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.