June 19, 2025 – Joe and I Doing Whatever it Takes for Some Humid, High Water June Success – NEPA

Finally a chunker after a mediocre fishing day.

This time most seasons, I would be targeting the big NEPA waters, taking advantage of the low flows that allow access to great fishing while water temperatures are still good for the trouts.  In the last couple of years, I have met up with my buddy Joe this month to hit the Lehigh.  He lives near prime water and has a lot of experience on the big water.  With regards to the river, the bugs are typically two weeks behind the rest of NEPA, so June can be awesome.  Can be….  I have not been on the river since a bonus low water April trip.  I did well that day, and I had an awesome day on the Brodhead, even a good one on the Lack very early in the spring, but I have not been back to any of them.  The Brodhead was fishable today, but not the way Joe and I wanted to fish.  It was pushing 270 at the upper gage but “don’t wade” on the lower gage.  Joe also fished the Brodhead on Tuesday this week in 170 CFS on the upper gauge (even those are bobber flows), and he did okay but not fantastic, so I pitched a smaller Class A—well, a medium sized Class A with this year’s flows.  It was going to be a hot one, with severe storms approaching in the afternoon, so we met at 7:30 AM near the creek.  We probably could have met at 5:30 AM based on how sunny and hot it was by 7 AM.  I was wet wading the 58-degree water and was thankful for the chance to stay cool.  Fishing was challenging, as was the bushwhacking (more on that below), but Joe and I got to catch up, catch some fish, not fall in, not get poison ivy, and only one tick was found between us (on me).  Somedays it's the small wins that count.

Tigereye Joe out there (trying to) make it happen

Joe is generous with his spots and his local knowledge, so I had no issue showing him one of my “secret” spots this morning.  I am sure he was very impressed with our 12 fish showing in four hours of fishing, two of them rainbows!  My spot is safe, I think 😉 The reason it’s a secret is no secret.  It’s not off the beaten path; in fact, it’s so beaten that most fishermen out for the experience and the nature bathing not the trout themselves would not give this one a second look.  The fish are there, however, and as you can see from the photos, the water is sexy.  I had a great day here earlier this spring, so I was hoping I could put Joe on some good wild fish.  Selfishly, I was secretly hoping for some redemption related to a couple earlier encounters, even if it were Joe who got to seal the deal.  I blew my chance with my first fish, perhaps.  I never saw him, but he felt big and acted like a wild brown.  Based on the algae on my anchor fly, he just got off the small bug on the dropper tag or used the bottom to drag said anchor and get free.  Joe was standing right there, at least, so we both had some confirmation that we weren’t just having casting practice this morning.

Fish were caught after some serious tree work.

That first big fish was in a big fish spot in a fantastic stretch of water but unfortunately, half the run was now obstructed by a newly toppled sycamore tree.  This was a big, dense tree, so we had a heck of a time getting past it.  We tried to go around on the bank but were hit with knotweed and sticker bush hell, not to mention coughing fits from a ridiculous amount of yellow pollen, and had to turn back.  We could not get around it in the water, which was moving and up to our chests for sure (and full of fish, no doubt, even if they were being dicks today).  What’s the old saying?  The only way out (or around?) is through.  We just started breaking limbs and climbing over what we couldn’t break, and coughing more, a lot more coughing.  Fish were caught on the other side, so it was worth the work, maybe.  I got a dinker and a decent 11- or 12-inch wild brown, and Joe got a couple dinks and a holdover rainbow.  I let him have the spot.  I staked my reputation as a “guide” on this spot.  Today, this spot held an 8-inch wild brown, and a stocker bow.  In the past, it has held several nice fish.  Did I mention the fish were being dicks today?  It may have been the low pressure and the approaching extreme weather.  It was getting hot, so we agreed to quit at noon and not try another creek.  Instead, we explored a nice run and riffle below our parking spot.

Bonus crick pic

We fished our way down and I picked up a few dinkers in pocket water, but they were not getting active or cooperative by any means.  I think I just hit them on the heads, and they ate.  The spot below the parking spot was pretty sexy, though.  I finally found a good wild brown, and Joe landed another decent holdover rainbow in a deep run that looked like it should hold a lot more fish than two.  The riffle above was plenty deep enough to hold active, feeding fish if they were active and feeding.  I made a crossing after that and fished one last spot before quitting time.  From upstream it looked deeper than it was, but it was deep enough.  I got bounced hard while fishing a big Pat’s rubberleg, but I did not connect. He probably felt the hook, too, because even after a bug change, I could not get this fish to eat again.  They were being difficult, as I noted a few times.  I kept my word and walked back up to join Joe for the hike out as noon approached.  It was really hot out there, but we hung out and shot the shit for a while before getting back on the road.  We made tentative plans later this month should conditions actually line up.  And we beat the storms home, at least.  By 6:30 PM my power was out, and my lawn was covered with limbs.  As I write this, we are still without power going on 20 hours.  Power or not, Eric and I are getting out there tomorrow morning!