May 7, 2023 – It Was Taking Too Long to Come Down, and I Couldn't Wait Any Longer – Brodhead Creek

An early start.

I can usually catch fish on the Brodhead when the Analomink gage is 250 CFS or less, but many spots are a lot of work in that 250 to 200 range.  Of course, I decided to fish one of those spots this morning, and I got what I expected, good and bad, I suppose.  One very nice kicker fish would have made me delighted, but I have few complaints about my decision to fish this warm Sunday morning.  Despite the expected challenges of higher water, I got high sun and clear water as well, but I also tangled with half a dozen fish.  Only the one rainbow I caught at first light was a dink, with the rest running between 13 and 15+ inches.  After the two early bows, it was slow, but the next four fish were solid wild browns, strong and angry in water that is still in the 50’s.  The two best ones even took a jigged bugger, and I broke one off on a bugger too—well, technically, it came back a squiggle, so a bad knot for sure.   I think I was dealing with a sub-par roll of 5X because I lost a few flies early that I thought I should have gotten back.  Granted, throwing 5X on the Brodhead in 220 CFS, I was asking for it.

A couple bows early, one a little piggy

The issue was that most of the bugs I was seeing were small caddis and midges  There were some bigger tan caddis and even some bigger mayflies, possibly March Browns, but not enough to get the fish to come up in these flows.  I swore I saw a brown stonefly too, but it was windy during that time period, and it raced on by.  I could not even get a fish to take a dropper tag a couple feet off the bottom—everything (all 6 fish, of course, and in pocket water) was hugging or hiding right behind cover tight to the bottom.  The bows took a big pheasant tail jig, and one brown took a bomb pt too, but I think I just got it in front of them.  Case in point, when I grew tired of trying to figure out what bug they might take, I decided to throw Eric’s olive jigged bugger with an added 3.8mm bead for more weight. I also committed to 4X by this time too.  That was probably the pattern I should have committed to early and stuck with because I netted two nicer fish, jumped another, and had a couple bumps during the hour I committed to the bugger.  Earlier in the morning, in a spot just crying for a streamer, I also sacrificed another jigged streamer on 5X—so if you count squiggles, that was two, and I eventually lost Eric’s bug too.  Today was sort of like fishing stoneflies in the winter and finding all the hidden snags.  I have not been here since the fall, October, I believe, so a lot has changed, including even more, or at least more passionate and committed, posting.

Eventually found some wild boys in the heavier flow, but it took some work in the conditions.

I am not yet used to this weekend warrior thing, but I think I chose well despite (or in spite of) the flows.  I was fortunate to have the creek to myself all morning, so instead of moving I was able to go back and fish a couple favorite spots that did not produce early.  In fact, I caught the two good browns in a spot that produced nothing at 8 AM the first time though.  I did consider taking a ride to another creek that is on the way home, a much smaller creek, but I just took my time and tried everything to crack the Brodhead code this morning instead.  It is unclear whether I succeeded or not, but it was great to be back.  I know that there are plenty of fish waiting for me here in like 150 CFS.  Sadly, it will be perfect while I am working this week!  Wah, right?  I think it was Wardman who said recently that I have to fish like a mere mortal again!  That is even more true only a month into a new position, but I have plenty of vacation time to use once the probationary period is up.  Speaking of Wardman, I have a story about a t-shirt for the next blog.  I don’t think it will be nine days before the next trip this time, so maybe the story will arrive as soon as tomorrow.  Had it rained more tonight, I would have been out on Monday morning for sure, but I still might sneak out for a couple hours, even if it’s just Valley or the mighty Wissy. 

A couple chunks on the small, jigged streamer.