From The Stream
FROM THE STREAM....Report for July 2010.......................................... BOB EVANS
Fished the week before the Kid's Camp at Bowmans with considerable luck. The fish were active and taking dries readily. However with the low water level and warmer than desired temps, the fish I hooked surrendered quickly and had to be handled gently when released...EXCEPT that one fish that continued to rise in an eddy on the other side of the stream. You all know those fish, always on the other side of the current in a place that promises almost instant DRAG on your dry fly. Just like you, I had to consider it a challenge and take a shot at hooking him. First try didn't entice the fish soon enough and the drag pulled the fly away. Second cast dumped more tippet in the proper location, and he swallowed it. When I set the hook, this fish put on a show...EIGHT leaps across the stream, past where I was standing, followed by a display of brute force before coming to net. Turned out to be a 13-inch Brown, solid and ice-cold and quickly jumped from my hand as soon as the hook was removed. Obviously, he was enjoying the luxury of a Spring Hole and was much better off as a result.
Enjoyed the Kid's Camp again this year. The usual mixture of kids. Some Really Interested, some who thought they knew it all, (We weren't like that were we? Maybe Joey but not me) some BORED until the fish hit, etc. Met and talked with Harp Heffernan who was taking pictures...Hope he got pictures of the kids that fell in. I mention Harp because the next time I went fishing I reached into my pants pocket and there was his card. It reminded me how long it had been since I last fished...31 days!!
It was July 27th and the evening cooled down nicely and the place I was going to was shaded from 5pm on. Found fish rising and took a small Rainbow on a Hopper which I later lost in a battle with a sizeable Rainbow. Of course, anything else I offered after that was totally ignored. I learned a lesson though...When fishing in warmer weather, look for the GREEN Moss...That's where the fish will be.
Planned to return to my old stomping grounds on Saturday, July 24th, but a couple of tornadoes (actually 3) changed my mind. Looked at the weather map on TV and saw where Route 590 met the Lackawaxen River was right in the middle of the storm. Cancelled and made the trip on the 31st. Water was nice, moss was GREEN, and the "LACK" proved to be as she always was, a tough stream to fish. I had four fish in the first five casts including a 16 and 13-inch Rainbows all shortly after 6am and didn't get another bite until Sam. No wonder so many fishermen get frustrated fishing the "LACK"!! This was my first trip ther in nearly 2 years...Seemed there was always something in the way. One thing, I'd forgotten how difficult this river was to wade even though I was never more than ten feet from shore. I STILL ACHE two days later.
Pray for MORE rain !
P.S. After years of begging PPL to release water during the HOT, DRY Summer months, this year they are doing it every day 7am to 6pm with what they call a "cooling flow", and believe me the fish were in excellent shape. There is a larger release on Friday 10am to 3pm for rafting.
FROM THE STREAM........................................................................................... BOB EVANS
May, June 2010
It's been a while since I updated you. I had been fishing frequently until late June when other activities reduced my to ZERO. Now in early July, when I'm ready to challenge the Trico Hatch, the shower has been turned off and the heat turned up. As I write this, we're approximately 5 inch behind in rainfall. Let's just hope the fish make it through this week of 90 degree weather until the rain starts again.
Now let's talk about successful fishing. I've been returning to the Tunkhannock Creek behind the College with good reason... That Rainbow is still there! The best outing I had in May was on a rainy evening. The stream was UP but clear and very fishable. Also cooler than the previous trip. For some reason that stream seems to warm up faster than Bowmans. Guess what fly I started with. NO, Not the Wooly Bugger... The White Moulting Hendrickson Nymph. No logic to it except that these fish seem to love this fly. Hooked fish almost from the first cast.. .Rainbows from 10 to 14 inches. Then one take was vicious and I though I'd hooked my favorite Rainbow again, so I applied the pressure, all that a 31b leader will allow, and wakled him downstream. No it wasn't him.. .JUST an 18 inch Brown. Later in the evening, my friend said hello with about a 3 foot leap just 20 feet below me. Nice to know he's still around.
On Memorial Day I joined Gary on the Brodhead and found it exactly as he had described it from previous trips. Lots of big fish, very active in the cool water but very, VERY picky !!! Landed some smaller ones, missed most and brought to net a very nice pair of children's sneakers which happened to float down to me from the area the kids were using to cool off. Amazingly, the swimming and splashing seemed to have little affect on the trout. If you're looking for a stream that remains cool in this weather, I suggest the Brodhead.
The Holiday week was now over. My son and his wife were in from MN, so my fishing was curtailed. Now in the second week of June, I returned to the Tunkhannock behind the college. All the students GONE! A few Summer Camp and Classes still there, but my van was nearly the only one parked by the stream. Buy the way, all year I think I've seen only 2 other fishermen that weren't with me hi the numerous tunes I've fished there. Started with beadhead nymphs with some success.. .Ther were NO signs of a hatch until nearly 8pm when I saw one , that's right, ONE Hendrichson hatch. As it was getting dark, I decided to put on a Hendrickson to finish the night, Caught a few as I worked my way down to where MY FRIEND hung out and when I was in good casting position, I placed the Hendrickson in his area and the fly disappeared in a small circle. I set the hook, had the fish, but it didn't act like HIM. Barely a tug until he decided to put on a show and stripped line to the end of the pool.. .BEFORE I COULD WALK HTM DOWN and get him under control. Sure enough I saw the line make a BIG loop and realized he was headed for the tree!! He wrapped me up and snapped the 2 Ib leader and left me to cross the stream to retrieve what was left. HE MADE AN IDIOT OF ME !
Unfortunately, that wasn't the worst thing to happen to me. When I crossed back over the bridge, the GATE WAS LOCKED !.' I realized I'd have to wade downstream, in the dark, to the bench and then follow the path to the parking lot. Surprise, surprise .. .They hadn't cleared the path all season, so I had to push my way through about 20 feet of 6 foot high growth to escape. Later I talked to a Security person and he was kind enough to tell me how to avoid that next time.
Pray for Rain.
FROM THE STREAM.......................................................................................... BOB EVANS
April 2010
Hello fishermen and fisherwomen. Here's a report on pre-season and the first week of the open season in our region of the state. I broke out my fishing gear in the first week of March right after'I hand delivered my taxes to the CPA. I had already transferred the Fall Selection of flies such as Hoppers, Beatles, Streamers, etc. from my patches to their appointed locations in the appropriate containers. Now it was time for the bead-head Caddis, White Wooly Bugger, Egg patterns(White and Orange), White Hendrickson (Moulting Nymph, Montana Nymph and an Elk-hair Caddis (Dry) brown body.. Tunkhannock Creek behind Keystone College which is Artificial Lure Only and Catch and Release year round expect for June 15 to Labor Day is always stocked in late February. I believe it has something to do with the Environmental Studies at the college. A student I talked to inMarch said they had already shocked the stream in certain places to count the fish and to check then- health . March 8th was my first trip and even though the water was high, cold and discolored, my large White Wooly Bugger found the jaw of a very strong 14 inch Rainbow who had already learned how to use the currect to his advantage. Put up a great fight and swam away quickly when released. Weekly trips thereafter were less rewarding even though the water was dropping and clearing. Then came that Snow-Rain event which kept me away from the stream for a few days, but even after 2 days of no rain, when I drove up hi the middle of the following week, I noticed that Bowmans was running high and muddy. Ever the optimist, I told myself Tunkhannock Creek flows from the opposite direction . Maybe I'll get lucky. NO WAY ! I took one look at the stream and returned home. When I revisited the stream the next week, it was much lower and relatively clear. I started with a bead-head nymph and landed a chunky 10 inch Brookie. Fished it hard but without any more luck. Then I returned to the top of the run and switched to the white Hendrickson nymph. After only about five casts I felt the tapof a fish and then the weight of a good fish which was a Rainbow that promptly took to the air and threw the hook. It was the same experience I'd had last pre-season with a fish about the same size. Keep that in mind!! Now you may ask, "Why I was so dedicated to that stream?" Frankly, I was hoping to be there when the THOUSANDS of Caddis that covered the bottom of Tunkhannock Creek started to hatch. So far no luck prior to Opening Day.
But Opening Day found me at Bowmans Creek mainly because of the Cheeseburgers that were waiting in the parking area. This day I decided to go to my favorite section of the Fly Area and that's the deeper upper end near the hatchery. I was the ONLY one there. No signs of fish either ! After pounding that strech for over 3 hours, I retreated to the Cliff Pool near the hatchery pond. I shared this large pool with a father and young son who were fishing the upper section that is "Open Water". Shortly after I got there (about 11:30am) some fish started to rise . Surprisingly the father and son started to catch fish at the same time. I put on the Elk-Hair Caddis, because I'd seen many empty cases on dry ground when I was downstream . Sure enough that's what they wanted, but I missed the first 6 fish I rose. Finally I hooked one (a chunky Brookie) and brought him to net only to discover why I'd missed so many of his friends. This fish was SOOO full of food there was no room hi his mouth for the fly... I'd hooked him on the outside of the lower rip. While I was removing the hook, the food was falling out of his mouth. In my 5Q-f years of fishing I've only seen this a few tunes. This is a good sign for Bowmans Creek and the fish in it.. Now it's Wednesday, April 21st, and the weatherman says it's going to be the best day of the week. So where was I ? Back at Tunkhannock Creek with visions of Caddis dancing everywhere. Arrived and dressed by 10:30am and the Caddis were hatching. By the time I crossed the bridge and entered the stream, they were numerous (keep you mouth shut numerous) but there weren't many rises . Covered the few risers I saw without luck until I had one rise within a poles length of me. I flipped the line upstream hoping to find the correct feeding lane, buy I was two to three feet too far. So when the line had passed him., I stripped in most of my line and flipped the remainder upstream again. PERFECT !! He took it, and as he headed for the nearby tree branches, I clamped down on the line and started walking him downstream. Realizing the tree was out of reach, he charged downstream and finished the reel stripping run with a spectacular leap. The line held, and after what seemed like forever I brought the beautiful 41b Rainbow to net. Needed the pliers to remove the hook, took some photos and turned him loose. The next few minutes were difficult fishing, because to only risers were behind a rock in an eddy and on the other side of the tree limb. Fished above, below and over the tree limb but couldn't attain a good drift, so I went upstream. NO ACTION AT ALL !! After nearly an hour, I returned to the previous stretch . Fish still rising behind that rock and NO, IT CAN'T BE ! A fish rising where I'd caught that Rainbow !
Made only a few casts when the fish rose and took the Caddis. Again I had to clamp down on the line and walk him away from the tree. This time though he jumped once and then did a cartwheel which is probably when the hook left his jaw and hooked again below his tail. When I realized he was foul-hooked, I grabbed the line and brought him in as fast as possible. Of course, when I reached the 3 pound leader, it only took one surge and the leader snapped and he was gone leader, fly and all.
Now remember that fish a few weeks ago that I hooked on the white Hendrickson nymph . Same place, same fish YOU THINK? Three cracks at a fish that big ! I wonder how many times I'll catch him.
FROM THE STREAM...MARCH 2010.............................. BOB EVANS
By this time your TAXES should be done or at the very least at the tax preparer. Now is the time to bring
your vest(s) to the kitchen or any room where you have plenty of light and reorganize every patch and
pocket. In my case, I start with my bait-fishing vest and make sure all lures are where I expect them to be,
make sure the emergency rain jacket is still useable, and make sure I have enough bobbers, hooks(several
sizes), pre-tied gang hook leaders swivels and an assortment of weights and last but not least a spool of
Maxima 51b. Leader.
Then it's on to my fly fishing equipment. First a quick check of all the rods(3) for lose or missing guides,
repair if necessary and coat all of the threads with clear fingernail polish. By the way, a light coat on the
male section of each joint will tighten up you rod.. Now, a quick scan of each patch to remove Fall and
Winter flies and return them to the proper container all the while doing inventory on each and making a
note of needed replacements. Next it's the fly boxes and wool-lined wallets to determine the available
inventory of all other flies. At this point I'm usually compelled to return to the van for my back-up supply
of flies, as I rarely carry more than 3 to5 of any one variety in my vest. How often do I come up short while
on the stream? More often than I care to admit. Of course, having the right fly in the correct size and shade
would add another 10 Ibs. to my already 301b. Vest.
Organization is the key !! Pre-season flies go on the patches... .Egg patterns, molting nymphs, Stone fly
nymphs (Black for Bowmans, Brown for the Lackawanna and Yellow for the Lackawaxen) p.s. there was a
hatch of black stone flies on the Susquehanna last week,.. .And a few medium Wooly Buggers.
Next the fly boxes themselves.. .First Row Top Left Side... .Attractors such as Adams, Royal Coachman,
Patriot all dry. Second Row .. .Hendricksons, a few sizes and types (I often do very well with Compara
Dun style) Third Row .. .March Browns.. .The bigger, the better !.. .Again different styles and sizes.
Third Row....Cahills, BWO, Rusty Spinner (Big and Small) Next 3 Rows ...Caddis ..One row each
Green Body, Black Body and Tan Body in various styles and sizes
Right Side First Row Spinners, floating nymphs.. .Second Row.. .Floating emergers Third Row.. .Drakes
in Green, Tan and White. Remaining Rows... Terrestrials and assorted wet flies.
If you're wondering where my Griffith Gnats and Trico are.. .That's another fly box and I DO need to
restock that.
While I have the vests in the house I'll check the nets, the tools attached and the floatant, line cleaner and
leader sink I know I need a new cord for my net on my fly vest but few stores carry the cords separate from
the net.
The most time consuming task is to clean the reels and line and check the leaders(I tie my own) and retie
where necessary. Better to check now than to lose that first good fish in the Spring.
Are you seriously ready for THIS SPRING??? We finished last year short a few niches of rain from normal
and already this year we are short anywhere from an inch or two. If that condition doesn't change, we could
be looking at lower than normal water levels and the affect that may have on water temperature and
hatches..
Pay attention!!............................................................................................................ See you on the stream.
