Long-form Project Excerpt #2

Here's another excerpt from the long-form project I've been doing:

Salmon are majestic fish with a long, storied history. Considered one of the prize catches of early modern English anglers, salmon have been praised, threatened, protected, and fetishized for hundreds of years. According to Isaak Walton’s iconic 17th-century treatise on fishing, The Compleat Angler, salmon were overfished as early as the 1200s:

"They be principally three, namely, March, April, and May: for these be the usual months that Salmon come out of the sea to spawn in most fresh rivers. And their fry would, about a certain time, return back to the salt water, if they were not hindered by weirs and unlawful gins, which the greedy fishermen set, and so destroy them by thousands; as they would, being so taught by nature, change the freshfor salt water. He that shall view the wise Statutes made in the 13th of Edward the First, and the like in Richard the Second, may see several provisions made against the destruction of fish: and though I profess no knowledge of the law, yet I am sure the regulation of these defects might be easily mended."

In my opinion, any fish that drew the protection of two English kings is worthy of any and all encomiums. It was also worthy of a little research.

Long-form Project Excerpt

Hello everyone. During the colder winter months, I plan on writing a longer form piece on my 2010 fishing experiences. I will likely provide excerpts on the blog, so check back often to see some new writing about the year. Without further ado, here's a few words I wrote about my memories fishing Pennsylvania's Monroe Lake:


Sometimes, though, fishing is about the memories you create during the experience (to be completely honest, this is usually something fishermen say when they fail). And on that January day, family and friends had a chance to catch up, little kids got to run around on the frozen lake, and first-time ice fishermen took up a new challenge.

At one point during the festivities, my best friend and I talked about our favorite memories of the lake. We reminisced about rowing out in the middle of a hot summer day, with him stuck in a full blown leg cast. What would we have done if he had fallen in? We talked about how we once witnessed a real lake monster: a three-foot long snapping turtle swimming with an upside-down catfish in its mouth. From afar it looked like something out of a horror movie, but that didn’t stop us from rowing out and investigating it. We laughed about the time my fishing pole was literally ripped off of the dock, shooting out into the lake like a cannonball. I thought my rod was gone forever, the victim of a largemouth bass’s ferocity. Thirty minutes later, though, we saw the bobber pop up about one hundred yards away. We hopped in a row boat, paddled over to the bobber, and I grabbed the line. Out came a plump 4 pound, 20-inch bass. I tossed it in the boat and began carefully pulling the line with my hands, eventually retrieving my once-lost rod from the depths of the lake. We retold the story of my play-attack on a friend who refused to net a giant catfish for me. My mother heard us yelling from across the lake and thought we were hurt. Finally, I recited the best story of all: the legend of the phantom bass. The phantom was a monstrosity that mysteriously appeared on the end of a stringer hanging off the edge of a dock. A full 8 pounds in weight (enormous by our northern standards), the bass had eaten a 15 inch yellow perch I had placed on the stringer earlier in the day. It got a nasty surprise when it ended up “catching” itself. To this day, the phantom bass is still the biggest bass I’ve ever “caught.” And all I had to do was lift the stringer out of the water!

Fly Fishing Vermont's Northeast Kingdom

First of all, I'd like to apologize for the long break between posts. That will be coming to an end. For those of you that have checked back with frequency hoping for something new, I am sincerely sorry. Now, on to the trout!

My wife and I vacationed in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom for our honeymoon. The region had everything we wanted: beautiful scenery, quiet towns, and, of course, Cabot Cheese. So we rented a house along the Black River (her idea, not mine), and spent the next week exploring rural Vermont. While my focus was ostensibly on my new bride, I somehow ended up catching over 40 trout. I'm not really sure how that happened....I suppose since she had been a devoted companion on numerous fly fishing excursions, spending her honeymoon along the banks of various rivers was somewhat apropos.

In all honesty, however, I did a majority of the fishing when my wife was still asleep, or wrapped up with a book. Having the house along the river made this type of fishing quite easy. I remember one night getting drunk on champagne, then heading out into the twilight to fish the Black while Jackie read. It was raining slightly, and the temperature was a cool 50. I thought to myself that this was as good as it was going to get, casting in the rain on a beautiful stream with my wife able to see me from the warmth of indoors. She always worries about me, even though the rivers I fish are, on average, less than three feet deep. But up there in Vermont, she could easily call me when she wanted to start dinner, or join me on the grassy bank as I attempted to land the river's beautiful rainbow trout.

I fished more rivers than the Black, though. Our rented house was a short drive from Newport, a town located on the immense Lake Memphremagog. The big lake shares territory with both the United States and Canada, and is the area's dominant watershed. I fished the three main US tributaries: the Black River, the Barton River, and the Clyde River. Interestingly, Vermont's fish and game folks have stocked the Clyde with land-locked Atlantic salmon. Having never caught one, these salmon were my primary target. Because of the time of the year, however, I was only able to catch small smolt that had not yet ventured into the deep Memphremagogian waters. But they were still salmon, and I was able to add another type of salmonoid to my personal list.

We also took a ride into the northern Green Mountains, stopping at Jay Peak. Jay is regarded by many (including myself) as one of the East's best ski locales. Leading the east in snowfall, Jay's melt ends up in a tributary stream entitled Jay Creek/Jay Branch. After taking the infamous tram to the summit (over 4,000 feet) and having a drink at the newly-renovated lodge, Jackie and I stopped at a pull-off along the smallish stream. I was able to catch 22 wild brook trout on small streamer flies in about 90 minutes. It was as if they had never seen anything like those small wooly buggers. And it's possible they haven't: we did not see another fly fisherman during our entire stay.

One of the last mini-trips we took was across the Canadian-US border into Quebec. I had seen a river on the map labeled the Riviere Tomifobia, and I was determined to catch an international trout. Despite not being able to read the posted signs (I believe they were just delineating regulations, my French isn't what it used to be), I parked along the river and began fishing. Not soon after, I landed a wild brook trout. It was the first trout I caught in a country other than the United States, and I was thrilled. But not knowing the precise rules of where I was fishing, Jackie and I hightailed it back to the US immediately following the catch.

It was a wonderful honeymoon: my first salmon, my first international trout, my first Vermont trout, and my first few days with the newly-minted wife.

Image #1 - Clyde River
Image #2 - The first Atlantic salmon, check out that tail!
Image #3 - Wild brook caught on a streamer at Jay Creek
Image #4 - Riviere Tomifobia

More to come shortly

Hello everyone. I recently got married and have embarked on the beginning stages of dissertation work. I've managed to do quite a bit of fishing, however, so I will begin to write up some of my recent experiences in the coming weeks. Check back soon!

Photo: Riviere Tomifobia near Stanstead, Quebec.

Fly Fishing for Wild Brook Trout in the Poconos

I drove to the Poconos on the last day of April, ready to catch some wild brook trout. There are a number of wild brook trout streams in the Poconos; a quick glance at the PA Fish and Boat Commission website will reveal a list of them, by county, if you're interested. Because I grew up there, I know of a few that are not marked by the state (the joys of local knowledge). When I fish the Poconos for wild trout, I typically employ a 15-mile loop that covers six streams (Marshalls Creek, Mud Run, Poplar Run, Mill Creek, Rattlesnake Creek, and Devils Hole Creek). On the aforementioned late April day, I hit up the middle four of that list.

Mud Run
Mud Run is the "tailwater" of Snow Hill Dam. If you hike down from the Dam, the stream will start to cascade down big sandstone outcroppings. At this point, wild brookies begin to populate the water. It's not really a technical run, and there isn't much riparian vegetation in the way. That being said, I caught three wild brook trout on a small wooly bugger streamer. I also found starflower, fringed polygala, miterwort, marsh marigold, and some late hepatica.

Poplar Run
One of my favorite Pennsylvania wild trout streams, Poplar Run is located a few miles away from Mud Run, and contains a mix of wild brown and wild brook trout. During my time there, however, I caught all brooks (six of them, to be exact). I'm not sure where the browns were hiding; wild trout streams are unpredictable like that. Anyone who ventures to Poplar should consider wearing formidable protective gear. Brambles cover the banks, and hiking the Run is quite difficult.

Mill Creek
Mill Creek meanders through the village of Mountainhome, and also maintains a mixed brown/brook population. In fact, the only wild tiger trout (brown-brook hybrid) I've ever caught came out of the Mill. I was running short on time and the clouds were beginning to look ominous, so I left after nabbing a wild brown near the State Gameland border. Even though these streams are so close together, I always seem to run out of time!

Rattlesnake Creek
This small wild creek is a short three mile drive from Mill Creek, and is surrounded by Gamelands. For safety reasons, wear an orange hat, at least, and be aware of the various hunting seasons. As the rain started to fall, I caught a gorgeous wild brook trout on a wooly bugger (I mean, look at the picture; it's perfect), tossed it back in the creek, and ran back to the car.

In the end, I landed 11 wild trout. Not exactly a great fishing day, but I managed to add four rivers to my list.

Image #1 - Mud Run waterfall
Image #2 - Mud Run wild brook trout
Image #3 - Mill Creek wild brown trout
Image #4 - Rattlesnake Creek wild brook trout
Video Link - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sH2bu_CsQUY

Overall Total: 59

River Breakdown:
McMichaels Creek - 10 (5 Stocked Brook, 5 Stocked Rainbow)
Paulinskill River - 7 (7 Stocked Brook)
Poplar Run - 6 (6 Wild Brook)
Rockaway Creek - 6 (5 Wild Brown, 1 Wild Brook)
Teetertown Brook - 5 (5 Wild Brook)
Penns Creek - 4 (4 Wild Brown)
Sevenmile Creek - 4 (3 Wild Rainbow, 1 Steelhead)
Mud Run - 3 (3 Wild Brook)
Brodhead Creek - 2 (2 Stocked Rainbow)
Bushkill Creek (Pike County) - 2 (2 Stocked Brown)
Musconetcong River - 2 (2 Stocked Brook)
Raritan River, South Branch - 2 (2 Stocked Brown)
Bushkill Creek (Northampton County) - 1 (1 Stocked Rainbow)
Little Brook -1 (1 Wild Brook)
Marshalls Creek - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
Mill Creek - 1 (1 Wild Brown)
Rattlesnake Creek - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
Twentymile Creek - 1 (1 Steelhead)

Species Breakdown:
Brook Trout - 32
Wild - 18
Stocked - 14

Brown Trout - 14
Wild - 10
Stocked - 4

Rainbow Trout - 13
Stocked - 8
Wild - 3
Steelhead - 2

Wild Trout - 31
Stocked Trout - 26
Lake Erie Trout - 2

Trout 15+ inches - 3

Fly Breakdown:
Bead-head Black Wooly Bugger, size 14 - 11 (11 Wild Brook)
Bead-head Olive Wooly Bugger, size 14 - 8 (5 Wild Brown, 3 Wild Brook)
Bead-head Black Wooly Bugger, size 10 - 7 (4 Stocked Rainbow, 2 Stocked Brook, 1 Stocked Brown)
Bead-head Pheasant Tail Nymph, size 14 - 5 (3 Wild Rainbow, 2 Steelhead, 1 Stocked Brown)
Bead-head Red Wooly Bugger, size 14 - 3 (3 Wild Brook)
Bead-head Black Wooly Bugger, size 8 - 2 (2 Stocked Brook)
Bead-head Golden Stonefly Nymph, size 10 - 1 (1 Steelhead)
Bead-head Green Wooly Bugger, size 10 - 1 (1 Stocked Brown)
Black Caddis, size 16 - 1 (1 Wild Brown)
Tan Caddis, size 16 - 1 (1 Stocked Brown)

Angling Breakdown:
Fly Fishing Rod - 40 (17 Wild Brook, 6 Wild Brown, 4 Stocked Brook, 4 Stocked Brown, 4 Stocked Rainbow, 3 Wild Rainbow, 2 Steelhead Rainbow)
Spinning Rod - 19 (10 Stocked Brook, 4 Stocked Rainbow, 4 Wild Brown, 1 Wild Brook)

State Breakdown:
Pennsylvania - 36
New Jersey - 23

Fly Fishing for Wild Trout in New Jersey

For those of you unfamiliar with the Garden State, you should know that it maintains incredible geological diversity. In the south, the acidic Pine Barrens are home to rare species of fish, flowers, animals, and Devils. The east coast of the state forms part of the Atlantic seaboard, and boasts beautiful beaches, wonderful bird migrations (especially at Cape May), and Snooki's hair. The western part of the state, however, is part of the Delaware River/Delaware Bay watershed, and features plenty of bald eagles, osprey, and peregrine falcon. But the part of the state I most like to fly fish is located north of Interstate 78 and west of Interstate 287. This section of New Jersey is situated in the foothills and mountains of the Appalachians, and contains enough elevation and cooler temperatures to keep wild trout alive year-round.

A few weeks ago, I fished a number of these wild trout streams, as well as the special regulation area of the Musconetcong at Point Mountain. I first went to Rockaway Creek, one of the few wild brown trout streams in NJ. It was a beautiful April day, I caught 6 wild trout on a small wooly bugger streamer, and Jackie found some jack-in-the-pulpit flowers. We next moved on to Teetertown Brook, a wild brook trout stream located a few miles away. It began to rain, so Jackie stayed in the car while I landed 5 more wild fish. At the end of the ride, I stopped briefly at Hickory Run and Little Brook, catching one wild brook out of the latter stream. A few days later, we drove to the Musconetcong. I caught two stocked brook trout in about 45 minutes before it started down-pouring.

It was nice to catch some wild trout on the fly so early in the season.

Image #1 - Jack-in-the-pulpit
Image #2 - Wild brown from Rockaway Creek

Overall Total: 48

River Breakdown:
McMichaels Creek - 10 (5 Stocked Brook, 5 Stocked Rainbow)
Paulinskill River - 7 (7 Stocked Brook)
Rockaway Creek - 6 (5 Wild Brown, 1 Wild Brook)
Teetertown Brook - (5 Wild Brook)
Penns Creek - 4 (4 Wild Brown)
Sevenmile Creek -4 (3 Wild Rainbow, 1 Steelhead)
Brodhead Creek - 2 (2 Stocked Rainbow)
Bushkill Creek (Pike County) - 2 (2 Stocked Brown)
Musconetcong River - 2 (2 Stocked Brook)
Raritan River, South Branch - 2 (2 Stocked Brown)
Bushkill Creek (Northampton County) - 1 (1 Stocked Rainbow)
Little Brook -1 (1 Wild Brook)
Marshalls Creek - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
Twentymile Creek - 1 (1 Steelhead)

Species Breakdown:
Brook Trout - 22
Stocked - 14
Wild - 8

Rainbow Trout - 13
Stocked - 8
Wild - 3
Steelhead - 2

Brown Trout - 13
Wild - 9
Stocked - 4

Stocked Trout - 26
Wild Trout - 20
Lake Erie Trout - 2

Trout 15+ inches - 3

Fly Breakdown:
Bead-head Black Wooly Bugger, size 10 - 7 (4 Stocked Rainbow, 2 Stocked Brook, 1 Stocked Brown)
Bead-head Olive Wooly Bugger, size 14 - 7 (5 Wild Brown, 2 Wild Brook)
Bead-head Pheasant Tail Nymph, size 14 - 5 (3 Wild Rainbow, 2 Steelhead, 1 Stocked Brown)
Bead-head Black Wooly Bugger, size 14 - 3 (3 Wild Brook)
Bead-head Red Wooly Bugger, size 14 - 3 (3 Wild Brook)
Bead-head Black Wooly Bugger, size 8 - 2 (2 Stocked Brook)
Bead-head Golden Stonefly Nymph, size 10 - 1 (1 Steelhead)
Bead-head Green Wooly Bugger, size 10 - 1 (1 Stocked Brown)
Black Caddis, size 16 - 1 (1 Wild Brown)
Tan Caddis, size 16 - 1 (1 Stocked Brown)

Angling Breakdown:
Fly Fishing Rod - 31 (8 Wild Brook, 6 Wild Brown, 4 Stocked Brook, 4 Stocked Brown, 4 Stocked Rainbow, 3 Wild Rainbow, 2 Steelhead Rainbow)
Spinning Rod - 17 (10 Stocked Brook, 4 Stocked Rainbow, 3 Wild Brown)

State Breakdown:
Pennsylvania - 25
New Jersey - 23

Fly Fishing the Poconos on Pennsylvania's Opening Day

Despite the annoyances that accompany it, I couldn't resist joining the masses for the official beginning of Pennsylvania's stocked trout season. Like I mentioned in my post about New Jersey's Opening Day, there's something to the festivity, to the aggravation, and to the spectacle that surrounds the annual nascence of trout "season." Most fly fishermen know why I placed quotation marks around "season" - trout, especially wild trout, can be caught by enterprising anglers year round. But there's only one Opening Day, and I was going to be there.

Appropriately enough, I started on one of my home streams, the Brodhead Creek. Stroud Township's Brodhead Greenway Project has made great strides toward opening up most of the Brodhead's public waters, and I began around 8 AM at one of the town's parks. It had rained a lot the night before (the tornado-like winds I faced at Penns Creek whipped over the entire state) and the water was running high. A lot of the fishermen and fisherwomen I saw were struggling to deal with the rising current. I threw on a big bead-head wooly bugger streamer and cast it directly into a raging rapids section. By swinging the fly back and forth through the fast water, I eventually convinced a solid rainbow trout to strike. A solid battle ensued, and I was "on the board" early in the day. I caught one more fish at the Brodhead, and I changed rivers.

I drove into the town of Stroudsburg, and parked along Lower Main Street. I walked back over the levee and fished the McMichaels Creek. The spot was loaded with people, as the adjacent image makes clear, but I found some room and took in 10 trout. It was wonderfully fun, even if it was like taking candy from a baby. It had been a few years since I caught a fish out of the McMichaels, so I was glad to have spent a few minutes there. Had I stayed longer, I have no doubt I would have caught over two dozen fish.

The Bushkill Creek was my next stop. The Resica Falls Boy Scout Reservation is fly fishing only, catch-and-release. This means the river is open all year, but I decided to hit it up on Opening Day anyway. It's truly a beautiful place: towering hemlocks, a random waterfall, fast rapids, long pools, a bald eagle, and late flowering skunk cabbage were some of the highlights. I only caught two fish, both stocked browns, but I also found sessile-leaved bellwort and some other interesting flowers. And, because of the rain, a small tributary turned into a spectacular waterfall.

On my way back to South Jersey, I stopped briefly in Stockertown and fished the "other" Bushkill Creek. I was exhausted, but I managed to pull out one little stocked rainbow that had survived the day's onslaught. That brought the total for the day up to 15, in 4 rivers. I made it back to Blackwood late, but I was quite content. I had survived another Opening Day marathon.

Image #1 - Stocked rainbow from the Brodhead Creek
Image #2 - Flowering skunk cabbage, such a strange plant
Image #3 - Twelve guys fishing one hole...ahh Opening Day madness
Image #4 - Only a trickle in the summertime, this tributary turned into a beautiful waterfall

Overall Total: 34

River Breakdown:

McMichaels Creek – 10 (5 Stocked Brook, 5 Stocked Rainbow)
Paulinskill River - 7 (7 Stocked Brook)
Penns Creek - 4 (4 Wild Brown)
Sevenmile Creek - 4 (3 Wild Rainbow, 1 Steelhead)

Brodhead Creek – 2 (2 Stocked Rainbow)

Bushkill Creek (Pike County) – 2 (2 Stocked Brown)
Raritan River, South Branch - 2 (2 Stocked Browns)

Bushkill Creek (Northampton County) – 1 (1 Stocked Rainbow)
Marshalls Creek - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
Twentymile Creek - 1 (1 Steelhead)

Species Breakdown:
Brook Trout - 13
Stocked - 12
Wild – 1

Rainbow Trout – 13

Stocked - 8
Wild - 3
Steelhead - 2

Brown Trout – 8

Stocked – 4
Wild - 4


Stocked Trout - 24
Wild Trout - 8
Lake Erie Trout - 2

Trout 15+ Inches: 3


Fly Breakdown:

Bead-head Black Wooly Bugger, size 10 – 7 (4 Stocked Rainbow, 2 Stocked Brook, 1 Stocked Brown)
Bead-head Pheasant Tail Nymph, size 14 - 5 (3 Wild Rainbow, 2 Steelhead, 1 Stocked Brown)
Bead-head Golden Stonefly Nymph, size 10 - 1 (1 Steelhead)

Bead-head Green Wooly Bugger, size 10 – 1 (1 Stocked Brown)
Bead-head Olive Wooly Bugger, size 14 - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
Black Caddis, size 16 - 1 (1 Wild Brown)
Tan Caddis, size 16 - 1 (1 Stocked Brown)

Angling Breakdown:
Spinning Rod - 17 (10 Stocked Brook, 4 Stocked Rainbow, 3 Wild Brown)
Fly Fishing Rod - 17 (4 Stocked Brown, 4 Stocked Rainbow, 3 Wild Rainbow, 2 Steelhead Rainbow, 2 Stocked Brook, 1 Wild Brook, 1 Wild Brown)


State Breakdown:
Pennsylvania – 25
New Jersey – 9

Fly Fishing Penns Creek in April

Almost two weeks ago (I'm so behind on the blog-writing), I drove to Penns Creek for some mid-April fly fishing. It took almost 3 hours and 15 minutes to get to my favorite river from south Jersey. It was a nice ride, though, once the interstate gave way to winding central Pennsylvania roads. I had all day to fish, so I decided to walk two miles upstream and then fish back down to the car. It had been years since I went up that far (May of 2007, actually), so I was excited to see that part of the creek again. On the hike, I stopped and photographed a showy purple flower called fringed polygana, or gaywings. It was a remarkable looking plant, and signaled an auspicious start to the day.

My chosen starting spot was a braided section of the stream. Divided into three main threads, this part of Penns Creek is easier to fish. I missed a few trout on streamers and nymphs, including one 15+ inch wild brown. I quickly grew frustrated with my non-success, and had been at the river for over three hours before I caught my first trout. And the first fish didn't even take a fly; instead, it hit a barbless spinner on my spin-casting rod.

Despite my lack of fly fishing success, a robust grannom caddis hatch was ongoing. I figured that the fish would start rising to the grannoms after the sun went down over the ridges, and I was proven correct. I landed a 17.5 inch wild brown on a size 16 dry black caddis. It was probably the biggest Penns Creek fish I've caught on the fly rod. And although it came almost 6 hours after I arrived, it was worth every minute of it.

Other trout were rising so I thought I'd be able to catch a few more. Strangely, though, the fish stopped coming to the surface. The caddis were still coming off the water in droves, so I was a bit confused. A few minutes later, however, a fast moving thunderstorm rolled into the gorge. Facing a 1.5 mile hike back to the car, I decided to take shelter in a rhododendron grove. The evergreen shrub provided significant cover as the rain came pounding down. While I was cowering in the grove, I heard a building roar approaching. I kept telling myself, you're in Pennsylvania, there's no tornado coming, but the deafening roar seemed to suggest otherwise. The high ridges had formed a wind tunnel, and the rushing air blasted through the gorge, taking down tree limbs and dead plants. A huge limb fell about twenty feet away from me, and I decided I'd take my chances in the river, even with the lightening. Luckily, the storm died down, but not before I was soaked and somewhat rattled by the fallen tree branch.

Always remember that remote, beautiful places like Penns Creek can present danger at any time. Rely on your instincts and knowledge, and you'll more than likely end up fine.

Image #1 - Fringed polygana
Image #2 - Wild brown trout
Image #3 - Grannom Caddis
Youtube Caddis Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_qu6nlp3P4

Overall Total: 19

River Breakdown:
Paulinskill River - 7 (7 Stocked Brook)
Penns Creek - 4 (4 Wild Brown)
Sevemile Creek - 4 (3 Wild Rainbow, 1 Steelhead)
Raritan River, South Branch - 2 (2 Stocked Browns)
Marshalls Creek - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
Twentymile Creek - 1 (1 Steelhead)


Species Breakdown:
Brook Trout - 8
Stocked - 7
Wild - 1

Brown Trout - 6
Wild - 4
Stocked - 2

Rainbow Trout - 5
Wild - 3
Steelhead - 2
Stocked - 0

Stocked Trout - 9
Wild Trout - 8
Lake Erie Trout - 2

Trout 15+ Inches: 3


Fly Breakdown:
Bead-head Pheasant Tail Nymph, size 14 - 5 (3 Wild Rainbow, 1 Steelhead, 1 Stocked Brown)
Bead-head Golden Stonefly Nymph, size 10 - 1 (1 Steelhead)
Bead-head Olive Wooly Bugger Streamer, size 14 - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
Black Caddis, size 16 - 1 (1 Wild Brown)
Tan Caddis, size 16 - 1 (1 Stocked Brown)


Angling Breakdown:
Spinning Rod - 10 (7 Stocked Brook, 3 Wild Brown)
Fly Fishing Rod - 9 (3 Wild Rainbow, 2 Steelhead, 2 Stocked Brown, 1 Wild Brook, 1 Wild Brown)


State Breakdown:
Pennsylvania - 10
New Jersey - 9

Fly Fishing the South Branch of the Raritan River

One week ago, I drove 90 miles north to the Ken Lockwood Gorge. The South Branch of the Raritan River flows through the gorge, and this section of the river is considered one of the best trout fishing locales in New Jersey. Although it is stocked with hatchery fish, some wild browns reproduce and can be caught by knowledgeable anglers. Furthermore, the river is under strict regulation, an occurrence that limits the put-and-take mentality of many Garden State trout fishermen.

The goal for me was to catch fish, obviously, but it was also a chance to try out my new fly rod. I bought a Temple Fork 9ft 5 wt, and it had just been delivered. Rather than use it on South Jersey slow water, I took it to the Raritan for its maiden voyage. The river looked nice, and there was a decent caddis hatch. I ended up landing two stocked brown trout, one on a bead-head pheasant tail nymph, and one on a dry tan caddis. Both fish were small and didn't provide much fight, but it was nice to land something on the new rod.

Before closing this post, I'd like to offer a brief soapbox-like commentary. Now that the trail that runs through the gorge has been paved, fly fishermen should seriously consider not driving on it. When the road was closed, the river had a feeling of privacy, and you could walk at your leisure. Now, nosy fishermen patrol the river from their vehicles, driving slowly, often stopping and observing you cast. This type of voyeurism rubs me the wrong way, and it seems antithetical to the quiet nature of the sport. The last thing I want to see or hear at the gorge is somebody's idling Ford F-150 as I prepare to lay down a cast. If you read this, fish the Ken Lockwood Gorge, and are able to walk in, please consider doing so. Thanks.

Soon, I'll post about a trip to Penns Creek and Opening Day in Pennsylvania.

Image #1 - The Raritan
Image #2 - Stocked brown trout with coloration

Overall Total: 15

River Breakdown:
Paulinskill River - 7 (7 Stocked Brook)
Sevemile Creek - 4 (3 Wild Rainbow, 1 Steelhead)
Raritan River, South Branch - 2 (2 Stocked Browns)
Marshalls Creek - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
Twentymile Creek - 1 (1 Steelhead)


Species Breakdown:
Brook Trout - 8
Stocked - 7
Wild - 1

Rainbow Trout - 5
Wild - 3
Steelhead - 2
Stocked - 0

Brown Trout - 2
Stocked - 2
Wild - 0


Stocked Trout - 9
Wild Trout - 4
Lake Erie Trout - 2

Trout 15+ Inches: 2


Fly Breakdown:
Bead-head Pheasant Tail Nymph, size 14 - 5 (3 Wild Rainbow, 2 Steelhead, 1 Stocked Brown)
Bead-head Golden Stonefly Nymph, size 10 - 1 (1 Steelhead)
Bead-head Olive Wooly Bugger Streamer, size 14 - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
Tan Caddis, size 16 - 1 (1 Stocked Brown)


Angling Breakdown:
Fly Fishing Rod - 8 (3 Wild Rainbow, 2 Steelhead, 2 Stocked Brown, 1 Wild Brook)
Spinning Rod - 7 (7 Stocked Brook)



State Breakdown:
New Jersey - 9
Pennsylvania - 6

Fishing for Trout on Opening Day in NJ

When I was a little kid, my grandfather used to take me trout fishing from the beginning of April until the end of May. For him, Opening Day marked the nascence of the trout season, and Memorial Day signified its conclusion. As a child, this was okay with me: I'd turn to fishing in nearby lakes for bass, pickerel, and catfish in the summertime and ice fish in the winter. But as I grew older, and wild trout became my passion, I sought out year-round, catch-and-release only types of trout water. And although I currently fish for trout 12 months a year, the festive allure of Opening Day is still strongly implanted in my consciousness. I was therefore thrilled when my best friend Will suggested we fish on New Jersey's official trout opener this past Saturday.

Where to go was easy: as a kid, I was always brought to Warren County's Paulinskill River. The state stocks the warm-water stream with tens of thousands of trout in the spring. And since we were bringing along Frank, a friend unfamiliar with trout fishing, we figured the Paulinskill would be the perfect place. When we arrived around 9 AM last Saturday, the river was running quite high. It was, however, quite fishable. We started downstream from the Blairstown park, where we found some breathing room from the crowds. Because of the high water conditions, I immediately began nymphing. After about ten minutes, I walked out of the river to help Frank. When I next picked up my fly rod, it literally snapped between my fingers (it's highly likely that the strain from the steelhead weakened the infrastructure of the rod, rendering it fragile and breakable).

I was, of course, mortified. Despite my skill as a fly fisherman, I am nonetheless a poor Ph.D. candidate that owns only two fly rods: a 9 ft 5 wt that can be used on a wide variety of streams, and a 6 foot "flea rod" for tiny wild trout waters. So by breaking my rod, I was literally left without a legitimate fly-fishing option right at the outset of our day. Luckily, though, my best friend Will had brought along two extra spin casting rods. I had grown up fishing for trout with spinners and Rapalas, and I still use this technique as a back-up or a change of pace. For instance, last year I caught 80% of my trout on the fly rod, and 20% on the spinning rod. Opening Day 2010 was therefore all about the golden Rapala.

I caught 7 stocked brook trout and lost about 15. The fish were striking very slowly, probably a condition caused by a combination of high water and confused, instinct-stunted hatchery fish. Will landed 3 after some initial trouble, and Frank didn't catch any, but nevertheless enjoyed himself. It was an excellent Opening Day, and the broken fly rod lended a fun throwback feel to it.

As soon as I got home, though, I ordered a new rod. I hope to test it out tonight.

(For the record, I caught a wild brook trout in Marshalls Creek back in March. I landed it on a small wooly bugger streamer in very high water.)

Image #1 - Paulinskill River
Image #2 - Ugly stocked brook trout
Image #3 - Muscovy ducks
Image #4 - Lesser celandine in bloom

Overall Total: 13

River Breakdown:
Paulinskill River - 7 (7 Stocked Brook)
Sevemile Creek - 4 (3 Wild Rainbow, 1 Steelhead)
Marshalls Creek - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
Twentymile Creek - 1 (1 Steelhead)


Species Breakdown:
Brook Trout - 8
Stocked - 7
Wild - 1

Rainbow Trout - 5
Wild - 3
Steelhead - 2
Stocked - 0

Brown Trout - 0
Wild - 0
Stocked - 0

Stocked Trout - 7
Wild Trout - 4
Lake Erie Trout - 2

Trout 15+ Inches: 2


Fly Breakdown:
Bead-head Pheasant Tail Nymph, size 14 - 4 (3 Wild Rainbow, 2 Steelhead)
Bead-head Golden Stonefly Nymph, size 10 - 1 (1 Steelhead)
Bead-head Olive Wooly Bugger Streamer, size 14 - 1 (1 Wild Brook)


Angling Breakdown:
Spinning Rod - 7 (7 Stocked Brook)
Fly Fishing Rod - 6 (3 Wild Rainbow, 2 Steelhead, 1 Wild Brook)


State Breakdown:
New Jersey - 7
Pennsylvania - 6

Fly Fishing for Lake Erie Steelhead

In mid-March I drove out to visit my family in central Ohio. The week of my visit was marred by the massive flooding that inflicted havoc on the eastern part of the country. While my current town of Blackwood got about 8 inches of rain, the area of Ohio I was visiting caught the very edge of the system. Nevertheless, the rain threatened a planned trip to Lake Erie steelhead country.

Steelhead are rainbow trout that travel from the big lake into small tributary streams to reproduce. They are called steelhead because their color is more of a grey-silver (the color of steel, I suppose). As the big fish make their way into the small rivers, their progression upstream is often blocked by low water conditions. Consequently, you can often see numerous fish pressed up against one waterfall. Once it rains, the elevated waters allow the fish to continue up the river. There are two runs per year, one in the fall and one in the spring. As it was early-ish March, I was hoping to catch the very beginning of the Spring 2010 run.

Despite the rain, the Lake Erie tributary streams were fishable. The weather was decent, if not exactly warm, and the fishing itself was okay. On my first day, I drove from Columbus, OH to Sevenmile Creek (all of the streams to the east of Erie, PA are titled by their distance from town center, not by their length), a small tributary located near the grounds of a convent. This eastern stream is marked by beautiful cascading waterfalls, a shiny blue-green shale bottom, and slightly less fishing pressure. Although I didn't catch anything, I did notice one specific pool that was holding steelhead. As this is Lake Erie, though, there were 4 guys standing right on top of the fish.

I left Sevemile and drove to Twelvemile, where I fished with no success. I then moved on to Twentymile, which seemed fishable and likely to hold a few of the big rainbow trout. After watching a person lose a fish (a spot I would take care to remember), I decided to try Sevenmile Creek again. The hole with the steelhead in it was still covered by many of the same fishermen, so I fished the pool directly above it. I caught three small rainbow trout, each about 7-9 inches long. These fish are future steelhead. When they leave the creek in June or July, they will become fodder for the lake's huge walleye population. The few that survive will return to the creek of their birth in a few years, where they will procreate and leave behind the next generation. Although they were tiny, it was fun to catch some fish just beginning their entry into the reproductive cycle.

After catching the smallish fish, I decided to try the run located below the steelhead pool. I drifted a size 14 bead-head pheasant tail nymph through the fast water; the strike indicator stopped; surprised, I lifted my rod up, fully expecting it had fastened onto a rock; on the end of the line was a beautiful, 20+ inch, 6lbs-ish steelhead. Because I didn't pay the money for a more appropriate rod and reel combination, I was using my standard 9 foot, 5 wt pole. The rod couldn't really handle the weight of the fish, so much of the energy was transferred to my shoulder and biceps. I also didn't have the strength to pull the fish to shore in the flooding river. Luckily, I was only 50 feet from Sevemile Creek's confluence with Lake Erie. So I fought the fish downstream, carefully avoiding putting too much pressure on the end of the line, while not offering it too much slack. Finally, after what felt like an eternity but was probably only 10 minutes, I made it to Lake Erie, where the lack of current allowed me to pull the fish to shore. It was a beauty, and my inappropriate equipment made for a hell of a fight. After taking the nymph out of its mouth, I let the big fish swim off into the lake.

I fished Sevenmile for a while after my catch, not catching anything else. In the twilight, I fished Fourmile Creek and didn't so much as see a fish. I then checked into my hotel and fell asleep, exhausted after hundreds of miles of driving, and hours of fishing.

The next day I returned to Sevenmile Creek at 6 AM, hoping to finally get a chance to fish the hole with the steelhead. Of course, the same two guys were already there, crowding the trout. At that point, I headed back to the car and drove to Twentymile Creek. I decided to check out its mouth: I was hoping that some fresh steelhead had entered the river the night before. As I was walking along the rocky beach, I saw three steelhead splashing in the water, about 100 feet upstream from the lake. To my surprise, I was the only angler around. I eagerly headed to the spot, and tied on a few different flies. The fish were actively feeding, but they didn't take my offerings. Finally, though, one of the steelhead hit a size 10 bead-head golden stonefly nymph. Just like the day before, I fought the fish down to Lake Erie. My muscles were aching from the last steelhead, and right before I was about to die/pass out from the exertion, the fish mercifully tired. I photographed it, and subsequently released it. Another amazing experience.

I fished Twentymile for a few more hours, hooking into two steelhead, but losing both of them. One hit the same stonefly; the other took a single orange egg-pattern. One of the fish I lost was nearly 10 lbs, and I stood no chance of landing it on my 5 wt. I spent the rest of the day fishing the western streams, many for the first time. I fished Raccoon Creek, Elk Creek, and the mouth of Trout Run. I found no fish in Raccoon, saw a few steelhead caught by a tour group on Elk, and couldn't stand the frigid water of Lake Erie at Trout Run. I did, however, get some ridiculously interesting pictures and video from Trout Run. Since it's a hatchery stream, hundreds of steelhead pack its small confines. Of course, it's rendered off limits to fishermen, but anglers can fish in Lake Erie at its mouth.

I had a blast during my two days in Erie. I caught two big steelhead, three small fingerlings, and one sucker. Although this total would be scoffed at by steelhead experts (something I most certainly am not), I wouldn't trade it for anything.


Image #1 - Sevemile Creek
Image #2 - Shale run on Sevenmile where I hooked the first steelhead
Image #3 - Fingerling rainbow trout
Image #4 - The steelhead
Image #5 - Twentymile Creek
Image # 6 - Second steelhead
Image #7 - Trout Run ridiculousness
Video Link of Trout Run: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EW_h8KadQA


Overall Total: 5

River Breakdown:
Sevemile Creek - 4 (3 Wild Rainbow Trout, 1 Steelhead)
Twentymile Creek - 1 (1 Steelhead)


Species Breakdown:

Rainbow Trout - 5
Wild - 3
Steelhead - 2
Stocked - 0

Brook Trout - 0
Wild - 0
Stocked - 0

Brown Trout - 0
Wild - 0
Stocked - 0


Wild Trout - 3
Lake Erie Trout - 2
Stocked Trout - 0


Trout 15+ Inches: 2


Fly Breakdown:
Bead-head Pheasant Tail Nymph, size 14 - 4 (3 Wild Rainbow, 2 Steelhead)
Bead-head Golden Stonefly Nymph, size 10 - 1 (1 Steelhead)


Angling Breakdown:

Fly Fishing Rod - 5 (3 Wild Rainbow, 2 Steelhead)
Spinning Rod - 0


State Breakdown:
Pennsylvania - 5

Ice Fishing Wrap-up: Lake Aeroflex, Lake Hopatcong, and Lake Musconetcong

Over the last month, I've ice fished in northern New Jersey three times. Each experience was unique, but there was one common thread: NJ ice fishing is, and will continue to be, absolutely superb.

Lake Aeroflex
My trip to Lake Aeroflex took a little over two hours. Located outside of Andover, NJ, Aeroflex was dug out by the Army Corps of Engineers a few decades ago. Because of its man-made origins, the lake takes on an industrial look. Indeed, it looks like an old quarry: there aren't many inlets, no islands, and it is very, very deep. I struggled with the depth, and didn't catch any fish. My time wasn't completely wasted, though, since it was a beautiful February day. One of the nicest parts of the lake is the adjacent regional airport. I enjoyed watching the planes take off and land. Without any flags flipping, I certainly had the time to watch.

If you decide to go to Lake Aeroflex this summer, or even next winter, prepare to deal with the lake's depth. 100 foot-deep lakes aren't too common in New Jersey, so be ready to face this obstacle. If you get lucky, though, you may hook into a land-locked salmon. Aeroflex is one of the only lakes in the state that maintains this specific fishery.

Lake Hopatcong
The largest lake by area in the state, Lake Hopatcong also maintains the most diverse fishery in New Jersey. In the lake, you may encounter walleye, muskellunge, chain pickerel, yellow perch, largemouth bass, etc. I had hoped to catch a walleye or musky, but I ended up landing 9 pickerel. All of the fish were relatively small, but it was quite a pleasurable fishing day. The area I fished was shallow and weedy, which is essentially a pickerel paradise. It's my belief that a world record pickerel swims in Lake Hopatcong. As it stands, the lake's biggest pickerel is a state record - a record that is only 3 ounces behind the world record fish.

If you go to Lake Hopatcong to ice fish, you must pay careful attention to the integrity of the ice. Various hot water spots exist, and the lake's shoreline can also become quite thin. But you may walk out with a musky!

Lake Musconetcong
The last ice fishing experience of the year was at Lake Musconetcong. I went with my Uncle Howie. We had a great day, catching over 30 fish between the two of us. We lost about a dozen more. Most of the fish were pickerel, with a few scattered bass. Because of Musconetcong's weedy nature, it wasn't surprising that we caught so many pickerel. The lake, though, is robustly fecund and has a bait shop right on the shoreline.

It was a great day. I encourage all of you to give the lake a try this coming summer. You are all but guaranteed to catch a few pickerel.

Image #1 - Lake Aeroflex
Image #2 - Lake Hopatcong pickerel
Image #3 - Nice 24 inch pickerel from Lake Musconetcong

Ice Fishing New Jersey's Budd Lake

About a week and a half ago, I ice fished New Jersey's Budd Lake. One of the Garden State's largest glacial lakes, Budd Lake offers New Jersey anglers the unique opportunity to catch northern pike. Indeed, the state has established a healthy population of pike through an aggressive and effective stocking program. Because of this effort, Budd Lake is now one of the top producers of northern pike in the state.

I drove north early on a weekday morning, stopping only for bait and a sandwich. Although the trip took almost two hours, I was able to get through the eight inches of ice rather quickly. I was fully set up by 10:45, and I didn't pull off the lake until 5:30. In the end, I caught two northern pike, and a white crappie. Three fish over seven hours isn't exactly a lot, but I was excited to have caught my first pike.

Budd is a wonderful place to spend a few hours: its location off of Route 46 makes accessibility quite simple, its boggy/swampy atmosphere facilitates an atmosphere of wildness, its robust pike are a pleasure to catch, and its status as the head-water of one of my favorite New Jersey trout streams (the Raritan's South Branch) engenders warmth in my fly-fisherman's heart. However, Budd Lake may not be the right location for those ice fishermen who seek quiet. Its proximity to the highway makes it all but impossible to drown out the noise of passing cars. In addition, it has a lot of snowmobile and ATV traffic in the wintertime. But if northern pike and an easily accessible glacial lake turn you on, Budd Lake is the place to go.

Image #1 - Budd Lake
Image #2 - Northern pike
Image #3 - Budd Lake at sunset.

Ice Fishing Pennsylvania's Monroe Lake

This past Saturday I ice fished for the first time in 2010. I went to Monroe Lake, a private lake in northeastern Pennsylvania. We had a large group, around 20 people at one point, and everyone had a great time. My Uncle Howie and I did most of the hard work, while my friends and other family members enjoyed the unseasonably warm weather. My best friend Will started a fire, cooked hamburgers/hot dogs and brewed up some hot cocoa.

Fishing-wise, it was a slow day. My uncle and I had a number of weak hits; it seemed undersized yellow perch were grabbing our oversized minnows and then having trouble eating them. In the end, we caught 4 perch and 1 chain pickerel. There were many false alarms, a missed fish or two, and lots of slush. One of the best parts of ice fishing, however, is the fun time you have with your friends and family. And we certainly had that.

On Thursday I plan on heading to North Jersey in search of northern pike. I'll check back then.

Image #1 - The pickerel, the biggest fish of the day
Image #2 - Ice fishing on Monroe Lake

Ice Fishing this Weekend

I apologize for the lack of posts. As most fly fishermen know, however, the sport tends to slow down during a month long deep freeze. This weekend I'm heading up to the Poconos to do some ice fishing. I will post pictures and a write-up by early next week.

Keep your spirits up until the spring!