This past weekend I managed to get out on the river twice. The first, on Saturday, was a quick, half-hour trip down to the local creek. It was also my first trip to Skunksville in quite a long while. It was a tough lesson to learn, but I now understand that the fish in my local creek aren’t quite as dumb as I once imagined. I can’t decide if I’m happy about that or not.
On Sunday, ninja and I met up at the Little Lehigh outside of Allentown. Sunday was supposed to be a picture-perfect day around these parts and we decided that was as good of a reason as any to get out there.
Since the wife was off on her own adventures for the day, I took Chloe along with me. She did fairly well, though she would whine if she felt she was being ignored for too long. And that got frustrating after a bit. Still, all-in-all she was her pleasant, cheerful self and performed her mascot duties well.
Mike and I did well too. We started out on a surprisingly empty bank at around 9 am. The Lehigh can get pretty packed and seeing as the day called for temps in the sixties, I was sure the place would be somewhat of a mob scene. It wasn’t, at least not at the beginning. The crowds would grow over the course of the day, but the chilly morning kept things mostly quiet at first.
We fished off the wall to start, ninja hooking up almost right away with a decent fish on a TCTK (aka “dime”). I flailed and frustrated myself by deciding to try other patterns. None worked. Duh.
Sensing the need for a change in scenery along with a change in flies, we walked around to the other bank (wading is prohibited in this stretch). Casting from that side and having switched over to the tiny midge patterns that I know work, I finally caught a few fish. It felt nice to wash that skunk off.
Having brought a few fish to net, Mike and I set about try to trick trout with a surface fly. By mid-morning a number of fish were actively feeding off the surface. We took turns casting and changing flies. Nothing worked. At least, nothing worked well. I threw every small bug and emerger pattern in my box at them without so much as a wink. The only action came from a take on Mike’s large caddis, which was really being used as an indicator at that point.
It was just one of those days for dry flies I guess. You see them sipping tiny midges and the only thing they take from your line is a size 16 caddis. It just goes to show you: Sometimes trout are weird.
On Sunday, ninja and I met up at the Little Lehigh outside of Allentown. Sunday was supposed to be a picture-perfect day around these parts and we decided that was as good of a reason as any to get out there.
Since the wife was off on her own adventures for the day, I took Chloe along with me. She did fairly well, though she would whine if she felt she was being ignored for too long. And that got frustrating after a bit. Still, all-in-all she was her pleasant, cheerful self and performed her mascot duties well.
Mike and I did well too. We started out on a surprisingly empty bank at around 9 am. The Lehigh can get pretty packed and seeing as the day called for temps in the sixties, I was sure the place would be somewhat of a mob scene. It wasn’t, at least not at the beginning. The crowds would grow over the course of the day, but the chilly morning kept things mostly quiet at first.
We fished off the wall to start, ninja hooking up almost right away with a decent fish on a TCTK (aka “dime”). I flailed and frustrated myself by deciding to try other patterns. None worked. Duh.
Sensing the need for a change in scenery along with a change in flies, we walked around to the other bank (wading is prohibited in this stretch). Casting from that side and having switched over to the tiny midge patterns that I know work, I finally caught a few fish. It felt nice to wash that skunk off.
Having brought a few fish to net, Mike and I set about try to trick trout with a surface fly. By mid-morning a number of fish were actively feeding off the surface. We took turns casting and changing flies. Nothing worked. At least, nothing worked well. I threw every small bug and emerger pattern in my box at them without so much as a wink. The only action came from a take on Mike’s large caddis, which was really being used as an indicator at that point.
It was just one of those days for dry flies I guess. You see them sipping tiny midges and the only thing they take from your line is a size 16 caddis. It just goes to show you: Sometimes trout are weird.
Labels: dimes, little lehigh, mascot
Who needs weekends?
I couldn't help myself and as the clock struck 4:35 today I decided to put work on the shelf for a while and go fishing. I made my way back to the local creek, Chloe along for the adventure yet again.
We were successful, but there are no pictures to show for it. As I've noted in the past, Chloe does not make for much of a fishing companion. She spends her time exploring the surroundings, including nice looking fishing holes. On top of that, she definitely wants to play with a fish as you're bringing it to hand. All that flopping in the water is just too much for her and she needs to investigate.
As it turns out, landing a fish while yelling at, and attempting to restrain, your dog is something of an effort. Adding photography to the list of chores proved impossible.
You didn't miss much though. I only fished for a few minutes and I landed just one dirty-looking rainbow. It was bigger than the other fish I'd seen in the creek, but still only 12 inches or so. It did have plenty of friends though. I'm sure I could have caught plenty more --- they don't look overly picky --- but I tangled my leader in the fuss of landing the first one and ended up calling it quits rather than re-tie the rig. After all, I know the fish are there and doubt they'll be going anywhere between now and the next time I can get back to the creek.
I couldn't help myself and as the clock struck 4:35 today I decided to put work on the shelf for a while and go fishing. I made my way back to the local creek, Chloe along for the adventure yet again.
We were successful, but there are no pictures to show for it. As I've noted in the past, Chloe does not make for much of a fishing companion. She spends her time exploring the surroundings, including nice looking fishing holes. On top of that, she definitely wants to play with a fish as you're bringing it to hand. All that flopping in the water is just too much for her and she needs to investigate.
As it turns out, landing a fish while yelling at, and attempting to restrain, your dog is something of an effort. Adding photography to the list of chores proved impossible.
You didn't miss much though. I only fished for a few minutes and I landed just one dirty-looking rainbow. It was bigger than the other fish I'd seen in the creek, but still only 12 inches or so. It did have plenty of friends though. I'm sure I could have caught plenty more --- they don't look overly picky --- but I tangled my leader in the fuss of landing the first one and ended up calling it quits rather than re-tie the rig. After all, I know the fish are there and doubt they'll be going anywhere between now and the next time I can get back to the creek.
Labels: local creek, mascot
I'm just back from a dog walk. I took Chloe down the big hill towards the creek that's a half-mile from my home. I'd noticed a fish in there when I was walking with the wife on Sunday and wanted to double-check and make sure that I'd seen things correctly. Sure enough, there are fish in that creek.
Uh-oh! There goes work.
So, I'm all happy about this and I walk back up the hill. At about the mid-way point home I come across my mailman. Now, I know the guy, but only enough to wave or say, "Hello". But this time he hops out of his van and says, "Were you down by the creek looking at the fish?". I responded in the affirmative, but he must have noticed the puzzled look on my face because he explained, "I see the magazines you get. I figured you might have been checking it out." He then proceeds to tell me all about the trout in the creek.
Among other things... They stocked this weekend. They used to stock more, but people have been posting their property so he thinks they give it less attention now. The nearby park has good access. And there are some ways to weave in and out of the posted water down by the old mill. That's probably the best spot. Oh, and hardly anyone ever fishes it because few people know that it holds decent fish. And it holds them all year long.
Frankly, it was an awesome treasure trove of info. I'm not sure when I'll be able to put it to use --- tonight or tomorrow, that is --- but I surely will. And soon.
And it just goes to show you, that the postman knows all sorts of crap about you. Hopefully he uses his powers for good, like mine did.
Uh-oh! There goes work.
So, I'm all happy about this and I walk back up the hill. At about the mid-way point home I come across my mailman. Now, I know the guy, but only enough to wave or say, "Hello". But this time he hops out of his van and says, "Were you down by the creek looking at the fish?". I responded in the affirmative, but he must have noticed the puzzled look on my face because he explained, "I see the magazines you get. I figured you might have been checking it out." He then proceeds to tell me all about the trout in the creek.
Among other things... They stocked this weekend. They used to stock more, but people have been posting their property so he thinks they give it less attention now. The nearby park has good access. And there are some ways to weave in and out of the posted water down by the old mill. That's probably the best spot. Oh, and hardly anyone ever fishes it because few people know that it holds decent fish. And it holds them all year long.
Frankly, it was an awesome treasure trove of info. I'm not sure when I'll be able to put it to use --- tonight or tomorrow, that is --- but I surely will. And soon.
And it just goes to show you, that the postman knows all sorts of crap about you. Hopefully he uses his powers for good, like mine did.
Labels: local creek, mascot, postman
This is Chloe. She loves playing in rivers. This makes her a less-than-ideal fishing companion, but I don't hold it against her.
Labels: mascot