 New
in 2005 - Floats
For Four, Say No More!
Fly Fish PA now can accommodate four
person float trips. With the off-season acquisition of
a 2005 ClackaCraft
15LP - we are your answer for corporate outings, reunions,
get-togethers or just a good 'ole fashion day of hangin'
out with your buds! Leave the golf course behind and hit
the water! Contact
us if you have any questions.
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June
29, 2005 - NE PA Report
Finally!!! We are
getting some much needed rain. Even though it
came in sudden bursts.
Earlier this week
we had a good group of guys from FL, OH and AL.
It would have been a Lehigh trip, but with the
low flows and high temps, we opted for a nearby
water. All was good to us! Just enough bugs and
lots of fish.
Enjoy
the holiday. It is time to get outta Dodge, aka.....Philly!!!!!
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Awesome looking PA summertime brownie.
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June 27, 2005
- Update
Please take the time to submit your
comments AGAIN
to the PFBC regarding the Simplification
Proposal. They have extended the comment period
due to some changes to the Fisheries Committee proposal.
Under the new proposal - harvest size would be 18"
on Trophy Trout waters. We need to protect these big
fish. Tell them you oppose the TT Regs and endorse the
C&R Regs. It's that simple. Send your comments here.
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PFBC
Fisheries Committee Reconciled Proposal
- Simplifying Trout Regulations
Catch & Release Fly Fishing Only
*No
harvest year-round.
*Barbless
hooks only.
Trophy
Trout Artificial Lures Only
*No
harvest - Labor Day to following opening
day of trout season.
*Opening
day to Labor Day - harvest 1 trout 18"
or larger (the *24" minimum proposed
at an earlier meeting was abandoned as being
unrealistic).
*Barbed
hooks may be used.
Trophy Trout
All Tackle
*Same
as TTALO except that bait may be used.
*Applies
to 5 stream sections only.
Wading and
24-Hour Fishing Permitted in All Streams
*Consider
putting into effect unless landowner requests
otherwise.
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June 21, 2005
- Upper Lehigh River Report
With the cooler water and air temps,
but lack of flow for floating, we decided to recon a
few areas below Francis E Walter. Water temp was 66-67
in late afternoon and the bugs were hatching big time.
Lots of isos, sulphurs, olives, little green and yellow
sallies as well as a few mayfly spinners thrown in for
good measure. And each rock contained lots of nymphs
- and great numbers of BIG stoneflies. We picked up
a mix of browns, bows and brookies.
Hot flies were olive cdc sparkle dun,
sulphur sparkle dun and iso sparkle dun.
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A nicely colored Lehigh River brown.
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June 17, 2005
- Update
Last year at this time we were cancelling
trips due to too much water. This year we are cancelling
trips because of a lack of water and high water temps.
Oh well...what can ya do.
The bigger trout waters are at the stressed
level. But with this little repreave in the heat - water
temps will back down some, but the underlying theme
is - we need some rain. Just think if we did not have
those three years of wet weather. Our waters would be
flatlined A LOT lower than they are now.
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Tully - As
for a report...we did manage to seek in a trip
with JoAnne and her son Brad on the Tully earlier
this week. There was a lot of streamside instruction
since we did not want to get in the water till
the low-light hours. Overall the fishing was alright.
Each managed to pick up a fish, and there were
plenty of fish flashing down deep. The key was
to get the fly deep. The fish were not showing
at all, and so some lead was needed to get the
fly down. Once again the nitro did the trick.
We hope to start hitting the 'Hanna soon!!!!
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This week has seen
a historic moment for the Lehigh River below Francis
E Walter. Never in its 44 year history has this reservoir
ever had a true coldwater release until Tuesday. Take
a look at the chart above. On Tuesday water from the
bottom of the lake was mixed with water from an upper
level. This drastically brought the water temps down.
The thing is there is not much coldwater to work with....and
the Army Corps does not want to exhaust all of it
at once, so they are tyring to maximize it via a mixing
plan. Pretty neat stuff!
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June 13, 2005 - Sweatfest
Update
This Wednesday is
the deadline to submit comments to the PFBC about the 'Simplification
Process for Trout Regulations.' Please send in your comments,
if you have not done so already, stating a preference for
the C&R alternative. This focus is the best management
practice for our top trout waters. To read more about this
proposal - click
here. Comments can be emailed to the PFBC @ ra-pfbcregs@state.pa.us.
Thank you!
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Click on the
photo above to read more about the Po. This is
a great little tailwater. Good bug life and lots
of fish. Check it out.
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Due to high water temps we decided to reschedule
the trips we had lined up over the weekend. By the end
of the week air and water temps
should come back to more trout tolerable levels. Most
important right now is some much needed rain, and cooler
overnight temps. This is vital for a trout stream.
shoot
us an e
if you have any questions
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Temps on all but the
absolute coldest trout waters - like Big Spring and
the Po - are borderline too warm for fishing.
Be responsible and hit the headwater brookie waters
or try the warmwater action. 
Redbreasts and a Rock.
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June
10, 2005 - Lehigh River Report
Hit the river the other night for an extended evening
float with Mike. He and his wife fished with us the
other week. Mike was out fished by his wife Pam and
wanted to redeem himself. After last night I think he
did. Mike landed only two fish but stuck at least a
half dozen more which spit the hook - a couple of which
were in the 15" range. Of the two fish landed,
one fish was a 6" brook trout and the other a nice
13" 'bow that was in great condition.
Questions are now being raised as to whether the PFBC
or some other group slipped some fingerlings in the
river. It is highly unlikely though since this brookie
was gorgeous, all fins intact and extremely fat. Bugs
observed hatching were BWOs, sulphurs, big stones and
a few caddis.
No pics tonight. Wanted to limit stress on the fish.
Water temps were in the low 70s. Not ideal for trout
fishing but the fish were active. Release from Francis
E Walter was 250 cfs and 63-64 degree F. This is not
cold enough and more storage is needed to sustain this
fishery for over 50 miles from the dam. I will say this
- water temps could have been much higher if the release
was in the high 60s as it normally is this time of year.
So with the 90+ heat we have been experiencing lately,
we really are seeing a slight improvement on a small
scale as a result of the Corps storing more water in
the reservoir. Water temps could have been a lot worse
if not lethal to the fish last night in that heat.
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June 8, 2005 - Martha's
Vineyard Recap
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We are back in PA and another year of MV is in the
books. This year will be remembered for the big fish
our group tangled with and all the bluefish you could
ever want!!!!
Everyday brought an onslaught of bluefish devouring
anything you threw at them. At times we had five people
hooked-up on the fly at one time. A super-fast strip
did the trick, as it did not matter what kind of fly
you used. Then once the blues would begin to thin out
- which was usually toward the end of the evening -
the bass moved in. And some were big! We got numerous
fish in the mid-20" range and a bunch over 30".
The highlight was a 42" pig - picked up on a white
streamer. It was let go to fight another day. Most effective
fly of the nighttime hours was our Pusher
Fly! Either white or black. Check it out.
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42" fly rod bass! Truely a trophy
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This bass was picked up amongst the
wolfpack blues that are all around the island.
pomatomus saltatrix
Just think what this fish will weigh come the fall
blitz!!
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According to the islanders the fishing has been the
best they have seen in years - for this time of year.
Of course though, the action for the Martha's Vineyard
Rod and Gun Club Catch and Release Tourney was less
then stellar - and did not reach expectations. Lobsterville
was dead as was Dogfish...but if you looked around
- you found the fish. In fact I can't remember when
Lobsterville has been on for this event. Nonetheless
MV never disappoints.
We are back on the Lehigh this week. Low water continues
to plague our streams. It is hard to believe we need
rain to replenish our watersheds after the three wet
years we've had, but we need it big time! Now is the
time to think twice about hitting your local trout
water, as the fish might need a break if this heat
and lack of rain continues.
Look for reports as the week progresses.
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