January 3, 2020 – Look, Ma, Still No Bobber (Yet)! – Valley Creek

Back to normal and no real rain.

I was tied up until noon today waiting on a dude to haul away the debris from Kenny’s handiwork on my bathroom.  Wait that sounds bad.  I did write On my bathroom not In my bathroom!  Anyway, it was painless, cheaper, and quicker than expected, so I even had time to fish Valley for a tad over 90 minutes today.  Flows were back to normal, but a very, very slight stain and the overcast skies provided some assistance.  It was much warmer than yesterday in the Lehigh Valley, where I was still able to avoid using midges under an indicator, so I decided to nymph some prime targets in the park.  I moved pretty quickly, avoiding clear, shallow water, but it took a while to find a pattern of any kind.  I thought it was going to be a dink-fest when the first three fish I landed from slightly deeper riffles were all less than 5 inches long.  What’s the point of throwing bigger flies to avoid the YOY if they still try to choke down the bigger bugs!  Thankfully, the last 4 or 5 were a little better.  Regardless of size, it was fun to find a few actively cruising in the riffles looking for a late lunch.  I did observe a large fish, likely over 16 inches, looking out of sorts, just hugging the bottom of a deep eddy facing sideways into a micro current or maybe still resting after a tough spawning season.  I gave him a go, of course, and he did not spook, but he was not in a feeding mood either.

A couple respectable ones on the CDC jig.

A few fish ate the caddis grub that I used yesterday, but the two slightly better fish I landed took a hot spot CDC jig on the anchor.  They were both in the same hole, a deeper pocket close to both wood and heavier current.  Not long after landing them, however, I caught up to another dude working upstream (or had been, unbeknownst to me, hopscotched), so I decided to turn back and retry two other usually productive spots that were not productive today.  I expected a couple fishermen out today, and they were.  I actually had to change plans when I arrived and drive somewhere else because someone was already fishing the first spot I had in mind.  Besides the weekends, Friday is another day I usually avoid on Valley, but I guess I was hoping for more rain to keep others away.  In retrospect, I enjoyed not getting rained on.  That, along with once again avoiding the grind of midge fishing, well, it made the casual trip on a mild afternoon a touch more enjoyable.  Over a half a dozen fish in 90 minutes in early January, and all of them while tightline nymphing?  I will take it.

A Valley average and a few dinkers liked the caddis grub too.

I texted with Sam this morning to confirm that, barring an ice storm or anything too ridiculous, I would be heading out to State College area to fish with him next week.  When I told him I was on the board for 2020, he responded with a couple shots of a nice big brown from yesterday, so I am excited to make the long drive.  I could only respond with my wild 19 incher from yesterday (a sucker). I may head out with the Silver Fox tomorrow, and I have some ideas for next week’s trips too.  I do have to take care of a little prep work for my three classes starting the week of January 13, but if the weather cooperates (or doesn’t cooperate in the right way) I will get out at least a few more times before the vacation is over.