Fly Fishing Hacklebarney State Park: Trout Brook and Rinehart Brook

After a day of shopping for an upcoming wedding, Jackie and I headed to Hacklebarney State Park. Two wild trout streams run through the park on their way to the Black River. The first, Trout Brook, features long stretches of calm water punctuated by a number of waterfalls at its more precipitous drop-points. On the other hand, Rinehart Brook cascades violently through the steep gorge its periodic floods have carved into the forest floor. Because time was short, I caught only one wild brook trout out of Trout Brook. Our lack of time was unfortunate, but I hope to go back sometime soon.

On our way to my father's house, we stopped at Teetertown. I caught one wild brook during my attempts to land a river chub for my dad's fresh water fish-tank. I'm off to Massachusetts tomorrow and hope to fish the Swift River. Check back in a few days!




Image #1 - The wild brook from Trout Brook
Image #2 - Rhinehart Brook


Overall Total: 87

River Breakdown:

Teetertown Brook - 18 (18 Wild Brook)
Raritan River, South Branch - 12 (8 Stocked Rainbow, 3 Stocked Brown, 1 Wild Brown)
Marshalls Creek - 8 (8 Wild Brook)
Elk Creek - 5 (5 Wild Brown)
Elk River - 5 (3 Stocked Rainbow, 1 Stocked Brook, 1 Wild Brown)
Penns Creek - 5 (5 Wild Brown)
Spring Creek - 5 (4 Wild Rainbow, 1 Wild Brown)
Stony Brook - 4 (4 Stocked Rainbow)
Paulinskill River - 4 (2 Stocked Brook, 2 Stocked Rainbow)
Bushkill Creek - 3 (2 Stocked Rainbow, 1 Stocked Brown)
Fishing Creek - 3 (3 Wild Brown)
Lost Cove Creek - 3 (2 Wild Rainbow, 1 Wild Brook)
Brodhead Creek - 2 (1 Stocked Brown, 1 Wild Brown)
Roaring Run - 2 (2 Wild Brook)
Hickory Run - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
Little Glade Creek - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
Mill Creek - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
Mud Run - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
Poplar Run - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
Rockaway Creek - (1 Wild Brown)
Trout Brook - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
White Deer Creek - 1 (1 Stocked Brook)


Species Breakdown:

Brook Trout - 38
Wild - 34
Stocked - 4

Brown Trout - 25
Wild - 19
Stocked - 6

Rainbow Trout - 24
Stocked - 18
Wild - 6


Wild Trout - 59
Stocked Trout - 28


Trout 15+ Inches: 4


Fly Breakdown:
Olive Wooly Bugger, size 14 - 20 (20 Wild Brook)
Bead-head Pheasant Tail Nymph, size 14 - 10 (8 Stocked Rainbow, 2 Stocked Brown)
Tan Caddis, size 14 - 5 (5 Wild Brown)
Sulphur dun, size 16 - 4 (2 Wild Rainbow, 1 Wild Brook, 1 Stocked Rainbow)
Bead-head Copper John Nymph, size 16 - 3 (3 Wild Brook)
Black Caddis, size 14 - 3 (2 Wild Brown, 1 Stocked Brown)
Gummy Stonefly, size 14 - 3 (2 Wild Brown, 1 Stocked Rainbow)
Bead-head Black Stonefly Nymph, size 10 - 2 (1 Stocked Brown, 1 Stocked Rainbow)
Brown Stonefly nymph, size 10 - 2 (1 Stocked Brook, 1 Stocked Rainbow)
Green Weenie, size 14 - 2 (2 Wild Rainbow)
Bead-head Green Weenie, size 14 - 1 (1 Stocked Brook)
Bead-head Hare's Ear Nymph, size 14 - 1 (1 Stocked Rainbow)
Blue Quill, size 16 - 1 (1 Wild Brown)
Blue Winged Olive, size 18 - 1 (1 Wild Rainbow)
Golden Stonefly, size 8 - 1 (1 Wild Brown)
Scud, size 16 - 1 (1 Wild Rainbow)
Sulphur dun, size 14 - 1 (1 Wild Brown)


Angling Breakdown:

Fly Fishing Rod - 61 (24 Wild Brook, 13 Stocked Rainbow, 12 Wild Brown, 6 Wild Rainbow, 4 Stocked Brown, 2 Stocked Brook)
Spinning Rod - 26 (10 Wild Brook, 7 Wild Brown, 5 Stocked Rainbow, 2 Stocked Brook, 2 Stocked Brown)


State Breakdown:
New Jersey - 41
Pennsylvania - 35
North Carolina - 9
Virginia - 2

Fly Fishing Rockaway Creek

Today, Jackie and I stopped at Rockaway Creek on our way to see my family in Hackettstown. Last week I had zero success fishing this cold and clear mountain stream. Today, however, I caught a 12 inch wild brown trout on a size 14 gummy stonefly nymph. It was a beautiful fish and was easily one of the largest wild trout I've caught in New Jersey. Rockaway is a wonderful stream; the spot, though, will remain a relative secret.

I am always struck by the level of achievement I feel after catching only one wild trout. There's something entrancing about landing a wily native, or a smart wild fish. It's not that these types of trout are necessarily better than their stocked counterparts; instead, catching a wild trout in New Jersey encourages fantasies about what eastern trout fishing was like before the advent of highway systems, the implementation of planned suburbs, and the popularity of detrimental stocking programs. For me, catching one 12 inch wild brown means more than landing a dozen 15 inch stocked fish.

Image #1 - Rockaway Creek
Image #2 - Wild brown trout from Rockaway Creek


Overall Total: 85

River Breakdown:

Teetertown Brook - 17 (17 Wild Brook)
Raritan River, South Branch - 12 (8 Stocked Rainbow, 3 Stocked Brown, 1 Wild Brown)
Marshalls Creek - 8 (8 Wild Brook)
Elk Creek - 5 (5 Wild Brown)
Elk River - 5 (3 Stocked Rainbow, 1 Stocked Brook, 1 Wild Brown)
Penns Creek - 5 (5 Wild Brown)
Spring Creek - 5 (4 Wild Rainbow, 1 Wild Brown)
Stony Brook - 4 (4 Stocked Rainbow)
Paulinskill River - 4 (2 Stocked Brook, 2 Stocked Rainbow)
Bushkill Creek - 3 (2 Stocked Rainbow, 1 Stocked Brown)
Fishing Creek - 3 (3 Wild Brown)
Lost Cove Creek - 3 (2 Wild Rainbow, 1 Wild Brook)
Brodhead Creek - 2 (1 Stocked Brown, 1 Wild Brown)
Roaring Run - 2 (2 Wild Brook)
Hickory Run - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
Little Glade Creek - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
Mill Creek - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
Mud Run - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
Poplar Run - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
Rockaway Creek - (1 Wild Brown)
White Deer Creek - 1 (1 Stocked Brook)


Species Breakdown:

Brook Trout - 36
Wild - 32
Stocked - 4

Brown Trout - 25
Wild - 19
Stocked - 6

Rainbow Trout - 24
Stocked - 18
Wild - 6


Wild Trout - 57
Stocked Trout - 28


Trout 15+ Inches: 4


Fly Breakdown:
Olive Wooly Bugger, size 14 - 19 (19 Wild Brook)
Bead-head Pheasant Tail Nymph, size 14 - 10 (8 Stocked Rainbow, 2 Stocked Brown)
Tan Caddis, size 14 - 5 (5 Wild Brown)
Sulphur dun, size 16 - 4 (2 Wild Rainbow, 1 Wild Brook, 1 Stocked Rainbow)
Bead-head Copper John Nymph, size 16 - 3 (3 Wild Brook)
Black Caddis, size 14 - 3 (2 Wild Brown, 1 Stocked Brown)
Gummy Stonefly, size 14 - 3 (2 Wild Brown, 1 Stocked Rainbow)
Bead-head Black Stonefly Nymph, size 10 - 2 (1 Stocked Brown, 1 Stocked Rainbow)
Brown Stonefly nymph, size 10 - 2 (1 Stocked Brook, 1 Stocked Rainbow)
Green Weenie, size 14 - 2 (2 Wild Rainbow)
Bead-head Green Weenie, size 14 - 1 (1 Stocked Brook)
Bead-head Hare's Ear Nymph, size 14 - 1 (1 Stocked Rainbow)
Blue Quill, size 16 - 1 (1 Wild Brown)
Blue Winged Olive, size 18 - 1 (1 Wild Rainbow)
Golden Stonefly, size 8 - 1 (1 Wild Brown)
Scud, size 16 - 1 (1 Wild Rainbow)
Sulphur dun, size 14 - 1 (1 Wild Brown)


Angling Breakdown:

Fly Fishing Rod - 60 (23 Wild Brook, 13 Stocked Rainbow, 12 Wild Brown, 6 Wild Rainbow, 4 Stocked Brown, 2 Stocked Brook)
Spinning Rod - 25 (9 Wild Brook, 7 Wild Brown, 5 Stocked Rainbow, 2 Stocked Brook, 2 Stocked Brown)


State Breakdown:
New Jersey - 39
Pennsylvania - 35
North Carolina - 9
Virginia - 2

Fly Fishing the South Branch of the Raritan River and Teetertown Brook

Last week I dodged the rain and fished both the Ken Lockwood Gorge and Teetertown Brook. My second trip to Teetertown wasn't as productive as the first; indeed, I only caught five wild brook trout. In addition, the trout were less willing to hit the small wooly bugger that was so effective the last time I drove up to Califon (I only caught two on the fly rod; the other three took my small spinner). Before heading to the Raritan, I stopped at Hickory Run. The state owns land along this wild brook trout tributary near Route 513. I added one wild brook to my total.

The Gorge was running high, but I managed to land three trout on the fly. Two took a "gummy" stonefly and one took a bead-head hare's ear nymph. Interestingly, one of the stonefly trout was a wild brown. I've found that the Raritan's wild trout hide out in the fast runs; apparently, the stocked fish find this type of terrain somewhat undesirable.

I also fished a section of the Rockaway Creek near Mountainville. The river was running high and clear, and I didn't catch anything. I hope to try again sometime soon. My time at Teetertown, Hickory Run, and Rockaway is part of my effort to catch more wild trout in the state of New Jersey. If any readers know of any good wild trout spots (in addition to these and Van Campens/Dunnfield Creek) please let me know!


Image #1: Teetertown Brook
Image #2: Wild brook trout from Teetertown Brook
Image #3: Purple Flowering Raspberry




Overall Total: 84

River Breakdown:

Teetertown Brook - 17 (17 Wild Brook)
Raritan River, South Branch - 12 (8 Stocked Rainbow, 3 Stocked Brown, 1 Wild Brown)
Marshalls Creek - 8 (8 Wild Brook)
Elk Creek - 5 (5 Wild Brown)
Elk River - 5 (3 Stocked Rainbow, 1 Stocked Brook, 1 Wild Brown)
Penns Creek - 5 (5 Wild Brown)
Spring Creek - 5 (4 Wild Rainbow, 1 Wild Brown)
Stony Brook - 4 (4 Stocked Rainbow)
Paulinskill River - 4 (2 Stocked Brook, 2 Stocked Rainbow)
Bushkill Creek - 3 (2 Stocked Rainbow, 1 Stocked Brown)
Fishing Creek - 3 (3 Wild Brown)
Lost Cove Creek - 3 (2 Wild Rainbow, 1 Wild Brook)
Brodhead Creek - 2 (1 Stocked Brown, 1 Wild Brown)
Roaring Run - 2 (2 Wild Brook)
Hickory Run - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
Little Glade Creek - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
Mill Creek - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
Mud Run - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
Poplar Run - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
White Deer Creek - 1 (1 Stocked Brook)


Species Breakdown:

Brook Trout - 36
Wild - 32
Stocked - 4

Brown Trout - 24
Wild - 18
Stocked - 6

Rainbow Trout - 24
Stocked - 18
Wild - 6


Wild Trout - 56
Stocked Trout - 28


Trout 15+ Inches: 4


Fly Breakdown:
Olive Wooly Bugger, size 14 - 19 (19 Wild Brook)
Bead-head Pheasant Tail Nymph, size 14 - 10 (8 Stocked Rainbow, 2 Stocked Brown)
Tan Caddis, size 14 - 5 (5 Wild Brown)
Sulphur dun, size 16 - 4 (2 Wild Rainbow, 1 Wild Brook, 1 Stocked Rainbow)
Bead-head Copper John Nymph, size 16 - 3 (3 Wild Brook)
Black Caddis, size 14 - 3 (2 Wild Brown, 1 Stocked Brown)
Bead-head Black Stonefly Nymph, size 10 - 2 (1 Stocked Brown, 1 Stocked Rainbow)
Brown Stonefly nymph, size 10 - 2 (1 Stocked Brook, 1 Stocked Rainbow)
Green Weenie, size 14 - 2 (2 Wild Rainbow)
Gummy Stonefly, size 14 - 2 (1 Stocked Rainbow, 1 Wild Brown)
Bead-head Green Weenie, size 14 - 1 (1 Stocked Brook)
Bead-head Hare's Ear Nymph, size 14 - 1 (1 Stocked Rainbow)
Blue Quill, size 16 - 1 (1 Wild Brown)
Blue Winged Olive, size 18 - 1 (1 Wild Rainbow)
Golden Stonefly, size 8 - 1 (1 Wild Brown)
Scud, size 16 - 1 (1 Wild Rainbow)
Sulphur dun, size 14 - 1 (1 Wild Brown)


Angling Breakdown:

Fly Fishing Rod - 59 (23 Wild Brook, 13 Stocked Rainbow, 11 Wild Brown, 6 Wild Rainbow, 4 Stocked Brown, 2 Stocked Brook)
Spinning Rod - 25 (9 Wild Brook, 7 Wild Brown, 5 Stocked Rainbow, 2 Stocked Brook, 2 Stocked Brown)


State Breakdown:
New Jersey - 38
Pennsylvania - 35
North Carolina - 9
Virginia - 2

Fly Fishing Northeast Pennsylvania's Brodhead Creek and Bushkill Creek

Yesterday I headed to the Poconos with my best friend Will. The plan was to catch trout in two of my favorite rivers: the Brodhead and the Bushkill. I consider the Brodhead one of my home streams; indeed, Will and I have fished the river since we were kids. In addition, the Bushkill was where I learned to fly fish, rendering it a different type of home water.

The day was full of rain, and we dodged the bands of thunderstorms from the moment we left central New Jersey. Both the Brodhead and the Bushkill were full to the brim, with each boasting nearly 90% flow. Nevertheless, we started in Analomink at the very northern limit of the river's public trout waters. Because of the high water, I turned to a reliable standard: a size 10 bead-head black stonefly nymph. After letting the fly drift naturally through the racing water, I suspended it at the end of my slack. This method of nymph-suspending abeyance allows trout a few extra seconds to strike the fly in fast water. Sure enough, a 15 inch stocked brown trout hit the stonefly. Because of the fast water, the rising flow, and the size of the fish, the fight took nearly 15 minutes. There were several moments when I thought the trout would race into the thalweg (the fastest part of the stream at any given point) and be carried down into a violent rapids section. If that had happened, I would have lost any chance to land it (although I probably would have SWAM after that trout and tried to catch it with my bare-hands). Eventually, I worked the fish to the river's bank, where it became tangled around a log. I freed the line from the fallen tree, but the trout retook its position in the center of the creek. Finally, the fish tired out and I pulled it to shore. I owe many thanks to Will's play-by-play analysis and his insights about the best way to land the fish. In image #2 you can see how much tension was on the fly rod. Catching a big fish during a flood is quite the experience. Before we left we took a picture of a decapitated deer head. Kind of gross, but kind of interesting as well.

After our time in Analomink, we drove to Stroudsburg's Glen Park. The Brodhead picks up quite a bit of water at this point in its journey to the Delaware. About a mile into the "gorge" lies a favorite spot: an old, broken-apart concrete dam. Although the river was raging at this point, I caught a wild brown trout in the water right above the dam. I was surprised to catch a wild fish that far downstream; most of the wild trout in the public waters of the Brodhead are confined to the northern sections of the stream. In any case, evidence of wild trout reproduction in the Brodhead is always a welcome occurrence. The river could be truly wonderful if the state didn't stock it and put-and-take fishermen didn't destroy its natural ecosystem.

We ended our day by fishing the roaring waters of the Bushkill Creek. The river was close to overflowing its banks, but I managed to catch one stocked rainbow on the stonefly and two stocked browns on the Panther Martin spinner. The total for the day was 5: 3 stocked browns, 1 stocked rainbow, and 1 wild brown. Not bad for a day full of thunder, lightning, and flooding.

Image #1: The big brown
Image #2: Fighting the big fish
Image #3: Deer head


Overall Total: 75

River Breakdown:

Teetertown Brook - 12 (12 Wild Brook)
Raritan River, South Branch - 9 (6 Stocked Rainbow, 3 Stocked Brown)
Marshalls Creek - 8 (8 Wild Brook)
Elk Creek - 5 (5 Wild Brown)
Elk River - 5 (3 Stocked Rainbow, 1 Stocked Brook, 1 Wild Brown)
Penns Creek - 5 (5 Wild Brown)
Spring Creek - 5 (4 Wild Rainbow, 1 Wild Brown)
Stony Brook - 4 (4 Stocked Rainbow)
Paulinskill River - 4 (2 Stocked Brook, 2 Stocked Rainbow)
Bushkill Creek - 3 (2 Stocked Rainbow, 1 Stocked Brown)
Fishing Creek - 3 (3 Wild Brown)
Lost Cove Creek - 3 (2 Wild Rainbow, 1 Wild Brook)
Brodhead Creek - 2 (1 Stocked Brown, 1 Wild Brown)
Roaring Run - 2 (2 Wild Brook)
Little Glade Creek - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
Mill Creek - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
Mud Run - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
Poplar Run - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
White Deer Creek - 1 (1 Stocked Brook)


Species Breakdown:

Brook Trout - 31
Wild - 27
Stocked - 4

Brown Trout - 22
Wild - 16
Stocked - 6

Rainbow Trout - 22
Stocked - 16
Wild - 6


Wild Trout - 49
Stocked Trout - 26


Trout 15+ Inches: 4


Fly Breakdown:
Olive Wooly Bugger, size 14 - 17 (17 Wild Brook)
Bead-head Pheasant Tail Nymph, size 14 - 10 (8 Stocked Rainbow, 2 Stocked Brown)
Tan Caddis, size 14 - 5 (5 Wild Brown)
Sulphur dun, size 16 - 4 (2 Wild Rainbow, 1 Wild Brook, 1 Stocked Rainbow)
Bead-head Copper John Nymph, size 16 - 3 (3 Wild Brook)
Black Caddis, size 14 - 3 (2 Wild Brown, 1 Stocked Brown)
Bead-head Black Stonefly Nymph, size 10 - 2 (1 Stocked Brown, 1 Stocked Rainbow)
Brown Stonefly nymph, size 10 - 2 (1 Stocked Brook, 1 Stocked Rainbow)
Green Weenie, size 14 - 2 (2 Wild Rainbow)
Bead-head Green Weenie, size 14 - 1 (1 Stocked Brook)
Blue Quill, size 16 - 1 (1 Wild Brown)
Blue Winged Olive, size 18 - 1 (1 Wild Rainbow)
Golden Stonefly, size 8 - 1 (1 Wild Brown)
Scud, size 16 - 1 (1 Wild Rainbow)
Sulphur dun, size 14 - 1 (1 Wild Brown)


Angling Breakdown:

Fly Fishing Rod - 54 (21 Wild Brook, 11 Stocked Rainbow, 10 Wild Brown, 6 Wild Rainbow, 4 Stocked Brown, 2 Stocked Brook)
Spinning Rod - 21 (7 Wild Brown, 5 Wild Brook, 5 Stocked Rainbow, 2 Stocked Brook, 2 Stocked Brown)


State Breakdown:
Pennsylvania - 35
New Jersey - 29
North Carolina - 9
Virginia - 2

Fly Fishing Teetertown Brook and the South Branch of the Raritan River

Today I waited out the early morning rain and drove to Teetertown Ravine (near Califon, NJ) around 4 PM. The Teetertown Brook is one of only a few wild brook trout streams in New Jersey. Tetertown is teeming with insect activity; it is full of beautiful runs and mini-waterfalls; and, most importantly, it is loaded with fish. In the end, I caught 12 wild brooks - all on small olive wooly bugger streamers.

I stopped at the Ken Lockwood Gorge on my way back home. The Raritan was high and discolored, but I decided to give it a try anyway. To my surprise, the fish were feeding quite voraciously. I caught 9 trout - 6 stocked rainbows and 3 stocked browns. I landed all but one on size 14 bead-head pheasant's tail nymphs (the other took a size 16 black caddis).

21 trout in 4 hours, all on the fly rod, all in New Jersey. My best day of the year.


Image #1 - Wild brook trout from Teetertown Brook
Image #2 - Tetertown Brook
Image #3 - Wild brook trout from Teetertown Brook



Overall Total: 70

River Breakdown:

Teetertown Brook - 12 (12 Wild Brook)
Raritan River, South Branch - 9 (6 Stocked Rainbow, 3 Stocked Brown)
Marshalls Creek - 8 (8 Wild Brook)
Elk Creek - 5 (5 Wild Brown)
Elk River - 5 (3 Stocked Rainbow, 1 Stocked Brook, 1 Wild Brown)
Penns Creek - 5 (5 Wild Brown)
Spring Creek - 5 (4 Wild Rainbow, 1 Wild Brown)
Stony Brook - 4 (4 Stocked Rainbow)
Paulinskill River - 4 (2 Stocked Brook, 2 Stocked Rainbow)
Fishing Creek - 3 (3 Wild Brown)
Lost Cove Creek - 3 (2 Wild Rainbow, 1 Wild Brook)
Roaring Run - 2 (2 Wild Brook)
Little Glade Creek - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
Mill Creek - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
Mud Run - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
Poplar Run - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
White Deer Creek - 1 (1 Stocked Brook)


Species Breakdown:

Brook Trout - 31
Wild - 27
Stocked - 4

Rainbow Trout - 21
Stocked - 15
Wild - 6

Brown Trout - 18
Wild - 15
Stocked - 3


Wild Trout - 48
Stocked Trout - 22


Trout 15+ Inches: 3


Fly Breakdown:
Olive Wooly Bugger, size 14 - 17 (17 Wild Brook)
Bead-head Pheasant Tail Nymph, size 14 - 10 (8 Stocked Rainbow, 2 Stocked Brown)
Tan Caddis, size 14 - 5 (5 Wild Brown)
Sulphur dun, size 16 - 4 (2 Wild Rainbow, 1 Wild Brook, 1 Stocked Rainbow)
Bead-head Copper John Nymph, size 16 - 3 (3 Wild Brook)
Black Caddis, size 14 - 3 (2 Wild Brown, 1 Stocked Brown)
Brown Stonefly nymph, size 10 - 2 (1 Stocked Brook, 1 Stocked Rainbow)
Green Weenie, size 14 - 2 (2 Wild Rainbow)
Bead-head Green Weenie, size 14 - 1 (1 Stocked Brook)
Blue Quill, size 16 - 1 (1 Wild Brown)
Blue Winged Olive, size 18 - 1 (1 Wild Rainbow)
Golden Stonefly, size 8 - 1 (1 Wild Brown)
Scud, size 16 - 1 (1 Wild Rainbow)
Sulphur dun, size 14 - 1 (1 Wild Brown)



Angling Breakdown:

Fly Fishing Rod - 52 (21 Wild Brook, 10 Wild Brown, 10 Stocked Rainbow, 6 Wild Rainbow, 3 Stocked Brown, 2 Stocked Brook)
Spinning Rod - 18 (6 Wild Brown, 5 Wild Brook, 5 Stocked Rainbow, 2 Stocked Brook)


State Breakdown:
Pennsylvania - 30
New Jersey - 29
North Carolina - 9
Virginia - 2

Fly Fishing North Carolina's Blue Ridge

I admit I'm lucky. Being a doctoral student and a part-time archival processor allows me to set my own schedule, work my preferred hours, and produce my writing from home. For the first week of June, it also enabled me to volunteer for the Avery County Habitat for Humanity organization. Avery County is a rural area situated in North Carolina's Blue Ridge Mountains; it is thus paradoxically beautiful and poor. The region's high elevation, coupled with its ample annual rainfall, fosters wild trout waters that surpass any located in the southern United States. However, Avery County's isolation and its high land prices (driven up by gated communities, ski resorts, and golf courses that cater to the central NC elite) generate high levels of impoverishment. The Habitat project builds homes for qualified families that participate in their house's construction via pecuniary and labor equity.

I fished three rivers during my five days in North Carolina. One night after our work ended, Jackie and I drove an hour to the east to fish Lost Cove Creek. Lost Cove is one of the most beautiful streams I've ever fished. I appreciate its atmosphere so much that I will not divulge the specific area we enjoy (which readers of this blog will recognize is a rare occurrence). Surrounded by flowering mountain laurel, exposed sandstone bedrock and four waterfalls (yes, four, all viewable at once), I caught two wild rainbow trout and one wild brook trout. All three took size 16 sulphur duns. The wild rainbow population is a vestige from a time when Lost Cove was stocked. And although these vibrantly colored foreigners crowd out the native brook trout, their presence is a welcome change from the wild brown trout waters of central Pennsylvania.

Elk River is Avery County's major watershed. The Elk Falls also boast a kick-ass swimming hole. When I wasn't jumping off a ledge 10 feet up a 50 foot waterfall, I was hooking into fish. Three of my trout were stocked rainbows, one was a stocked brook, and one was a wild brown (two rainbows and the wild brown were caught on a Rapala; the others were taken on size 10 stonefly nymphs). My fellow Habitat volunteers helped me land a few of the fish. This was the first fly fishing experience for some of them (nothing beats catching your first rainbow trout in front of a towering waterfall). Do any of the fly fishermen out there remember catching their first trout on the fly?

On the way home, Jackie and I stopped at Little Glade Creek. This tiny stream meanders across the Blue Ridge Parkway near the Virginia border. I caught one wild brook on a Panther Martin spinner. After my stop at Little Glade, I decided to head to Roaring Run. Roaring is one of Virginia's top wild trout fisheries. After following some sketchy directions in a guide book, we pulled into a park operated by the state. We walked upstream (during the walk I got stung by a f*&^ing bee!) to the special regulation area. I preceded to catch two wild brook trout - one on a Panther Martin (with one hook, per Virginia law) and one on a size 18 bead-head copper john nymph. Both fish were about four inches long. Despite their small size, I was thrilled to land my first Virginia trout.

Overall, our North Carolina Habitat for Humanity trip was a success. The trout are a mere side note to the work we accomplished. Enjoy the pictures and check back soon, as I plan to fish the Poconos and perhaps the Catskills this coming weekend.

Image #1 - Mountain Laurel in bloom
Image #2 - Butterfly at Lost Cove Creek
Image #3 - Water snake at Lost Cove Creek
Image #4 - Elk River falls
Image #5 - Investigating our trout
Image #6 - Fly fishing Roaring Run
(Except for #5, all images taken by Jackie)


Overall Total: 49

River Breakdown:

Marshalls Creek - 8 (8 Wild Brook)
Elk Creek - 5 (5 Wild Brown)
Elk River - 5 (3 Stocked Rainbow, 1 Stocked Brook, 1 Wild Brown)
Penns Creek - 5 (5 Wild Brown)
Spring Creek - 5 (4 Wild Rainbow, 1 Wild Brown)
Stony Brook - 4 (4 Stocked Rainbow)
Paulinskill River - 4 (2 Stocked Brook, 2 Stocked Rainbow)
Fishing Creek - 3 (3 Wild Brown)
Lost Cove Creek - 3 (2 Wild Rainbow, 1 Wild Brook)
Roaring Run - 2 (2 Wild Brook)
Little Glade Creek - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
Mill Creek - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
Mud Run - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
Poplar Run - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
White Deer Creek - 1 (1 Stocked Brook)


Species Breakdown:

Brook Trout - 19
Wild - 15
Stocked - 4

Brown Trout - 15
Wild - 15
Stocked - 0

Rainbow Trout - 15
Stocked - 9
Wild - 6


Wild Trout - 36
Stocked Trout - 13


Trout 15+ Inches: 3


Fly Breakdown:
Olive wooly bugger, size 14 - 6 (6 Wild Brook)
Sulphur dun, size 16 - 4 (2 Wild Rainbow, 1 Wild Brook, 1 Stocked Rainbow)
Tan Caddis, size 14 - 4 (4 Wild Brown)
Bead-head Copper John Nymph, size 16 - 3 (3 Wild Brook)
Bead-head Pheasant Tail Nymph, size 14 - 2 (2 Stocked Rainbow)
Black Caddis, size 14 - 2 (2 Wild Brown)
Brown Stonefly nymph, size 10 - 2 (1 Stocked Brook, 1 Stocked Rainbow)
Green Weenie, size 14 - 2 (2 Wild Rainbow)
Bead-head Green Weenie, size 14 - 1 (1 Stocked Brook)
Blue Quill, size 16 - 1 (1 Wild Brown)
Blue Winged Olive, size 18 - 1 (1 Wild Rainbow)
Golden Stonefly, size 8 - 1 (1 Wild Brown)
Scud, size 16 - 1 (1 Wild Rainbow)
Sulphur dun, size 14 - 1 (1 Wild Brown)



Angling Breakdown:

Fly Fishing Rod - 31 (10 Wild Brown, 9 Wild Brook, 6 Wild Rainbow, 4 Stocked Rainbow, 2 Stocked Brook)
Spinning Rod - 18 (6 Wild Brown, 5 Wild Brook, 5 Stocked Rainbow, 2 Stocked Brook)


State Breakdown:
Pennsylvania - 30
North Carolina - 9
New Jersey - 8
Virginia - 2

Fly Fishing the Pocono Mountains

Two weekends ago my best friend Will and I drove from our current apartment in New Jersey to our homeland in the Poconos. We fished a variety of different waters - streams, lakes, and small tributaries. We ended up catching thirteen trout and a number of warm water fish, including largemouth bass, bluegill, and yellow perch. Will took advantage of his new camera, snapping some great shots of the trip. All photographs are attributed to him. In the space below, I will write a few words about each small creek we fished.

Marshalls Creek:
My favorite tiny stream. We fished Marshalls near Will's house. I caught four wild brook trout and Will caught five. I used small wooly buggers beneath a waterfall to land two of my fish; I hooked the other two with the small Panther Martin spinners Will and I have always used in Marshalls Creek. Marshalls is a lovely place to fish: it is close to home (or what used to be home), it is reasonably accessible, and it is loaded with vibrantly colored wild brook trout. In addition, Marshalls Creek is responsible for my love of small native brook streams. These tiny fish mean a lot to me.

Mud Run:
This tiny tailwater stream has its source at Snow Hill Dam, a manmade lake stocked with trout. Will and I spent only a few minutes fishing Mud: Will landed one wild brook trout on his spinner, and I caught one wild brook trout on the same lure. Mud Run is conveniently located on the wild trout stream loop I take through the Poconos.

Poplar Run:
This small run meanders through the Delaware State Forest en route to its confluence with the Brodhead. Will and I stayed at Poplar for quite awhile; however, the wild brook and wild brown trout that populate it were relatively skittish. I had several misses, but did manage to catch one wild brook trout on a small copper john nymph. Of all the tributaries I fish in the Poconos, Poplar is the most affected by the weather: the high sun and rising temparature slowed down the fishing. Still, Poplar is one of my favorite streams to fish.

Mill Creek:
Located just outside of Mountainhome, Mill Creek is surrounded by posted land. Fortunately for those of us who cannot afford to own large stretches of pristine native brook trout water, the state owns land on the upper third of the creek. Despite a passing shower, I caught one wild brook trout on the spinner. This brought my total to seven - four on the regular spinning rod, three on the fly rod, all wild brook trout.

I had hoped to catch more than seven fish, but the weather prevented that from happening. Nevertheless, I enjoyed my trip home.

Image #1 - Pinxter flower
Image #2 - Catching a wild brook trout at Marshalls Creek
Image #3 - Mud Run
Image #4 - Poplar Run
Image #5 - Wild brook trout

Overall Total: 38

River Breakdown:

Marshalls Creek - 8 (8 Wild Brook)
Elk Creek - 5 (5 Wild Brown)
Penns Creek - 5 (5 Wild Brown)
Spring Creek - 5 (4 Wild Rainbow, 1 Wild Brown)
Stony Brook - 4 (4 Stocked Rainbow)
Paulinskill River - 4 (2 Stocked Brook, 2 Stocked Rainbow)
Fishing Creek - 3 (3 Wild Brown)
Mill Creek - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
Mud Run - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
Poplar Run - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
White Deer Creek - 1 (1 Stocked Brook)


Species Breakdown:

Brook Trout - 14
Wild - 11
Stocked - 3

Brown Trout - 14
Wild - 14
Stocked - 0

Rainbow Trout - 10
Stocked - 6
Wild - 4


Wild Trout - 29
Stocked Trout - 9


Trout 15+ Inches: 2


Fly Breakdown:
Olive wooly bugger, size 14 - 6 (6 Wild Brook)
Tan Caddis, size 14 - 4 (4 Wild Brown)
Bead-head Copper John Nymph, size 16 - 2 (1 Wild Brook, 1 Wild Brown)
Bead-head Pheasant Tail Nymph, size 14 - 2 (2 Stocked Rainbow)
Black Caddis, size 14 - 2 (2 Wild Brown)
Green Weenie, size 14 - 2 (2 Wild Rainbow)
Bead-head Green Weenie, size 14 - 1 (1 Stocked Brook)
Blue Quill, size 16 - 1 (1 Wild Brown)
Blue Winged Olive, size 18 - 1 (1 Wild Rainbow)
Golden Stonefly, size 8 - 1 (1 Wild Brown)
Scud, size 16 - 1 (1 Wild Rainbow)
Sulphur, size 14 - 1 (1 Wild Brown)
Sulphur, size 16 - 1 (1 Stocked Rainbow)


Angling Breakdown:

Fly Fishing Rod - 25 (10 Wild Brown, 7 Wild Brook, 4 Wild Rainbow, 3 Stocked Rainbow, 1 Stocked Brook)
Spinning Rod - 13 (4 Wild Brook, 4 Wild Brown, 3 Stocked Rainbow, 2 Stocked Brook)


State Breakdown:
Pennsylvania - 30
New Jersey - 8