September 13, 2021 – Still Pushing Some Water but Worth the Extra Effort – Northampton County Limestoner

The best of the morning.

The water from Ida is taking its time flushing out of the creeks and rivers.  This creek I nymphed this morning is probably considered a medium sized creek, but when the snow melts in March and the springs are fed, it stays pushy into June many years.  Despite wet wading today, I almost felt like I was fishing those early spring flows when the creek is regularly double its summer size.  The visibility was great, however, just a limestone tint at this point.  I ended up fishing two heavy larvae in order to get at the fish today.  With the water temps optimum, I guess they were not afraid to get in there and eat.  A green caddis larva in size 14 scored most of the fish, I believe, and the others took a bomb hare’s ear on the point or a frenchie, so larva and pupa on the menu.  It was a lot of work wading and fishing flows like this, especially after getting used to low summer flows, but I landed at least 10 fish and two of them were really quality browns.  After a slow start with only small fish to show for the effort, I was pumped to land a good 16-inch fish near the tailout of a deep run (you may notice all the pics below).  That is, until I landed one that was probably 20-inches long, a big old hen, not 15 minutes later.

Some smalls to start in pushy, cold flows still post-Ida.  That basic green larva.

I cut my own lawn and then my mom’s over the weekend, and I had Zoom class meetings every night since Thursday (including tonight) so between being mentally active into the early evening and the allergies, I slept like crap.  I set the alarm for 4:30 AM and ended up rolling over and sleeping for another hour.  I love to start early, as you may know, so I almost bagged this trip completely when I saw the time.  Instead, I got up and hung out with Tami and the boy until he had to stroll to the bus stop around 6:35 AM (cruel for high schoolers!).  I had one creek in mind, and actually started driving there, but subconsciously, I guess, I had packed my 10’6” 4 weight rod, so I was ready for a bigger creek and potentially bigger fish in bigger flows.  When I noticed the longer rod bouncing in my periphery, I decided to change plans (or stick with the subconscious one?) and head to this creek.  As I said, I figured it would be pushy, and in my current state, not my gung ho February or March state, it was a little intimidating, especially suited to wet wade.  I bit the bullet, and targeted softer runs and seams, and I caught fish, but once I retooled to fish heavier and deeper, after the short interim step of tossing a jigged bugger, I was definitely rewarded for embracing the conditions.

Proud to pose with bows like this!

I did not even target a favorite hole today because the wade to get there was too sketchy today, especially without a staff and not knowing how the creek had changed since Ida. I even picked up and tested a nice branch from all the deadfall before I changed my mind.  I was going to hoof it around the long way on dry land but instead took a walk downstream and explored some different runs and riffles after fishing bigger bugs deeper in some of my early morning spots.  The neglected hole will be visited plenty more this year, and it’s not like I missed out.  Both alternative choices were rewarding.  I caught a couple pristine rainbows where I caught nothing earlier in the morning, and then I hit the mother lode fishing the aforementioned tailout and softer edges of a deep, bouncy run.  I even pulled another rainbow and a couple small browns right out of the riffle at the head of the run.  I may have found a concentration, but more likely I found the perfect spot for fish to pick off caddis larva.  I actually saw the 16-inch fish give herself away making a swing for a live bug or other meal before I got her to take my bugs.  A flash of color and a wink of white mouth from a fish that looked much bigger based on just those visuals.  Not to worry, however.  As I worked my way upstream through this deep run, I found a few more browns, another bow with white-tipped translucent fins and great colors, and eventually a hen brown that I will have to say 20 inches based on my hand measure.

Happy to see this hen, so the photshoot was on, I guess!  None of the shots great...

While the smaller of the two good fish leaped twice, I knew the larger one was larger because she barely moved at first, just hung deep under the heavier flow above her.  She eventually took off on a couple runs, and with the flows up, I had to think hard about where to land this fish.  Luckily, and with some blind downstream hopping on my part, I was able to keep the fish above me and in control most of the time.  This was a thick healthy fish that went back with a strong kick despite a good fight in heavy current—granted, the current was more of a challenge for angler than fish.  I was grateful for another big fish for the year, which is only 60 percent complete, mind you.  We have surpassed luck.  I may have upped my fighting game, I suppose.  I have encountered plenty of big trout in my life, and have the receipts for the last 5 or 6 years of my fishing life logged here, but the big ones often get away.  And yet each one of those encounters, whether they end with a grip and grin or not, are instructive.  I only wish I’d been thusly educated while fighting a 24 incher from this same creek maybe five years ago!  And fighting a fish that size on the Lehigh or Brodhead or West Branch is an entirely different lesson plan.  Today was a good day that has me reinvigorated for the approaching fall weather and fishing.

More shots of the big old catch of the day.