I clocked out and jumped in the stream where I was.

Yes, although I have not been in it yet, I definitely want to get into Whiteley Creek eventually. I'm impressed that you in NC are familiar with it. Did you once live around here, or do you travel here? If you're in the area, and you want to hit Whiteley Creek and/or some other streams, that would be great.

My uncle has some land near there and I just thought it looked like a neat creek when I drove by it.