October 19, 2018 – Like We Needed Two Cold Fronts in One Week – Oley Valley

They didn't want to come out and play even when I managed to drag them out.

It was tough going again today.  Although I did manage to catch four fish, I had to work for them, as the creek was a wreck from floods, with new channels and sand and silt deposited in spots that used to be deep holes.  The deep holes themselves seemed devoid of life.  It was also cold and windy and sunny, so the fish were not active, even though some fall caddis were trying to wake things up.  With the high pressure and altered state of the creek, the fish I did catch were all very tight to cover.  The only wild brown of the day was basically under the wood pile you see above, and he was so dark from spending time under there up against that wet, dark wood that I almost thought I had a brook trout for a second as I watched him fan out across a sandy flat before taking a half-hearted leap.  He was a better fish for this creek, however, maybe 12 inches, even if he seemed surprised to see me and yet ill prepared for battle.

It took a lot of effort and many risky casts to catch 4 fish, including this guy.

I spent a good 3.5 hours on the water, and I covered a lot of ground to find what I did find to cooperate.  I even tried midges for 40 minutes or more with only creek chubs to show for it, and like the trout I landed, they too barely hit my flies.  I doubt I would have caught a thing with an indicator as they were so skittish and the hits so subtle.  It was just one of those tough days.

A twelve inch rainbow or two, as well.

I refused to believe a couple reliable spots held no fish, as I have caught many good ones in them, albeit before the last rounds of heavy rain a couple weeks ago, so I tried different flies and sizes, but it was quite obvious that a size 16 or 18 caddis would have worked if the fish had any interest in feeding because there were many adults fies in the bushes and trees.  Instead, because the fish were tight to cover and on the bottom, my point fly, a jigged pheasant tail in size 16 took all four trout.  The rainbows looked healthy with great fins, and the brown looked like many of the more drab residents here, though a little darker than normal.  None of them gave a great account of themselves, which only fuels my theory that the pressure from the cold front had them off.  The highlight, really, is that I got out today for the eighth time this month, and it was a lovely fall day!  After the summer I had, I will take it.

Lovely fall day in a pretty spot, altered by the floods earlier in the month.