August 31, 2023 – A Full Six Hours of Memorable Fishing in August – A Couple Northampton County Cricks

A very handsome fish.

I was slotted to take one more boat ride with Ward today.  As is too often the case with offshore dates booked well in advance, the weather had other plans for us.  The fact that it had been blowing close to 30 knots for days took the guess work out this time, at least.  We knew by Tuesday that this trip was not happening.  The upside of the unsettled weather this week was that much further inshore, we were experiencing an end-of-August cool down, with some precipitation even mixed in.  Today was nearing the culmination of a long cool pattern.  In fact, it was cold front conditions this morning in Northampton County: windy, clear blue skies, leaves falling from the sycamores, certainly not wet wading weather.  Instead of fish being eager to eat at first light and not long after, they took their time warming up today.  I took a water temperature at 10 AM, and it was 58 degrees.  That is pretty awesome, but also a shock to cold-blooded creatures, I suppose, especially considering that it got even colder overnight.  The rest of the animal kingdom was plenty active early, which made up for the slow fishing start.  Within the first hour, I saw a mink, a water snake wrestling a crick chub to the death in real-time, another water snake leaping (well-dropping) from sunning himself on a bridge abutment, a bigger trout trying to eat a small one from my line, a merganser on the hunt, dude tossing a spinner and smoking a butt not 10 feet from me and from the bank no less.  It was so fall-like that I even finished my first round at 10:30 AM and took a 20-minute ride to another stop to spend lunchtime with plenty of cooperative fish, like close to 20 fish in the last 90 minutes of fishing.  I did not quit fishing until 1 PM on August 31, so it was a unique day.  And fish, at least the holdover bows, were biting still at that time; I was just running out of water on this second creek.  Oh, and there was even a pig wild brown at the first stop of the morning, just for good measure.

My mink friend and some more wild browns at spot one.

Along with the brown close to 20 inches at this first creek, I believe I landed two bows that were spared photographs, and four more average wild browns.  A pair that were born a couple years ago managed to fall off and/or fall through the net, and one average fish leaped off the line in pocket water, but almost all the action was after 9 AM.  One or two fish to show for three hours on the water is hardly killing it, so I am glad the other wildlife kept me entertained until the trout warmed up.  Fishing was tough early, but got much better at midday, which is not unheard of but far from the norm at this time of the year.  In the cold water, they were barely hitting.  I even had to put a bobber on to catch one in a deep run, just allowing a single small bug to meander through the competing currents.  The big fish took a single size 14 hot spot frenchie on a tightline in a swirling bucket of water under a plunge, and with few exceptions, fish were still tight to whitewater all day.  That is fun fishing, but also a sign that they don’t trust this cool down to last.  An even mix of holdover bows and small, small stream wild browns at my second stop, but it was silly fishing in terms of pure action.

Some bonus shots.

I usually head for home by 10 AM this time of year, but I had the day off, and the air and water temperatures were fantastic for this time of year.  As I noted, fishing had gotten even better, but the wind was a chore, so I had a much smaller and more sheltered creek in mind.  It is only another 20-25 minutes north of this creek, so I ate my breakfast and drank an iced coffee on the ride instead of having a leisurely pack up for home at the ‘Ru.  If not for the wind, I may have poked around more sections of the first creek, but I also had a particular hole in mind at the second creek.  I shared a story about losing a huge wild fish on this second creek earlier this summer.  I guess I wanted another shot at him in addition to a more sheltered and relaxing place to finish out my morning.  As it turns out, I think I caught three rainbows near this fish’s spot, so I think they spoiled my chances for a shot at redemption, what with all the jumping and splashing they do…

Action packed at spot two.

The water temperature was only 61 degrees at 11-something AM on this second creek.  It was much lower than I expected, but I did watch some smalls rising at the first hole I hiked down to, so I had not missed the active window.  I had to fish tight to whitewater and shady runs and undercuts to begin fooling fish—plus a little downsizing to a single size 16 frenchie and some 6X.  That one change brought the numbers.  I had four small wild browns come from the first deep plunge, but then I had to pick away between defined holes.  The slower deep spots were dominated by the holdover rainbows, and they looked pretty good and fought well.  It was in one such deep undercut hole that a bow shot out and tried to eat my 6-inch wild brown from the line.  Or maybe he wanted the same fly because I likely caught that rainbow on the next cast, tossing the single bug tight to cover.  A couple fish were in shallower pockets, actively eating, but most followed that early pattern of hanging close to cover and a reliable oxygen source.  I stayed out long enough that I was beginning to swamp my waders with the sun beginning to light up much of the creek.  I caught fish right until I decided to turn back downstream, and the water was plenty cold, but it just felt like the browns were pretty much done around the noon hour.  This was bonus time and fish-filled bonus time at that, so I was totally fine with calling it good at 1 PM.  Sometimes, when a saltwater trip gets cancelled, the plan B feels like a consolation prize, but since I had plenty of time to prepare and excellent August conditions, this one felt like a legit win.  I have plans on Saturday with the boy, and Sunday looks like the end of this cool reprieve, but I may have one more small window this long weekend.  Stay tuned?

An even mix of browns and holdover bows and plenty of fish after lunch.

August 27 and 28, 2023 - A Couple Dog Days, Accompanied by Dinks – A Pair of SEPA Cricks

All bugger bass and not all that big.

I spent most of the weekend serving as a taxicab for the boy, who had a bunch of things going on, but after I dropped him off at a party on Sunday night, I had to fish somewhere.  Valley was hitting 68 degrees all week, so I struck that from the list.  It was getting too late, especially with the sun setting before 8 PM these days, to go too far, so I settled on a Wissy trip for some panfish and small bass.  It was crowded at 5:40 PM, with some shirtless jamokes swimming upstream and plenty of bikes and boots on Forbidden Drive, but it was not as crowded as expected.  I actually found a pool that had been quiet enough for long enough to allow sunfish to begin sipping bugs from the surface.  When I walked up to my first spot, there were at least six fish rising steadily, and I got three of them to take a small foam caddis before they shut down.  A couple of them were beautiful redbreasts that crushed the dry with splashy takes.   Even though it was a bit early and a bit low for bass to be anything but risk averse, I had to chunk a bigger foam bug for a while.   When nothing rose but sunnies too small to eat the bug, I swung a couple streamers and connected with a few bass in a deep run.  I had one very decent fish, like 12 or 13 inches, come and nip a thin mint bugger, but he did not commit.  I switched to a lighter and flashier bugger and caught more fish, but not that fish.  He was the type that I only mess with in high water.  They see so many badly presented bobbers in their short lives that any bass lucky enough to live a handful of years here gets real spooky.

Respect the redbreast, more bugger bass.

I finished out the night trying to get at least one bass to rise to the topwater, but neither a dead drift nor a popping retrieve attracted anything but sunfish.  I should have put the caddis back on at magic hour because the panfish were going crazy rising all over, but I had my heart set on a bass over 8 or 9 inches.  I guess the 13-incher sighting had me thinking it was possible this evening.  It was not to be, but I got a good wet wade in on a warm evening and caught some fish.  Like trout fishing in my youth, I was the last mitch hiking out of the too dark park, always timing those last few casts a bit too long after sunset, but it made for an aerobic climb out of the gorge, and I even had a fox sighting in lieu of a potential mugging or carjacking.

Two of each on small bugs and 6x.

I rinsed off my wading boots and hung the neoprene booties on the line, but I left most of my stuff in the ‘Ru just in case I saw rain or something to motivate me on Monday morning.  No rain, but I was up at 2 AM and again at 3:30 AM (too much ice cream too late?) so I stayed up.  I knew water temps would not be great, even at the limestoners within an hour of home, but I kind of wanted to catch a trout.  I hadn’t the stomach for the Little Lehigh again, so I hit a Northampton County limestoner instead.  Water was low to mid-60 with some overnight showers, but I stuck to pocket water and one hole below a couple springs.  I was wishing the creeks here had spiked like they had around Allentown, but they really had not done much rising if any here.  Speaking of rising, it was dead as far as bug life from 6 to 9 AM when I left.  I did catch a couple small wild browns and had a few one pop and done hits in some deeper riffles, but fish were not really feeling active this morning.  I had an 11 AM meeting, and it was uncomfortably humid, so I had no plans of staying out too late.  When it brightened up eventually, I could see how low and clear conditions were, so it would not have improved later unless significant rain fell or something.  Besides the two wild browns, I found a couple colorful but otherwise sad looking holdover rainbows too.  I got them both under a bobber in one of the few deep holes with any flow.  Seeing no risers even on the walk out, I should have thrown a small jigged bugger in the low light hours, but hindsight is what it is.  I am not convinced any adult fish would have moved too far to take even a big meal.  The wild trout like the wild bass were not having it.  It gave me a new appreciation for the violent takes of those redbreast on Sunday night at least!  

A close encounter with a bonus baby was surely the highlight of the morning.

The highlight by far was the close encounter with a doe and her late-summer fawn.  They were between me and the creek, and I assume the doe did not want to take the babe in the water to avoid me, or they were convinced I would do them no harm.  I was able to get the two of them in one shot and a close up of the fawn, probably only 12 feet away from me.  I don’t remember fall fawns until more recently, but I guess the does are giving birth twice a year now, as if there aren’t enough of them?  All I know is that Eric has no excuses for not filling his freezer with venison these days!

August 20, 2023 – It Is Good to Mix Things Up Once in a While – Northampton County

Because a #10 Royal Wulff made total sense!

You may have noticed that it’s been a minute since I have gotten out.  I definitely packed up to chase the local panfish a couple of times on weekday mornings, only to roll over and go back to sleep, but the weekends were booked with family stuff.  I finally got out today and nymphed the early morning grind for half a dozen+ small wild browns on a small creek in Northampton County.  Limestone-influenced and benefitting from the shorter days and coolers nights, not to mention average flows once again after consistent rain and storms, the creek was plenty cold.  I started out before 6 AM, so wet wading was definitely scrotum-shrinking with those first few steps.  Of course, old habits on an old standby crick, and I chose to make a thigh-deep crossing to start!  It eventually felt great by 8 AM with the water and air getting to about the same temperatures.  I could not crack the eight-inch range and started getting mauled by YOY as the morning warmed up, so I almost quit around 9 AM.  A small number of tricos were active at that time, and as I crossed back to the ‘Ru, I saw some smalls dimpling a flat glide upstream, likely taking spinners by the looks of the barely perceptible rise forms. 

Couldn't crack 8 inches on the mono rig + beautiful morning.

While not fishing, I have been getting my stuff together for the fall: I used some Shoe Goo to repair a couple seams on wading boots starting to separate, I replaced studs on a pair of felt-soled boots that almost owned me a couple weeks ago, I rigged up a couple bass set-ups in case the river was calling me one morning.  I have also been messing around and casting in the front yard with a primo brookie set up for tight spaces.  I have an older LL Bean rod that is a moderate action 7-foot five weight.  It will throw tight loops in tight spaces with limited line needed to load up, so it is fun to cast.  I paired it with an older bar stock reel and tossed it in the car last night in case I decided to run a dry-dropper instead of nymphing.  It was there in the back of the ‘Ru when I decided to take a water temperature at 9:15 AM while I fished one last hole, hoping even for Karen the white sucker to put a good bend in the rod.  It was only 61 degrees at that time, so I decided to give either the trico sippers or some terrestrial eaters a go for a short round two—mix it up a bit, you know?

Nice trout on the big dry!

The short rod had a small foam caddis with a drowned ant on the dropper, and so I lazily started with that since me waiting for dimplers to resume eating definitely goes against brand!  I had one splashy miss of the caddis, but I landed at least three of that same morning average size on the ant dropper, so the bonus hour would be fun if nothing else.  Instead of waiting, I just moved upstream with some stealth and the long casts in tight quarters the little giant afforded me.  I had to end casts high so the line didn’t arrive too violently, but when I got into some bouncy pocket water, I switched the dry to a size 12 Royal Wulff (yeah, definitely a limestone offering!) and that made for perfect, softer presentations.  I saw some big old crane flies in the morning, and cicadas and bigger terrestrials were making noise, so it was not an insane choice especially with my tired eyes in bright sun and broken water.  The big fly landing more quietly accounted for two more small browns on the dropper, and then a massive surface blow up ended the dinkfest.  The fish pictured to the right was over 18 inches by pretty accurate hand-measuring, nearly 19, and with that massive head, he might have been more than I could have handled had it not been the third week in August after a hot summer.  That was a piggy’s head for sure!  Don’t get me wrong, I still had my hands full with this one, but I was able to keep him out of the rocks and debris long enough to slip a net under him and get a selfish of the first good fish in a while.  He had that big dry in a great spot that was not coming loose.  Had he taken the dropper on 6X, his choppers might have ended things sooner, but I was lucky enough to tangle with and land a great fish.  On that note, water temps good or not, I decided to call it quits, grateful for a memorable return to the water and some validation for my planning, game day calls, and ability to mix it up once in a while.

Some b roll

August 5, 2023 – Some More Trouts Were Caught on a Warmer Weekend Morning – Northampton County

More holdover bows.

Yep, it’s been nearly a day since I wet a line, but the cool days this week had me dreaming of fall, so I made it happen this morning.  Déjà vu?  Expectations were higher at this particular creek, which has had somewhat better flows this summer, but it was more of the same—just without the bonus piggy bow and no picture of the only wild brown I caught.  I took a water temperature reading at 9:30 AM when I was ready to quit, and it was even colder here, like 60 degrees cold, but no bugs besides some midges.  Nary a rise where I thought there might be some action, not even before sunrise, and not even later in the morning to terrestrials or something, so I nymphed some favorite pocket water.  I had a few bumps in spots that were feeling like brown trout hot summer haunts, but besides the one that I dropped before a photo—all 10 inches of him—it was another bow fest.  I was wet wading and realized that all the indicators that I would need to fish a couple deep, cold holes with heavier bugs were in my wader pockets, or I may have caught a few more to add to my 5 or 6 fish tally.  I remembered to put an extra stream thermometer in my pack last month, but I never checked for an assortment of indicators.  I tried to make do with the smallest size thingamabobber and even a small cork bobber I found in a back eddy, though I did not combine them.  That would have been a pathetic way to run up the fish count, I admit.  A handful is enough in August….

A warmer, sunnier morning but good cool flows, so it should have been better?

Besides the brown, I got a few plump bows in faster water tight to plunges, but I did drag up two bows in the aforementioned deep holes on very short drifts.  Fishing upstream with short casts and high-sticking, I was able to get the bugs to float along a few feet before the tungsten necessary to keep them afloat won and dragged them down.  In retrospect, a big old stimulator dry would have been better, but I really wanted to fish the way I wanted to fish, I suppose.  Fish were caught and no one fell in—Oh, wait!  I did almost fall in, so I can’t even use that old cliché.  I believe my felt boots require new sharp replacement spikes.  I guess I have spent too much time clacking along improved roads, sidewalks, and Brodhead granite boulders with the ones currently in there.  Trying to take the shortcut out of this section of the creek, I did a full slide down the face of a low-head dam, barely coming to a halt at the edge of the deep drop-off.  At least it was warm out and I was wet wading, so it would have been a nice swim.  In the end, the slide stopped inches from the drop.  On that note, it was time to call it a morning.  I am definitely not fishing tomorrow, at least not for trout, but it was good to log a couple early August mornings.

A lot of these similarly sized bows around from the spring, and not just here.

August 4, 2023 – Some Trouts Were Caught on a Cool Weekday Morning – Lehigh County

August trouts during the early shift.

Yep, it’s been nearly a month since I even wet a line, but the cool days this week had me dreaming of fall, so I finally made it happen.  Honestly, I had my vehicle packed and ready to go a few times, even if just for some smallmouths on the Wissy, but I rolled over and went back to sleep instead.  As far as trout, the last heatwave no doubt had them stressed out, and I typically saw something that I did not like as I was planning—usually low flows or high temps many days in a row.  To get up before dawn and drive somewhere when I know it likely means only a bunch of small fish and YOY active, even if conditions looked safe to fish, it is just hard to justify, especially with my new job getting busier as I become more essential to the operation after a long onboarding.  Today was the culmination of a few very low August temperatures and even clouds as the humidity returned, so I made it happen.  With the exception of one solid rainbow, skinny from a tough summer but beautiful and in the high teens, it was what I expected, but it was a good trip for August.

Some short plumpers put a bend in the 3 weight, and wet wading felt pretty great.

I started nymphing small bugs on 6X, a size 16 French pt on the anchor and an 18 CDC soft hackle on the dropper.  I had a few sharp short hits that proved later to be YOY, but I was glad some fish were awake.  Before I quit, I fished a single ginger waltz, and got popped by YOY in nearly every likely spot!  After catching two 8-inch wild browns in the first 30 minutes of fishing, I was happy I got out and totally fine with catching 5 or 6 short, lumpy stocked rainbows after that.  Most of them hit the soft hackle, even though the browns took the dropper.  This place is a pale ghost of what it once was even five years ago, and thinking about longer ago is just depressing.  Stocked fish never used to dominate, but I think more and more are put in this stretch to keep the regulars happy and returning to utilize the resource.  The tricos are trailing off, but some dudes were out looking.  Even I waited to see if some risers showed, but this shot of fishable water temps probably came a little too late to rescue what I imagine was a tough trico year here, at least from the fisherman’s perspective.  The small fish probably ate like crazy regardless, of course.

Skinny girl but awfully pretty.

I only fished from 5:45 AM to about 8:45 AM, even though it was cool and the water temperature was only 62-ish.  There was really only about a solid 90 minutes of good activity and feeding fish, ending with the only better one.  It barely fought compared to the fat young bucks and especially the wild boys and girls, but I was not all that surprised.  It is tougher out there for the bigger fish—imagine a big boy sweating it out with no A/C in a rooftop baby pool in Brooklyn in August or something, and you get the picture.  The browns and this better bow could not have had their heads any closer to the low riffle plunges, just trying to get as much of that good 62 degree O2-rich shit, you know?  Tonight is another night where the ‘Ru might be packed for the morning, but chances of an August 5 report are 50/50 at best.