Berks County Report

TULPEHOCKEN CREEK, READING, PA ~ June 14, 2011

Since Chaz is the only one fishing and giving reports lately, it may seem as if this fly-fishing blogger should hand over the reigns to him. The truth is I am in the midst of a move and almost a week away from being the proud owner of a Beagle pup. That said, fly-fishing has to take a backseat temporarily for me personally, but at least Chaz is keeping the blog going with his reports. Actually, I will be venturing into new waters, literally and figuratively speaking, on Thursday. I'll be hitting the Susquehanna River down near Havre-de-Grace, MD for some striper and smallie kayak action with Greg, a good friend and experienced kayaker. So, look for that report in days to come.

Meanwhile, Chaz took the trip up to the Tully on Sunday afternoon. He probably would have done well to save himself the trip, but at least it's something to report!

As he fished near the Paper Mill hole, Chaz had some luck (despite high flows) with a nymph tandem rig, sporting the tried and true pheasant tail/GR Hare's Ear. Chaz went small nymph (size 18 Pheasant Tail)/big nymph (size 14 GR Hare's Ear) to catch this feisty little brown.

Dam releases made things really annoying, with rising water pushing through lots of green junk and putting the water off-color. As I said, lots of travel and travail for just this little guy, but at least one of us is out on the water. Eventually, things got really unfishable and he headed home. Tight lines!

June Pocono & Lehigh/Pohopoco Report

POCONO REPORT~ TOBYHANNA CREEK June 12, 2011

With temps in SE PA hovering at the century mark this past week,

the only hope for some decent fly-fishing lay in a drop in temps and a change in location. With temps in the "chilly" mid-70's, Chaz headed up to the Blakeslee area of the Pocono Mts. to try his luck Friday and early Saturday. His decision paid off. With not much rain and higher temps, the water levels had lowered to good fishable flows and levels. While fishing at mid-day with bright sun shining might not have been the most optimal time to hit the stream, Chaz still had a bit of success with a dry/dropper tandem rig, with a 13" inch brown (pictured above) hitting the gray caddis dry (#16) in the pool pictured above. Later, lower down the same creek, a slightly larger brown hit the #18 Pheasant Tail nymph dropper.

LEHIGH RIVER/POHOPOCO CREEK REPORT June 12, 2011

With levels and flows astronomically high on the Lehigh for the weekend rafters, a good alternative was the Pohopoco Creek at Parryville, at the confluence with the Lehigh. Chaz caught this nice 16" brookie. This time, a nymph tandem rig of a GR Hares Ear and a Copper John were just what the doctor ordered. This brookie went after the size 18 Copper John, just upstream of the Rt. 248 bridge on the Po. Before trekking up there, though, he was able to land a 14" rainbow and soon after, hook and lose a larger rainbow. All went after the Copper John. By now, the Sulphur hatch has made it's apperance on these waterways. Try a yellow flymph, size 16 and 18 to start. Then, switch over to your favorite sulphur dry pattern in 16's and 18's. Be sure to be on the stream after 5 pm. Working from the confluence upstream to the Po, past the bridge is a good plan.

North Central PA Report

OF BEARS, BLACK FLIES, HIGH WATERS & TORNADOES May 28, 2011

That pretty much sums up our experience in the North Country Wilds of Potter and Lycoming Counties this past week. Streams & rivers were up thanks to lots of storms the previous week & during our time as well. Tuesday morning began with a visitor seeking breakfast: a black bear, weighing easily in the neighborhood of 250 lbs. He came ambling down the path to our cabin porch, sniffing around the grill (wanting to know why we didn't save him a Bubba Burger the night before). We finally scared him off with a shot of Unk's 30-30 to the ground. That was the highlight of the day: it rained that evening, so no fishing.

Wednesday morning we hit the Cross Fork Creek where it meets Kettle Creek just north of the village of Cross Fork. Water was quite high and moving, though clear. No luck there. That evening, we headed to Kettle just down the road from the hamlet of Oleona (see picture, top) and although it too, was in in similar shape, we had the most "luck", all dinks. Good to see some natural reproduction there. Then again, they may be stocking fingerlings. My guess is that it's a bit of both. One little brownie I caught may have been a hold over from last year's spawning season. A small brown stonefly hatch/oviposit spinners were out in some number as evening drew on. 3 little guys for me, 1 for Chaz. At least we had some action and they were rising sporadically. Late Wednesday/early Thursday saw a nasty T-storm hit the Alleghenies in our area. We decided to try the Little Kettle up in the mountain on the way to Germania (Rauch Road) near the bridge. This area is managed as a Wild Brook Trout Enhancement area. Again, same story: raging and high, though clear. The story here was an incredible amount of black flies. I was covered in them! Not the most enjoyable experience. Same happened at Cross Fork the day before. According to the locals, black flies were released by the state to stave off the caterpillars and moths.

The plan Thursday night was to head down to Slate Run, have a nice dinner at the Hotel Manor and maybe wet the line a bit on Pine Creek and Slate Run, at the confluence. We realized the levels were still too high and had a nice supper anyway. We also saw that a storm was brewing. Boy, was it! Quickest and hardest hitting storm I think I've ever seen. The large windows looking out onto the deck and Pine Creek were opaque with water. I really thought something was going to come crashing through there. The power went out, management told all to retreat to the bar area, away from the dining room. When we headed up Slate Run Rd. towards Rt. 44, many trees were down, but we managed to get back to our camp. No trees blocking the road to the cabin, but no power. Unk and I headed out to look for phone service to contact his son, my cousin. Took 27 miles of traipsing down 44, sometimes with one lane accessible due to downed trees, stopping at various establishments and asking folks on the road about power and phone access before we were able to contact my cousin. He planned to bring his son up for the weekend, but Unk wanted to tell him not to bother, since we had no power and didn't know when we'd be back online. Checking the news wire today, I saw that some power had been restored, but as of today, there were many still without it. Although not confirmed, it is believed that a tornado touched down in Slate Run. So, while the fishing was flat out lousy (some have said the worst trout season in years), we had plenty Pennsylvania Wilds excitement!

Pocono Stream Report

Tobyhanna Creek, Pocono Mountains, PA May 13, 2011



Thanks to a break in some of the highest water levels recorded in recent memory and nice 60 to 70 degree weather, the Toby was finally at great fishing levels. Two of my "correspondents in the field" reported the first successes of the year in a private area of the Toby. Black beadhead Wooley Buggers (size 8) were the ticket earlier in the day.


One of the flyfihermen caught a nice rainbow (see photo below) on the first cast and added four more to the net using this tried and true pattern. Later in the day, caddis were starting to emerge, as well as some cahills. A cream colored mayfly dry in sizes 14 or 16 would cover the Cahill hatch. Emerger patterns and flymphs tied with cream and lemon wood duck feather fibers should be very productive.



As far as the caddis, a tan bodied Elk Hair Caddis in a size 16, or a tan LaFontaine emerging pupa pattern would be my suggestion. A tandem dry/dropper is always a good tactic up in the Pokies. Hare's Ear nymphs and pheasant tails also were successful, according to these two flyfishers.

12 fish caught and relaeased total, at least 4 or so that proverbially "got away."



Potter County, PA and "North Country"


Next week (May 23-27, 2011), two of us will be fishing the remote mountain streams of Potter County, PA. Like the rest of the state, this area has been inundated with rain. The Kettle Creek was (and still is) running a bit high right now. Haven't checked some of the other streams and rivers yet, but there's hope that by the time we arrive around early afternoon Monday, things will have settled down to good levels. Weather reports are looking pretty promising, too. We'll probably be there just short of seeing the Green and Brown Drake hatches, but some March Brown, Grey Fox, Cahills, caddis and the beginning of the sulphur hatch (maybe) will make for some productive hatch-matching and fishing. A full Potter County "Exclusive" will be forthcoming. Till then: Tight Lines!

MAY 2011 STREAM REPORT

Pocono Mountain Streams

The Pocono Mountain streams are abuzz with insect activity,as Hendricksons, March Browns & Caddis are hatching. Mornings & late afternoons are best times for hitting the water.

The Tobyhanna offered up this fine brookie to the right & others last Saturday. Best hits came on Flashback Pheasant tails & GR Hare's Ear nymphs, sizes 12 thru 16. Black Buggers with green pearlescent flashabou or mirror flash in sizes 4 thru 10 are always a productive pattern on the Toby. Caddis larvae & pupae sizes 14-16 in green, tan & olive are a good choice as well.

Try dries later in the day. Caddis, Hendricksons & March Brown dry patterns will fill the bill. Try a tandem dry/nymph rig at the beginning of a hatch, or a dry/emerger combo (dry/pupa pattern for caddis).

Fished a private part of the Swiftwater last week. Got this beautiful tiny brookie to the right. He nailed a size 14 Adams. Don't be afraid to improvise & try some attractor patterns on the less frequented streams, as well as the old tried & true flies.

SE PA Limestoners

Hit Valley Creek in Chester County with an old friend on Monday. First time I'd been there in quite a while. Stream looked to be in fine shape. Fish were rising to caddis, sometimes very enthusiastically, around mid-morning. Saw yellow craneflies, as well as a BWO, here & there. Got a few hits, didn't stick any, though. My friend Mike is a newbie to the fly-fishing madness. Got a few hits himself. Best times to hit are mornings by 8 AM and later afternoons. The Sulphurs will rule the stream come dusk any day now (if they haven't already)-hope to do some early evening fishing there real soon. Remember that in the beginning days of the Sulphur hatch to hit the stream around 4 or 5 PM. As the hatch progresses, they'll make their appearance at dusk (around 8 or 8:30PM). Riffly areas are where you want to be. Size 16's in a pale yellow are the order of the day. After a few weeks, try a size 18 or 20, with an orange-yellow (sometimes with a little olive thrown in) color. This is a smaller species of the sulphur that pretty much will last into the latter half of June. Tight Lines!

Rain, Rain, Don't go away?

SE PA, North-central PA & Pocono Report

A good bit of much needed rain has fallen over much of Pennsylvania over the last few days & weather reports call for additional showers over the coming weekend. Many of the rivers & streams throughout PA are at low levels not often seen for early & mid-spring. My Uncle, on a recent trip to the cabin in Potter County, PA spoke to a local fly-shop owner in Lycoming County. He reaffirmed that the Pine Creek was the lowest it's been at that point (April) in years & the need fora good soaking. Thankfully, though we may be missing the sunshine, that soaking has begun. I was going to hit the Tobyhanna near Blakeslee, PA up in the Poconos, but the levels were up & I next Monday might be better. That particular stream, for example, was pumping out 411 cfs at last check (see USGS PA Streamflow link for current streamflow info), which is a pretty heavy flow. The Tully up in reading was showing 292 cfs, which is also a bit high, although still fishable. Who knows how off color it might be. For comparison, Valley creek in Chester County was showing 127 cfs, which is raging for that little stream. So, not great fishing conditions right at this moment, but hopefully all of this rain & the rain that is still to come this weekend will pay dividends in the days & weeks ahead. Tight Lines!

Back in Action!

It's been a long hiatus, but I've finally hit the streams again. Aside from some salt-water action in the Florida Keys in February, it's the 1st official return for me to fly-fishing, at least on the trout streams. Good to be back in action. Tight lines!

Monacacy Creek, Bethlehem, PA

LEHIGH VALLEY & BERKS COUNTY REPORTS

Fished Monocacy Creek in Bethlehem for a short while on Tuesday, the 21st. Water was still low, despite some rain, but was definitely off-color. Fish were rising to midges and yellow crane-flies. Moved a fish to a caddis deer hair dry; no response though to the baetis dropper, nor the tan caddis larva which I switched to. Only fished about 45 minutes. Saw my buddy Dr. Ed Hart. He didn't have much luck either with his soft hackles. As is the case throughout all of PA, WE NEED RAIN!!!

Wednesday saw me up on the Tully out near Reading. I chose the infamous "Road to Nowhere Hole" (underneath the Van Reed Rd. overpass). The water was on the high side. It was running 350+cfs (probably around 380 - 400 cfs was more like it). Fished downstream of the bridge & worked my way up. No dice. Nothing coming up top, stuck with nymphs, still nothing. Skies opened up, heavy shower ensued, but never made it back out on the stream. I'll be heading up there again soon, though.

VALLEY CREEK UPDATE

Hit Valley yesterday (Monday the 27th). Hot day for April, especially with the low water conditions we've been having lately. Arrived at the stream after nine, probably too late, but it was worth while. Talked to a homeowner whose property borders the stream & asked permission to walk through her back yard to the stream. Apparently, the request is more common than I thought. She said they usually tell the fishermen to follow a winding path that leads down to the stream. Very accommodating. I've wanted to fish the stream from that side for a while now. I drifted a deer-hair caddis dry, # 16, down in a nice run. A few rises just where it began to smooth out. Got a hit, but missed'em, second time I had him, but lost him. Brilliant me missed a guide on the rod when lining up & killed my line control. Felt like a decent one, too. Oh, well work the kinks out, I guess. Tried coaxing a few more downstream in a bend pool. I needed to keep out of sight. Good number of fish, typical 6-9 " variety. Tossed them the caddis. No takers. Too spooked by line & shadow of line. Better to hit that spot in low light. I'll rest this spot & hit another next time. May hit the Poconos next week, weather permitting.