June 7, 2018 – Another Solid Day Rather Close to Home – Northampton County Limestoner.

Checked a lot of boxes today, including wild brown.

I took an under an hour ride to a favorite Lehigh Valley creek today in hopes of catching the tail end of the stained water and maybe some bigger fish.  The creek was in great shape, no longer high and with a limestone tinge like normal, perhaps a little more flow than an average June.  The water was cold, as it should be, and there were plenty of bugs active, but only a couple splashy rises.  Size 16 and 18 caddis were mixed in with a few large stones and even some big mayflies.  I caught almost all my fish, and I would guess I landed 10, hooked 3 or 4 more that came off, in the riffles.  Fish seemed to be suspended in the water column looking for emergers because when they wanted it, they wanted it, and a couple fish I lost were ones that grabbed the nymph on the swing as I was lifting to re-cast at 1 or 2 PM on the Czech clock.  When I actually swung a couple flies, I managed a little brown and a little brookie, so I just stuck with my money maker, a heavier anchor and a caddis pupa or larva dropper up higher.

Late spring/early summer in Northampton County with the babes.

It was a day of babes.  I tried to take more pics, but without more zoom, the photos don’t do justice to the sights and sounds of late spring.  I saw the requisite goslings and mallard ducklings, but I also photographed a formation of fish-eating merganser youngsters herded past me by mom.  The highlight on this front was watching two does drinking creekside while a new fawn frolicked in the water among them, curious about not only me but the goslings swimming nearby, that nervous and excited prancing of a young buck that hasn’t learned the ropes yet.  Granted, traffic aside, his or her life may be quite cush in suburban Allentown/Easton/Bethlehem.  

Merganser youth in formation.

As I made my way up the road that parallels the creek at about 10:30 AM, I could see a lot of angling activity, but I was happy to see no one in one of my favorite spots, one that often gets overlooked as private or posted.  After suiting up, I walked past a few runs that actually produced fish for me later in the day in an effort to get to the prime spot before the morning got too late or the sun came out in earnest.  Besides all the baby waterfowl and the deer, I had the place to myself for roughly 4 hours of good fishing.  This section is adjacent to stocked waters above and below, so one never knows what it will produce.  Besides maybe a wild rainbow, I think I covered most of the possibilities today, catching brook trout, wild and stocked browns, stocked rainbows and pristine hold-over bows too.  I did not re-tangle with a couple brutes that I hooked and/or hooked and landed earlier this year and late last year, but I did land one bow that was pushing 17 inches.  

Best bow of the morning, maybe 17 inches.

In anticipation of putting more time this June into bigger water like the Lehigh River and the lower Brodhead, I had rigged up my 10 foot 5 weight rod today, just so it felt comfortable in my hands.  I am glad I had it for a few of these fish, however, as a couple of the bows were fat and tough from spending so much time feeding on big bugs in heavy water.  

A little guy on the swing, but good to see a few year classes in here.

The best fish I caught took a golden stone in like size 8, although the wild browns took caddis imitations in the same fast runs and riffles.  As I alluded above, I was fishing as light as possible in heavy water, and I didn’t have to dredge bottom to get hits.  If a big bug like a golden stone or a size 12 jigged hare’s ear showed up in the right spot, the fish took it without hesitation and then went skyward a few times in anger or desperation or embarrassment.  I had to fish an indicator to completely cover the most productive hole, which is chest deep on the soft side and probably 3 feet of heavy water on the far side of the creek.  I landed a couple good fish close to the opposite bank this way with a huge reach mend and another mid-drift for good measure, but I also had a couple fish pop off because they took it on the swing when I was out of contact with the path of the nymphs hanging below the suspension device.  It happens, especially when switching between modes of nymphing.  

Nice looking brookie or two, also.

A small brown and a pretty brookie took the dropper on the swing, but a couple nice bows and at least one better wild brown grabbed the anchor right in the heavy current on a long line, which is a lot of fun.  Even after quite a battle, I found myself telling the fish to calm the heck down so I could show you pictures and let them go.  I gave up on one decent brownie, but the one that opens this post was about the same size.  I know the local TU puts the brookies in at other spots, and I don’t know how much brook trout move around, but with all the rain this year, anything is possible.  Without dams, there could have been shad in the creek!   With a couple resting periods to try a different combination of flies, take a drink, or answer a few emails, and don’t forget the failed photos of wildlife, I fished the prime hole until I landed probably 8 fish before the bite died down.  I decided to fish a couple spots I skipped on the walk up the creek, so I tied on a streamer to swing on the way, but I had nary a follow now that sun was high in the afternoon sky.  Convinced that a couple of these holes had to hold fish, I resigned to re-rig to Czech nymph, and it was worth the effort, as I put more numbers on the board tangling with some chunky fish, including a fat likely stocked brown, in some sporty water.

Fat, 14 inch stockie or wild with bad tailfin or one of those new stockies with eye spot and better markings??

I had to leave them biting because it was approaching 2:30 PM, maybe later, and I wanted to be on the road before rush hour in order to be home for the boy’s bus.  Mom is away this week seeing her very sick mother, so he has spent a lot of time with my mom or watching television while I catch up on grading or household upkeep.  I made it home on time and had a celebratory pizza dinner on the town since his 5^th grade closing ceremony is in the morning.  A little Avengers: Infinity War on Friday after his early dismissal?  Weather permitting, I am itching to take a ride to the shore this weekend, so maybe I will get the boy on a couple fluke too.  If not, Monday is my next opportunity to fish, so I am glad today was a good one!

Ended with a few solid bows in riffles before heading for home