September 20, 2017 – A Fall Preview in 85 Degree Weather – NEPA Freestoner

With bigger mayflies around like cahills and isonychia, the fish took a big tungsten frenchie.

It wasn’t the best day to go trout fishing, sunny and 80-something, and I didn’t even leave the house until after 9 AM, but I managed to tussle with a couple decent fish this afternoon in beautiful surroundings.   Valley Creek got a little overnight spike of water, but I just couldn’t bring myself to sneaking around on my knees again this summer.  Plus, I had from 9 AM to 4 PM open between bus stop duties for the boy, which meant I could take a little ride and at least scout and explore.  I did a similar trip last week in Northampton County and found low water and no bugs, so beside a brief battle with an unseen fish well hidden under a tree, last week’s trip was a lot of walking, not much casting, and the first skunk in a while.  I did find a couple new spots, though, so there is always that.  September has never been a memorable fishing month for me, but my low expectations today meant I enjoyed my time out, did not rush there or back, and worked on restoring my farmer’s tan to its spring peak (I forgot sunscreen).  I even did some work while sitting in the shade streamside in my home away from home office (The new course management program we use for classes has a mobile app, which is potentially dangerous).

Last week I took a skunk after losing one under here....

Today was also a day of low water, plus warm and sunny weather, but there were bugs this time, so I was confident that I could find at least a couple.  No risers and no steady hatches, but there were sparse caddis and what I have heard called chalk cahills around.  I actually sat and watched a few beautiful flats, looking for the odd midday riser, but nothing developed in the time I fished from about 10:30 to 1:30 PM.  The leaf hatch is starting on windy days, and I hooked a couple dandy maple leaves on the swing. Granted, catalpa leaves put up the best fight...  I took a water temperature at 2 PM as I was leaving the creek bed for the rest of the short hike back to the car, and I got 67 in a shallow spot, so that was not ideal either, especially for chasing evening risers should that idea strike me next week, but the riffles were cold enough for a couple holdover rainbows and a lovely wild brown to fight well, even go airborne a couple times.

Nowhere to wade usually, but in low water, it is possible.

The gages on the creek were low, but over the many years I have fished here, I actually tend to target a spot or two on this creek in low water because, otherwise, it is next to impossible to wade.  The spot today is in a deep gorge with deep water often right up to the rocky banks.  Today, I was able to wade waist deep in calmer waters to reach runs on the other side of the creek, and I was also able to use a couple huge midstream boulders to hide behind.  I scored two of the fish I actually brought to the net while highsticking from behind one such slab of rock.  Of course, I then had to try to keep them both out from under the other side of it, but that was fun too.  I have to repair a small nick in my fly line because the other fish I hooked definitely headed for cover quickly, and I ended up snagged after a brief, long distance release.

A fat holdover rainbow of about 14 inches and change.

The brown was a real beauty of a fish and the bow I landed was at least 14 inches and fat.  It was hot, so the camera lens on my phone was fogging, which meant I had to wipe it with my sweaty buff, so don’t get your eyes checked if the otherwise clear fish pics appear a little fuzzy.  If they look fine on your end, then it’s my allergies affecting my eyesight!  

The back of my "trout blind" provided some cover.

When the warm breeze kicked up and leaves began to fall, it felt like autumn was still on its way, but my swampy legs and the salt stains on my t-shirt from dried sweat told a different story.  Let’s call it a preview day.  We need rain again pretty badly, but I will take cooler temperatures first.  Weather permitting, I have tentative plans for Friday, but tomorrow the boy is off from school, so who knows where we will end up?