November 19, 2019 – How a Fisherman Grieves for Another? – Berks County

Nicest one of the day.

I spent part of a bereavement day in fitting fashion today, logging about three hours on a Berks County creek that usually has more holdovers than wild fish.  I thought of this place this morning because it was one of the places I was going to take my dad this fall to give him a break from fall stockies and the chance at some more challenging and potentially fun fish.  Services are Wednesday and, since my dad was also a Marine, there is a military service in Washington’s Crossing on Thursday, so today seemed like a day I could grieve in my own way. I spent a lot of time at my mom’s house over the weekend, but I have had the flu or a bad cold too, so I stayed home on Monday to rest and catch up on work before all the mid-week events.  Obviously, neither grief nor illness has me bed-ridden, and it felt good to be outside on a lovely late fall day.

Small bugs, clear water, only one holdover.

I stuck a couple fish early, both of them wild, one a solid 13 or 14 inches, on a size 18 CDC jig with a purple hot spot, but I hung that in a tree shortly thereafter.  The water was very clear, even though flows were good, so all the fish came from spots tight to wood.  The leaves are all off the trees, however, which is nice.  I did not see much bug life, if any, so I retied with two natural-looking larvae, one lighter gray the other a darker pheasant tail color.  I was expecting to find holdovers, but of the six fish I landed, five of them were wild fish.  I only dropped one other fish, so the action was not red hot, but it was challenging and productive enough to keep me engaged for three hours of stalking and fishing.  Flooding has changed the course of the creek and has silted other once-deeper spots, so I moved through a lot of unproductive-looking water and then fished the productive spots with care and patience.  Patience on my part helps when fishing small bugs, even after a tuck cast.  

Pretty average.

Fish were still in bouncier water looking for caddis, I assume, as most took my anchor fly rolling on the bottom.  I tried to dredge one up in a couple go-to winter holes—even tied a midge off the bend of the anchor at one spot—but the fish are not in a winter pattern yet.  I did not spook any spawning fish, either, but I think the spawning in this watershed takes place in tributaries.  For what it’s worth, my choice of stream today took into consideration the avoidance of spawning fish, but I will take pretty wild fish instead of somewhat-improved stockies any day of week. 

Pretty below average.

I passed a couple unoccupied tree stands and skirted around one buck decomposing in 3 feet of water, and I also ran into a few more fresher looking posted signs, so I turned back a little before 2 PM.  I did try a midge in one deep hole, but came up empty, so I resisted the urge at one other spot on the way back downstream, opting instead to beat rush hour traffic back home.  Wednesday and Thursday might be tough days, certainly long days, so I was glad I got out to clear my head and lungs today.