December 22, 2018 – Earned a Few with Eric in Tough Conditions – Valley Creek

No secret spots in the Park...

Between rain-outs and sick kids, Eric and I have had at least two penciled-in fishing days cancelled this month, but we finally got out today.  It’s been a while since he’s been out fishing, so he was very excited at the prospects, and I was happy to have the young bull with me finally.  I made the call for Valley, if only to show him around in the Park and maybe one other section upstream.  I was hopeful, but I did not tell him that I had a feeling it could be hit or miss.  After a freakishly warm day on Friday, a full day (or more) of rain that spiked the creek to almost 800 CFS at one point, not to mention wind and quickly dropping air temps and haywire barometric pressure, we were looking at tough conditions.  I suggested starting early this morning.  There was a chance that the warmest hours would be in the morning, and the creek would still be stained and in the 100 CFS range, so I was wishing for a possible streamer bite.   We ended up having most of our action in typical winter fashion, midday on small bugs in slower water, and/or tight to cover with indicators and long leaders.  

Tough day, but glad to see Eric get some pretty wild ones on the first full day of winter.

Of course, the only fish we hooked on the streamer came while I stepped into the water Eric was working to show him a couple ways that I work a streamer on small creeks like Valley.  Total mitch move, I know, but I was trying to be helpful!  While showing him how I cast upstream, do a downstream mend, and then work the fly down through deep water using the bend in the line, I hooked a Valley-decent fish that came off after one jump.  After that, we worked a few different spots with good holding water and only got noncommittal bumps and zero hook-ups.  I only moved one fish that looked like a winner, but the fish only nipped the back of the bugger and would not come back.  It was getting even windier than it was when we arrived before just 8 AM, and while we were both warm enough, it was clear that the fish had a case of the cold front lockjaw.  At one point, we debated walking back to where we parked and moving to another section, perhaps one more sheltered where we could midge in peace, but we ended up taking a break on a sandy bank to re-rig on the spot and just soldier on upstream to a few decent holes.  We both landed some micro-trout in a deep eddy, so at least that experience proved we could make a little something happen with this new plan.

Finally put a little bend in the 3 weight.

While moving pretty quickly through some decent water, but not winter water, I finally landed the first 8 incher of the day.  I was happy to see him, but I wanted Eric to get a couple better fish.  I am on a first name basis with some of these fish, and this guy was in a spot where I almost always find at least one respectable trout.  I gave the kid first shot, as he was fishing ahead of me, but I felt like that streamer moment allover, so we were more intentional about giving Eric first crack at the prime spots as we continued moving upstream.  One bend pool was disappointingly void, but I directed Eric to the next hole above us with a high-percentage root ball situation happening, another spot that almost always holds a fish or two.  It didn’t take long for me to hear him whooping it up.  It was the kind of day where a 7 inch trout was a small miracle, especially for Eric, who is usually chasing stockies with me or another buddy with a camp in NEPA.  I made it up there to take a couple pics and share in the pre-holiday joy.  I then stepped into the same hole and took a twin-sized little brownie.  We even hooked one more in this spot before we turned back to re-target the honey holes we hit this morning, now armed with more effective tools.

Getting a little better!

After breaking off a midge while trying to get just a little too close to some bankside roots, I thankfully noticed that my heavier scud pattern used to get the midge down had a broken hook, not easy to notice with my failing eyesight.  I took the opportunity to tie on a couple heavier bugs and fish a big bend with a deep eddy.  Anyone who fishes above the covered bridge knows the spot…  I finally hooked a decent fish here, maybe 9 inches long and more darkly colored from hugging bottom near an undercut bank.  Eric was down below the bridge and landed another small fish, so the nymphing was working a bit.  Did I mention it was a tough day?

High water this year?

We continued along the path back towards the pull-off where we parked earlier in the morning, dodging the increasing number of hikers and joggers braving the wind and cool temps, although we only saw one other fisherman all day.  We came up empty at the two holes near the car, but I did spook a big old fish that was suspended up in the tailout of a hole with at least two large deadfalls in the middle.  The water was back to clear, maybe only slightly stained, so my last ditch efforts with a streamer in a couple final lairs went unnoticed or, more likely, ignored at 1:30 PM in the afternoon.  We headed for home around 2 PM, glad to get out and not just talk fishing in the neighborhood.  With the trip to the Brodhead this spring, and now a taste of the pretty Valley fish, I think Eric may be getting hooked on the idea of wild fish.  I try to stay open, and I appreciate the stockies close to home, as I have written many times, but I too find that I must intentionally lower expectations when chasing sluggish fall stocked rainbows.  More of that to come this winter, no doubt, but there will also be a few more like today and Monday and Thursday of this week, I am certain.  December has been good, and I believe this is trip number 80 so, despite some rough stretches, 2018 has been pretty darn good too.