February 26 and 28, 2018 – Ready for Things to Really Begin? - A Couple Unproductive Trips Closer to Home

Good company (and lunch) but bad fishing so far this week.

I know, it has been mild this week, and there was even a good shot of rain, but the flooding didn’t really help things out the way it would, say, in May, and the fish, the bugs, and even this particular fisherman are still in that in-between stage.  Winter is coming to a close, but it’s not spring, and that is why this time of year can be cruel.  Today, for example, I saw early stoneflies, midges, BWOs, crocuses blooming, and the buds on my forsythias starting to pop, but no fishes.  I got to fish with a new toy, a 10 foot 5 weight that I picked up for a great price earlier in the winter, but I also had to fish in my backup bootfoot waders because my primary waders are in Bozeman, MT getting fixed or replaced (for free) and will be out west for 4 to 6 weeks.  I have fished twice this week so far, with two skunks to show for it.  Monday was understandable: an hour at Stony Creek in hipboots (backups to the backups) and with junk flies, just hoping to catch one during a stolen moment, a break from grading papers.  

Not quite ready, but soon, very soon...

Today, however, Tom C and I actually gave it a good 4 hours of bouncing around a few spots on a creek in Northampton County, but it ended up being more of a tour.  Tom has not fished this creek before, and he was looking to expand his NEPA options this year, so I drove him around to a few holes, a couple that looked very fishy today, despite higher than optimum water, and allowed him to imagine the same spots in late May or June.  The morning started later because of bad traffic in SEPA; the boy’s bus was 15 minutes late, and it took me 30 minutes to get to my meeting spot with Tom, when it would usually take 10 minutes.  He did cook me lunch, however, and we talked of many things, including fishing, so it was still a good day to get out, better with company.  It is always easier to take a beating when the guy fishing with you is also experiencing the same conditions.  The high expectations of warm, spring-like air coupled with the low probability of late-winter fishing, especially on a wild trout stream: it always seems to bite me a couple times in February and March.  Time to chase stockies for a week or so closer to home?  Perhaps…

February 21, 2018 – Not Breaking Any Records, but a Good Day Anyway – Northampton County

A 14 inch fish, at best, who thought he was much bigger.

Some record air temperatures were no doubt recorded this afternoon.  The digital thermometer on the Subaru read 81 degrees as I was leaving a Northampton County limestoner this afternoon after a pretty decent three or four hours on the water.  The creek was cold from snow melt, but it’s hard not to warm up when faced with sunny and 75 once the snow is gone, so the water did warm up, and the fish eventually warmed to me for a good 90 minutes after a quiet start.  I probably left them biting, but I planned on a reasonable day, not an all-day affair, and I stuck to the plan for once.  I was most happy to catch 3 fish and drop another while Czech nymphing a pair big stoneflies in deep runs—well, the seams of deep runs if not smack dab in the current at this early point in the season.  I like to wintertime midge with an indicator in a deep hole as much as the next guy, but it is much more fun to get bounced on a tight line in sportier water, so that alone would have made today an exceptional outing.

I got to fish pockets and seams instead of slow pools!

I had no plan in mind but “north” when I left the house this morning.  I worked late last night and things are still busy at home, so I was a little tired, but I knew today was going to be too nice of a day to squander on Valley or a stocked creek closer to home.  On the way up, taking the scenic route, the Delaware River looked ominous, a deep grey color with an icing of fog over the top, so I eliminated the Brodhead from my dance card, assuming that a freestone creek would be just as cold, even today.  I almost stopped at a favorite spot near Easton, but I decided to head a little further up and try a creek I have not fished since October of last year.

Rubberlegged stonefly fooled them this afternoon.

With it being so pleasant, nay, downright summery out, I assumed that I would not be the only guy out, but I didn’t quite expect to see the number of anglers that I did.  There were trucks and cars in almost every legal pull-off.  Further complicating things was a work crew with a dump truck and a backhoe parked right where I wanted to be in order to access a favorite hole, one that has produced some big fish for me (and others) over the years.  I traveled a little farther upstream and found an unoccupied stretch, so I suited up and gave it a shot.  I was in shade from some nearby bluffs for a good hour, and there were signs of ice in a nearby tributary, so I was not surprised that things started out slowly.  I had one hit tight against a down tree limb and that was it for the first hour.  I really didn’t have the patience to midge the deep hole near this spot.  I suppose it just felt too spring-like to default to winter fishing tactics, so I took another drive to an couple other spots, but I could see anglers in those areas too.  Easton was looking like a better option, maybe, but after exploring a while I decided to see if the work crew had given up the spot I originally wanted.  Luckily, not only were they gone, but no one else was there either.  Before I left the previous stretch of water, I did see some dark stoneflies dancing around, not a lot of them, but a handful, so that prompted me to go in a different direction as I arrived here..

These guys need to eat some real stoneflies to fatten up.

I rigged up one of Sam’s big tungsten rubberlegged stoneflies in gold and added a dropper with another lighter one in brown.  I put the indicator away and decided to fish slower seams adjacent to the places where fish would be feeding later in the spring on my way to a favorite deep run downstream from the pull-off.  My first fish fought like twice his size.  Maybe I have been spending too much time with stockies or maybe this fish was just a tough guy because based on the way he acted after hooked I thought he was a big one.  When I slipped the net under him he was probably 13, maybe 14 inches, and certainly not fat at this point in the season, but I was still delighted to land a fun fish on a tight line in pocket water.  Things were looking up.

First world problems?  Disappointed for a minute over an 18 inch rainbow in this kind of shape?

Still making my way to the spot, so to speak, I hooked another fish in a quieter seam of a bankside run, but I lost him after a quick battle.  Still, I had been bounced on a tight line twice now, and I hadn’t even gotten to the spot.  Well, when I did get to my intended destination dry and in one piece, I definitely noticed the increased flow of the water.  I knew the creek was a bit high based on the other area I fished earlier, but here it was much more evident that stained, though not dirty, water was pushing through.  Under few circumstances would I be disappointed to land a fat, healthy 18 inch rainbow, but when I set the hook on my third hit, especially in this particular location within the run, I had flashbacks of a couple 18 and 20 inch wild browns that I have tussled with in the same run in the not too distant past.  There are worse problems to have, I know!  This was a pristine rainbow, angry and colored up beautifully, a mile or more from any stocking trucks, but I think the first wild brown (and a second I landed later) actually fought harder!

This one looks fatter at this angle.

Trying to get deep in an eddy, I lost a set of flies in a new piece of structure deposited over the winter.  After re-rigging, I decided to try a deep pocket further down the run, and I managed to hook and land another wild brown, this one much paler, and skinny like the first, but also tough as can be.  For a 13 inch fish, he accounted well for himself, even taking a short streak of drag once.  My long Tuesday must have been catching up to me because after releasing the fish and resetting, I snagged an overhanging tree branch, the same one, twice before deciding to go get my flies on the third snag that would not come loose.  There is a reason I would risk my flies two, three times to get them into a particular spot, this particular spot, and, of course, I spooked an 18 to 19 inch brown out of a hollow log on my way up the bank to grab the tree and retrieve my flies!  Of course, I did!  I had actually seen a fish flash at my flies a few casts before the third snag; I think it turned as the flies were beginning to rise on the swing and showed me some mouth and a shot of his broadside.  Now the big rainbow really was feeling like a consolation prize.  When, despite my best efforts, I did not get my flies back either—it was too deep to get any closer—I decided to call it quits and avoid traffic.  The old me may have stayed there until dark, without calling Tami to let her know how long I’d be, and so on, but the new me is trying to enjoy myself more and make my life easier and more enjoyable.  I guess having the ability to fish 100+ days per year now helps me relax a little when it comes to fishing?

Good flows and good color.  I probably left them biting, but it was still a good day to be out.

Instead of rigging again, I just cranked the line and leader into my reel, took a deep breath and a long drink of water, and called it a good day.  I had to work hard to find open spots, and the water was pretty cold earlier in the day, but I was able to tangle with 3 or 4 quality fish on a sunny, breezy summer day in February.  No records broken, but a solid trip worth the extra driving and effort, methinks.  I work Friday in the city, a few meetings, but rain is supposed to arrive tonight into tomorrow, quite a bit of it, so maybe the streamer will get a turn on Valley after lunch and errands with my wife?

I decided in the end to show an exceptional fish some artistic love, anyway.

February 10, 2018 – It Seemed Like a Winner for a Mid-Winter Day – Northampton County Limestoner

Fish were caught and no one fell in.

I got a text from Kevin on Friday seeing if I wanted to fish on Saturday, and we had the same stream in mind.  A lot of rain started arriving at around 1:30 PM this afternoon, about 2 hours ahead of schedule, dammit, and it’s supposed to continue now all through Sunday, so this morning seemed like a good, cloudy, mild window to sneak in a trip.  Despite corresponding a bit here and there, I have only fished with Kev one other time on another of our mutually favorite creeks, a certain large freestoner in NEPA.  In fact, I think that is how we got acquainted through the PAFlyfish forum, by mouthing off about our “home waters.”  He lives two hours from there in New York, I live just a hair closer than that, so there are easier places to call home waters, but I don’t have to remind you about my love of the Mighty Brodhead, I suppose, and when not fishing the area for fun Kev actually guides with Ben Turpin in NEPA now, so at least he gets reimbursed for some of his trips down here each year, though not with me (I am just bad luck or vice versa based on our previous adventure and today). 

My one and only landed, a good 17 inch porker.

I think I have made this comment before, probably about this creek last winter, but I must repeat: fish live in water.  Whether it was a good day for fishermen or not, and there were plenty of fishermen out today, the fish had other ideas.  Wild browns on pressured creeks often call their own shots, I have found.  Perhaps it was a slight drop in water temp from snow melt, but 41 degree water temperature is damn good for February, so it was more likely a barometric pressure thing with the front rapidly approaching.  Who knows?  The other 10 guys we hopscotched around may have had a great day...  At any rate, Kev and I are due for a banner day together this spring.  If not we may have to consider whether our budding bromance is going to make it or not!

Kev's fish, pushing 16 and a bit brighter than mine.

Today we met a bit closer to home for me, on a limestoner in the Lehigh Valley, and targeted a few deep holes that usually hold wintering fish.  Like my title states, it seemed like a good day: clouds, mid-forties, water temp 40-41 degrees, even a few midges here and there.  But we worked pretty hard to land one fish a piece and tangle with a couple others that came off or, in my case, broke off.  At least the two fish we netted were good fish, both solid holdover rainbows with wide bodies and white-tipped fins.  My fish took a size 10 tungsten pheasant tail with a hot spot, and his took a big stonefly, so that should give you an idea of how deep we were trying to fish.  I had one break off an SJ worm dropper at our last stop of the afternoon, and I think Kev also fought one that took a squirmy before getting off.  It was just one of those days.  The upside, I suppose, is that we fished pretty close together and got to know each better than last time we fished.  No one fell in and fish were caught.  I wanted a shot of Kev holding an 18 inch wild brown, perhaps the one that straightened the hook on his midge pupa last week, so we could cement 10 or 12 (more) guiding trips for him this year.  That will have to wait until next time and, besides, he’s doing just fine without my help.  I think he said he already had 5 trips booked for this upcoming season already.  I will continue to bust his balls about taking clients to my/his honey holes, especially with NY plates on his truck, but I may have to get my hands on some of his deadly Brodhead dry flies and emergers, so maybe I will just have to be nice to the talented young bull.

January 28 and February 4, 2018 – A Couple Short Sunday Trips Close to Home

Well, not much anyway...

I am still busy with life this month, sometimes overwhelmingly so, but I was able to sneak out on the last two Sundays, just to keep my head right.  I was feeling the effects of no fishing last week, especially, but Tami’s surgery appears to have gone well based on the two week follow-up appointment with her doctor.  She is in a hard cast for another 12 days or so, and then physical therapy begins.  Stir crazy herself, she wants to drive herself for coffee now, but we have agreed not to tempt fate and future injury!  With my hometown Eagles on their way to becoming America’s next America’s Team, and the Silver Fox and wife graciously hosting the playoffs and Super Bowl at their house, there has been plenty of social time, but not much alone time, which is what fishing is for me sometimes.  

Post osteotomy, now in a bright blue hard cast (they were out of black!)

I got out alone on Valley last Sunday, but I wasn’t alone.  The weather was too nice, or at least warm, so I had the distinct feeling I was fishing behind someone all morning.  Rain that day did not amount to much, at least as far as raising and staining the water, so despite moving a couple decent fish with a streamer, I had to settle for maybe four tiny fish on a midge.  Fast forward to this weekend, and I had a dilemma: get some needed alone time on the water, or fish with Eric.  In the end, I made the right choice and had a good snowy, icy trip with a good buddy on nearby Stony Creek that was surprisingly therapeutic if only because we tend to fish independently together!

Nice hat, I mean fish, Little Mitchard....

The little freestoner was iced up pretty solidly in spots, and it had a sheen of thin ice on a lot of slow pools that hold fish in winter, but as the early snow changed to sleet and then rain, the creek continued to free itself and wake the fish.  They were hardly hitting, exerting just enough effort to open and close their mouths on a zebra midge, but the fish were there and they were eating.  We had a 90 minute sweet spot where the water temperature must have spiked a hair, and we took advantage, landing at least 15 fish between us.  I even stuck a little stocked brookie too.  The fish that are left are mostly small, between 8 and 12 inches, but on a light rod, they were still fun—especially for Eric, who does not fish nearly as often as I do.  I also enjoyed the additional vicarious fun of seeing him have a good morning.

Brookie and midge.

As the wintery mix turned to all rain around 1 PM, we ended on a high note and headed for home.  Instead of getting to rest a bit for the Super Bowl celebration with my friends, I ran into the post-playdate pickup of Lukas’s buddy by his dad and sister, with whom I enjoy talking, followed by a visit from our Norwegian friends for a couple hours (I even ate some salted cod dish that Anders brought along), and then it was off to the home of the Silver Fox to see a memorable Super Bowl—even if one is not a lifelong Eagles fan like myself—so not much alone time there either.  While I would certainly like my home office and my therapeutic fishing by myself back, things could be a lot, lot worse, and maybe people are what Tami and I needed to get through the last few weeks, not solitude!  Well, that, and a few fish in the net never hurts either.  Another potential rain/wintery mix event is in the forecast for Wednesday, but there is also a Super Bowl parade and some work related meetings on Thursday to compete with the promise of high water streamer fishing, but who knows?  Maybe I can do it all?  It's amazing what a little fishing can do for my mental health....

He still has the touch and landed at least half a dozen under challenging conditions.