May 15, 2018 – Even Stocked Fish Move Around – Wissahickon Creek

Good temps and flows for now.

I had about two hours to fish today in between prepping for my classes starting tonight and Wednesday night and helping to doctor up the student commencement speech to be delivered at my college’s graduation next month.  With the fish kill that happened at one of my go-to spots on Valley, I settled on the Wissy, as the flows looked good with the rain over the weekend, plus there was a fresh stocking about a week ago, the last of the year.  Though the PAFBC would no doubt be happy, I did not expect the creek to be so “utilized” today, but when I peeked over a bridge, I could see at least five guys, including one fly guy, working two spots I was hoping to have to myself on a Tuesday at 10 AM.  It was supposed to be very hot today, with severe storms on the way, and I was planning to quit by noon, so the idea of driving to another stretch was not an option.  I decided to fish the riffles and runs, hoping that fish that had not been harvested from the first two stockings would have found their way to healthier, cooler, and buggier environs.

Pretty browns away from the holes

I was happy to be bounced on the first drift through a riffle below the popular holes, but less happy that I had tied my sighter to my tippet in the low light of my garage with a very suspect knot, which pulled free immediately upon my hookset.  Great start!  I always love having to re-rig after my first cast, but I focused on the positive: fish were in these neglected runs.  After rigging up again with a classic hare’s ear anchor and a small pheasant tail on the dropper, I caught at least 4 browns that were in beautiful shape and missed a couple too.  I also caught the requisite rock bass, sunfish, and small bass that become active as the waters stay over 60 degrees on a daily basis.  I didn’t take a water temp, but I was happy that it felt cool.  Perhaps, the creek had survived the early onslaught of temperatures and could now stay a decent fishery a while longer with the help of all this rain and the ever-growing shade cover.  Two nice young guys, one a fly fisherman, came downstream and inadvertently low-holed me—heading for one last good hole in this stretch that takes a bit of walking to approach.  Oh, well, I should have headed down there first on a crowded day…  I took that as a sign that the holes above were now free(r), and I did catch a couple on those pressured spots and lost a few too before deciding I had had enough for today.  A lot of action, nice weather for a time, half a dozen nice stockies, all made for a good stolen moment close to home.