August, 22, 2015 – Some Pocono Trout to End a Dry Spell

Smoke on the water.

I have not fished since Ken and I got out nearly three weeks ago, and I was really itching to wet a line.  It’s been hot and dry for weeks.   I haven’t even cut my lawn in over 2 weeks (and it was still starting to burn out).  But the whole region received a full day of rain on Thursday this week, with flash flood warnings to boot.  While not crazy about floods like that, I was excited to have a good rain in August, followed by some cooler temperatures, so I was watching the gauges all day on Friday hoping the creek would keep dropping.  When Ken and I fished the Brodhead on August 2nd we had our spinning gear, but I saw a lot of pocket water that I was dying to throw a fly into.  The creek was low that day, under 40 CFS, but I was praying for 120 CFS today (it was 4 or 5 times that on Thursday).  I got 100 CFS and a bit stained, so conditions were not bad at all.

A pretty spot on a beautiful morning.

I was up at 3 AM, dressed and coffee-ed and out the door by 3:30, anticipating false dawn by 5 AM.  Man, the days are getting shorter already!  Three weeks ago, it was light by 5:30 AM, but today I began my one mile hike into the stretch I wanted to fish in almost total darkness, compounded by the fact that I was in a valley with good tree cover.  The forecast was calling for fog, but the most I saw was some “smoke on the water” as I climbed down into the upper limit of this stretch.  The water was 62 degrees at my first drop in, but the air was 56, so I stayed on the bank and perched on boulders trying to stay dry for a while.  I was surprised to hear, and then see, a couple other fly fishermen drop in below me in another deep, quiet hole, but we kept our distance, and I only saw them one other time late in the morning.

To begin, I fished a couple deep holes with a variety of nymphs and small droppers because the one or two fish I did see show themselves early appeared to be chasing emergers, but water clarity was an issue here.  The deep holes did not produce for me, and a huge carp was creating a startling amount of noise for so early in the morning, but I did pull two good rainbows out of the riffle at the head of the pool before I took a walk to put some distance between myself and the other guys. 

First of the morning, perched on a rock while staying warm and dry.

The faster riffles were clearer, and fish were actively feeding in them.  I had success on small green caddis nymphs, as well as a larger flashback hare’s ear.  I had a WTF moment after dropping a couple, including a decent wild brown, on the caddis.  I didn’t have the net with me and I was tired, I suppose, but something wasn’t right.  I had a good hookset and played the fish fairly well for being in fast, boulder-strewn pocket water.  It didn’t make sense.  After reeling in and inspecting my rig, I finally ascertained that I was unwittingly using barbless hooks on this particular caddis nymph.  I can’t see anymore, I guess.  To that end, I actually bought a pair of cheater glasses for tying knots this past winter.  I wouldn’t have cared much about dropping a fish or two, but I would have liked a picture of the only two wild browns!  The bows here are pretty pristine though, having been stocked as fingerlings, so I had to be content with photos of rainbows.

A pristine rainbow.

I ended the day swinging a soft hackle with success, though I had another WTF moment when I lost a good fish.  A solid bow took the soft hackle that I had tied below a heavier beadhead hare’s ear, which was really just a weight to get the soft hackle down.  After a short fight, the fish took a good run and POP!  I thought I had tied a hasty, bad knot, but the actual hook on the hare’s ear broke at the point where I had tied the dropper, which was a first for me.

Swinging a wet fly in the current was effective.

I wound up catching at least 8 trout, and missed a few too, so it was a good morning despite some minor mishaps.  I caught fish where they were supposed to be, which is always a lot of fun.  Seams and soft water in front and behind boulders were productive, and the jolt through the rod you get while swinging a wet fly in a fast run is a blast, especially when the fish takes a leap right after being hooked.  

A pickle.

This stretch of the creek is beautiful too.  Even at the end of the morning, the highest water temp I measured was 64 degrees, which I will take on August 22nd after the previous hot and dry 3 or 4 weeks.  After not fishing for three weeks, this morning was better than expected.  With the semester starting in a week, it may be another 2 or 3 weeks before I get out fishing, so I am glad I had the opportunity to sneak out on a weekend and still find relative solitude and cooperative fish (if not cooperative terminal tackle. WTF!).

By 10 AM, I was ready to quit, so I began my hike back.  My final WTF moment of the day came as I came back upon the Suburu.  I had a note on the windshield warning me not to park where I had parked.  Maybe someone was giving me fair warning, or maybe someone doesn’t want me in his fishing spot?  At any rate, I guess a longer hike is in my future the next time I fish here.  Or I will make Kenny or Joe drive?