May 22, 2018 – Managed to Sneak One in Around the Rain Showers – Wissahickon Creek

Still going with the good flows and water temps locally.

The flows on the Wissy have been good with all the wet weather, so while the early season high temperatures warmed the water quickly, all this rain and cooler air has kept it fishing very well.  I took a water temperature reading at noon today, and it was reading 66 F, which is not bad at all for an urban freestoner.  Fish are certainly more active in the riffles and runs, and the ones that have chosen to live there now are a lot stronger and seem to be eating better.  Maybe the rock bass and sunfish are teaching them the ropes because if my fly lands in water just a tad too soft for trout, I can expect a panfish or at least the rat-tat-tat from some other non-trout species.

Anything the right size and buggy works, but they loved the grubby caddis larva most of all today.

I only fished for a little over two hours today, from about 10 to 12:30, and I know I caught over a dozen trout, some pale browns from the final stocking but also an equal number of bows and browns that have been in there a while.  A grubby looking caddis larva worked well, as did the reliable pheasant tail.  There are very small, maybe size 18, caddis, as well as even smaller midges, but fish will take anything buggy looking if presented well.  A good presentation seems to be using just enough weight to get close to the bottom, not spook the fish that are shallow, and not drag in the algae and moss on the rocks, a delicate balance.  I ended the trip actually drop-shotting just one pheasant tail off a tag because that was better than dragging a point fly through the muck.  I also like fishing spots this time of year than few others would even try, thinking that they would never stock a fish here, but the fish do move around by this point, usually up or down into more oxygen-rich water.  It was raining as I made my short drive, and it started pouring just as I was undressing at the Subaru for my ride home, so I definitely was lucky with my timing today.  I am preparing for 5 days in Canada beginning this Saturday, but I will likely sneak another couple in this week in between grading, packing, and spending time with the family. 

There are some good fishing days left in her this spring...