March 16, 2023 – Promising but Fizzled Out After Only a Couple of Hours – A Pair of Northampton County Limestoners

Found one over the slot, at least.

After giving the morning temps a bit of time to get out of freezing territory, I took a ride north and west today.  I contemplated going a bit further than I did but instead took a turn about 45 minutes into my drive to check out a favorite spot.  I had on my list another nearby special regulations creek, as well.  They both used to be called “Trophy Trout,” but as you can see from the pic, the Commish is using an arguably more accurate term these days.  Besides special regs stretches like these, most Class A’s, and those creeks with no regulations at all, many creeks within 90 minutes of home are closed until Opening Day.  These two creeks fished really well for me in the late winter and early spring last year, but they both sort of fizzled out, and the fall was pretty terrible for me at both.  Fishing pressure, low water, increased sediment, a couple YouTube channels sharing creek names and landmarks on film, and probably just a cyclical down swing in fish population may all share some blame.  The increased pressure during the week is relatively new, and hopefully cyclical as well, but I did manage a stud wild fish or two at this first creek last spring.  The second creek is in serious need of a rebound, but I saw no signs of that today.

Some fish were caught.

The morning began partly cloudy, perhaps mostly cloudy in Northampton County, so when I arrived around 9:30 AM I rigged up to toss a jigged bugger in the absence of bugs.  I was very surprised to find no other fishermen, although it was still under 40 degrees out, and I did not even encounter dog walkers.  In fact, a plein air landscape painter, whom I greet a few times each year, was the only other human out there today.  Fishing was slow for the first hour, although I landed a holdover bow after my second cast.  In order to catch more fish, however, I had to switch to nymphing once the sun broke through and midges started showing.  Three more fish, to be exact.  I landed another rainbow on a walts, followed by two wild browns, before I ran out of water on this particular beat.  The first wild brown was a solid fish, probably a 14+ inch hen with nice colors.  She ate a go-to bug on this creek, a basic brown nothing in size 18 with a dull brass-colored bead.  These fish see a lot of bugs, so small and natural to the point of being almost rock snot seems to work when the water is lower and clear.  There was some flow, but not early spring flows today, and there was a bit of a limestone tinge, which was nice to see.  I think the springs that feed the creek are getting filled up slowly, and it had me excited for a solid day that never really materialized.

Karen?  Promising cloudy start.

Unfortunately, I stuck only one more wild brown, a leaper of about 11 inches, before I ran out of water and decided to move to the second creek about 15 minutes away.  Midges were also active here, but the water was much lower and the rocks covered in algae from all the low water all winter.  I spooked one decent fish just walking the bank between holes, and I miffed on one hit in one of only two deep holes I could find today.  The only other action was with a big white sucker—this is the creek where the infamous Karen and I used to tango once in a while.  This fish was a ways from where Karen usually hangs, but who knows?  At least they both eat bugs like trout, and both gave me and the 3 weight a good, albeit abridged, battle.  I considered taking a walk downstream, even with the dry dropper, but it was only midges at 1:30 PM, and I did not want to kill two or three hours waiting for the potential afternoon/evening bite.  Besides, the wind that’s been around for two weeks now had decided to come back, and all the effort to get good drifts for the so far uncooperative fish seemed futile.  Instead, I called it good and made it home around when the boy was getting off the school bus.  We decided Thursday, not Friday, was pizza night this week, and Tami was happy with that as well.  Let’s call today decent.  I got a little sun/wind burn, had a good walk in the fresh air, and caught a couple nicer fish.  I am entertaining a weekend foray in the bays and/or rivers for a striped bass or two, especially since rain seems unlikely until next Friday and colder temperatures are hanging around on Sunday.  Or maybe it’s time to bite the fresh stockie in a DHALO or FFO bullet since they seem to find me even in Class A creeks these days?  We shall see....

A bonus shot of today's best fish.