September 4, 2017 – "The End of Labor is to Gain Leisure" – Monocacy Creek

A twelve incher from a creek barely twelve feet wide is not a bad way to ease back into the fall.

I took another relatively short trip to the Lehigh Valley on Labor Day morning, this time to suburban Bethlehem to target wild browns on the Monocacy Trophy Trout section.  It’s been a couple years since I fished the Illick’s Mill section up to the conservation area, but today I decided to try some new waters above Gertrude Fox that would usually be pretty skinny this time of year.  The flows in the Lehigh Valley have been great, just a bit higher than normal, and the Monocacy, like the Little Lehigh earlier this weekend, was stained enough to hide an upstream approach with the nymph but clean enough to allow for effective nymphing.   I got out early, suited up, and hiked down the railroad, figuring I would work my way back up to the parking spot and then fish upstream further if I had the time and energy.  I landed about 7 fish in under 4 hours, not bad at all for new waters, so I did not feel the need to keep pushing as I again reached my parking spot.  No need to work too hard on this day of all days.

The days of the dams are numbered.

The trend of pulling down dams has continued here too, I eventually learned.  I guess it will be a good thing in the long run, and today it didn’t seem to affect my fishing, but it is weird to have a landmark in mind and find, instead, no dam and only the abandoned caution signs about swimming and wading.  At any rate, I started out at sunrise tossing a black bugger and got a couple takers on the swing before switching over to a Czech nymphing set up with a jigged pheasant tail as the anchor.  I really didn’t need a dropper, as all the fish I caught took the anchor fly as I led it through riffles and runs.  Most took a soft hackle pt, except for one that took a copper john that I put on as a lighter alternative to tungsten in a shallower stretch of water.  

A perfect place to drop a jigged pheasant tail, and a couple fish responded.

I tangled with no “trophies,” but I did catch some feisty fish in the 11 to 12 inch range, which was just fine on a small creek on my 9 foot 4 weight.  As I stalked through shady backyards, it felt like I was hunting on a tiny mountain creek, even though the highway noise and lawnmower exhaust and barking dogs were only a hedgerow away at times.  I know the limestoners of the Lehigh Valley are not what they once were, and development keeps on developing, but I still admire the quality fishing opportunities so close to civilization that are still available in a region that is under an hour drive from home.  

A couple decent fish in the 10 or 11 inch range, too.

The water temperature was in the high 50s in the shade, which is not surprising after a chain of cool nights.  I knocked a few caddis out of the trees and bushes, but only saw a handful in flight.  Midges were prevalent, but I guess the water was too stained for risers.  That was fine by me, as I got to fish in a way I really enjoy—a nymph on a short, tight line in braided water and small pockets.  

Pale and lovely

With an average depth of maybe 12 inches through much of the stretch, fish were holding right in current or in pockets behind midstream obstructions.  They all fought well, with a couple leapers in the mix. Unlike the last couple of outings, I landed no 3 or 4 inchers (don’t know if that is good news?) so all the fish were over 8 inches and uniquely pretty to this creek.

I quit around 10:30 AM as the heat started to increase and the neighborhoods came alive.  I was home and cleaned up by noon, ready for a farewell afternoon at the swim club, complete with dance contests and beer dives.  Summer is over.  The boy starts school tomorrow.  Tami is driving again.  I am starting to teach three new courses, beginning on Tuesday night.  The irony is that I will regain much of my leisure time.  I may have to spend some nights teaching and grading, but I will be chasing fish with greater frequency during the day.  Aristotle was the first to say work hard and play hard, basically.  Perhaps this is related to all the years doing seasonal rentals at the beach, but Labor Day usually has a melancholy air.  I think I spent this one well, however, and I look forward to the fall.

Someone's backyard, you know?