Fly Fishing Western Pennsylvania's Youghiogheny River and Meadow Run

A few weekends ago I went white-water rafting on the Youghiogheny River with my fiancee's family. While we primarily drove to Ohiopyle, PA to celebrate her father's 50th birthday, I was nonetheless able to sneak a few casts into this well-regarded river and one of its many tributaries. After our white-water adventure, Jackie and I briefly fished upstream of the Ohiopyle Falls in the "Middle Yough" section of the big river. I caught a nice smallmouth using a big wooly bugger streamer, but the famous Youghiogheny brown trout were nowhere to be found. At this point, I will spare readers of this blog another rant about big tailwater streams; however, the size and flow of the river make fishing the Yough next to impossible without flotation.

Before driving back to the DC metropolitan area, Jackie and I hiked up Meadow Run, one of the big river's tributaries. Aside from the throngs of people swimming in it, Meadow Run was a pleasant and picturesque place to fly fish. Augmented by a plentiful stocking regimen, the small stream boasts a decent population of trout. I was lucky enough to land one stocked brook trout on a Walts Worm pattern. Because we had to drive nearly 3.5 hours back to Washington, we left immediately following this success.

Please check back soon for an update about my time surf fishing the Outer Banks. It was an excellent experience, and I look forward to posting pictures of some of my saltwater catches.

Image #1 - The brook trout
Image #2 - Fly fishing Meadow Run

Overall Total: 122

River Breakdown:

Teetertown Brook - 18 (18 Wild Brook)
Spring Creek - 16 (13 Wild Rainbow, 3 Wild Brown)
Raritan River, South Branch - 12 (8 Stocked Rainbow, 3 Stocked Brown, 1 Wild Brown)
Marshalls Creek - 8 (8 Wild Brook)
Swift River - 6 (3 Stocked Rainbow, 2 Stocked Brown, 1 Stocked 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)
Stony Brook - 4 (4 Stocked Rainbow)
Paulinskill River - 4 (2 Stocked Brook, 2 Stocked Rainbow)
Rockaway Creek - 4 (4 Wild Brown)
Bushkill Creek - 3 (2 Stocked Rainbow, 1 Stocked Brown)
Clear Fork of the Mohican River - 3 (3 Stocked Brown Trout)
Fishing Creek - 3 (3 Wild Brown)
Lost Cove Creek - 3 (2 Wild Rainbow, 1 Wild Brook)
Old Town Run - 3 (2 Stocked Brown, 1 Stocked Rainbow)
Yellow Breeches Creek - 3 (1 Stocked Brook, 1 Stocked Brown, 1 Stocked Rainbow)
Brodhead Creek - 2 (1 Stocked Brown, 1 Wild Brown)
Hickory Run - 2 (2 Wild Brook)
Little Brook - 2 (2 Wild Brook)
Roaring Run - 2 (2 Wild Brook)
Big Gunpowder Falls River - 1 (1 Wild Brown)
Little Glade Creek - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
Meadow Run - 1 (1 Stocked Brook)
Mill Creek - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
Mud Run - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
Poplar Run - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
Schooley's Mountain Brook - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
Trout Brook - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
White Deer Creek - 1 (1 Stocked Brook)


Species Breakdown:

Brook Trout - 45
Wild - 38
Stocked - 7

Brown Trout - 39
Wild - 25
Stocked - 14

Rainbow Trout - 38
Stocked - 23
Wild - 15


Wild Trout - 78
Stocked Trout - 44


Trout 15+ Inches: 11


Fly Breakdown:
Olive Wooly Bugger, size 14 - 23 (22 Wild Brook, 1 Wild Brown)
Bead-head Pheasant Tail Nymph, size 14 - 10 (8 Stocked Rainbow, 2 Stocked Brown)
Green Weenie, size 14 - 8 (4 Wild Rainbow, 2 Stocked Brown, 2 Wild Brown)
Green Weenie, size 12 - 6 (3 Stocked Rainbow, 2 Stocked Brown, 1 Stocked Brook)
San Juan Worm, size 12 - 6 (3 Stocked Brown, 2 Stocked Rainbow, 1 Stocked Brook)
Tan Caddis, size 14 - 5 (5 Wild Brown)
Pink Shrimp, size 14 - 4 (4 Wild Rainbow)
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)
Ladybug, size 16 - 2 (2 Wild Rainbow)
Wet Ant, size 14 - 2 (1 Stocked Brown, 1 Wild Rainbow)
Bead-head Green Weenie, size 14 - 1 (1 Stocked Brook)
Bead-head Hare's Ear Nymph, size 14 - 1 (1 Stocked Rainbow)
Brown Wooly Bugger, size 14 - 1 (1 Wild Brown)
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)
Light Cahill, size 16 - 1 (1 Wild Brown)
Scud, size 16 - 1 (1 Wild Rainbow)
Sulphur dun, size 14 - 1 (1 Wild Brown)
Walts Worm, size 14 - 1 (1 Stocked Brook)


Angling Breakdown:

Fly Fishing Rod - 93 (26 Wild Brook, 18 Stocked Rainbow, 17 Wild Brown, 15 Wild Rainbow, 12 Stocked Brown, 5 Stocked Brook)
Spinning Rod - 29 (12 Wild Brook, 8 Wild Brown, 5 Stocked Rainbow, 2 Stocked Brook, 2 Stocked Brown)


State Breakdown:
Pennsylvania - 53
New Jersey - 48
North Carolina - 9
Massachusetts - 6
Ohio - 3
Virginia - 2
Maryland - 1

Fly Fishing Central Pennsylvania's Spring Creek in Late July

Two weeks ago, my fiancee and I spent a few days camping in central Pennsylvania. While we were ostensibly there to work on wedding stuff, I still found some time to fly fish. We first tried Penns Creek. Despite the cool water temperature, the trout were quiet. It had rained earlier in the day, and I think that the thunder/downpour had put the trout down for the evening. Instead, I caught a few smallmouth bass on a big black marabou streamer. We stopped and photographed some Indian Pipe - a parasitic white plant devoid of chlorophyll - on our hike along the river. It was the first time Jackie and I had encountered this strange flower.

The next night we drove to the Fisherman's Paradise section of Spring Creek. I caught 11 fish - 9 wild rainbows and 2 wild brown. All of the fish fell for either a terrestrial or a shrimp pattern (4 on an inch worm, 4 on a pink shrimp, 2 on a ladybug (!), and 1 on an ant). It was a pleasant central Pennsylvania night, and the fish were willing. I'm convinced there's nothing better. Our time at Spring Creek was marred, however, by one annoying fly fisherman. While I thought fly fishing was known as the "quiet sport," a know-it-all angler spent nearly twenty minutes watching my every move. He kept telling me where to cast, what I was doing wrong, and how to land fish. At first I was polite, and answered his questions. Then as time went by, he became more and more annoying. After I landed a fish, he said "Now you can go back to Hoboken and tell everyone you caught a fish." His condescension and his patronizing attitude were extremely aggravating. I don't know if this guy was trying to impress his friend and young son, but just because my car has a New Jersey license plate doesn't mean I don't know what I'm doing. Oh, and I don't live in fucking Hoboken.

I got my revenge, though, by catching four fish in a row while this guy struggled to catch one. To which my new friend responded by asking, "Are you still using that terrestrial pattern?" Of course I was - it's summer in the northeast, what else would I use?

Image #1 - Indian pipe
Image #2 - 15 inch wild brown
Image #3 - My first fish caught on a ladybug pattern! It can be done.

Overall Total: 121

River Breakdown:

Teetertown Brook - 18 (18 Wild Brook)
Spring Creek - 16 (13 Wild Rainbow, 3 Wild Brown)
Raritan River, South Branch - 12 (8 Stocked Rainbow, 3 Stocked Brown, 1 Wild Brown)
Marshalls Creek - 8 (8 Wild Brook)
Swift River - 6 (3 Stocked Rainbow, 2 Stocked Brown, 1 Stocked 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)
Stony Brook - 4 (4 Stocked Rainbow)
Paulinskill River - 4 (2 Stocked Brook, 2 Stocked Rainbow)
Rockaway Creek - 4 (4 Wild Brown)
Bushkill Creek - 3 (2 Stocked Rainbow, 1 Stocked Brown)
Clear Fork of the Mohican River - 3 (3 Stocked Brown Trout)
Fishing Creek - 3 (3 Wild Brown)
Lost Cove Creek - 3 (2 Wild Rainbow, 1 Wild Brook)
Old Town Run - 3 (2 Stocked Brown, 1 Stocked Rainbow)
Yellow Breeches Creek - 3 (1 Stocked Brook, 1 Stocked Brown, 1 Stocked Rainbow)
Brodhead Creek - 2 (1 Stocked Brown, 1 Wild Brown)
Hickory Run - 2 (2 Wild Brook)
Little Brook - 2 (2 Wild Brook)
Roaring Run - 2 (2 Wild Brook)
Big Gunpowder Falls River - 1 (1 Wild Brown)
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)
Schooley's Mountain Brook - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
Trout Brook - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
White Deer Creek - 1 (1 Stocked Brook)


Species Breakdown:

Brook Trout - 44
Wild - 38
Stocked - 6

Brown Trout - 39
Wild - 25
Stocked - 14

Rainbow Trout - 38
Stocked - 23
Wild - 15


Wild Trout - 78
Stocked Trout - 43


Trout 15+ Inches: 11


Fly Breakdown:
Olive Wooly Bugger, size 14 - 23 (22 Wild Brook, 1 Wild Brown)
Bead-head Pheasant Tail Nymph, size 14 - 10 (8 Stocked Rainbow, 2 Stocked Brown)
Green Weenie, size 14 - 8 (4 Wild Rainbow, 2 Stocked Brown, 2 Wild Brown)
Green Weenie, size 12 - 6 (3 Stocked Rainbow, 2 Stocked Brown, 1 Stocked Brook)
San Juan Worm, size 12 - 6 (3 Stocked Brown, 2 Stocked Rainbow, 1 Stocked Brook)
Tan Caddis, size 14 - 5 (5 Wild Brown)
Pink Shrimp, size 14 - 4 (4 Wild Rainbow)
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)
Ladybug, size 16 - 2 (2 Wild Rainbow)
Wet Ant, size 14 - 2 (1 Stocked Brown, 1 Wild Rainbow)
Bead-head Green Weenie, size 14 - 1 (1 Stocked Brook)
Bead-head Hare's Ear Nymph, size 14 - 1 (1 Stocked Rainbow)
Brown Wooly Bugger, size 14 - 1 (1 Wild Brown)
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)
Light Cahill, size 16 - 1 (1 Wild Brown)
Scud, size 16 - 1 (1 Wild Rainbow)
Sulphur dun, size 14 - 1 (1 Wild Brown)


Angling Breakdown:

Fly Fishing Rod - 92 (26 Wild Brook, 18 Stocked Rainbow, 17 Wild Brown, 15 Wild Rainbow, 12 Stocked Brown, 4 Stocked Brook)
Spinning Rod - 29 (12 Wild Brook, 8 Wild Brown, 5 Stocked Rainbow, 2 Stocked Brook, 2 Stocked Brown)


State Breakdown:
Pennsylvania - 52
New Jersey - 48
North Carolina - 9
Massachusetts - 6
Ohio - 3
Virginia - 2
Maryland - 1

Fly Fishing Central PA's Yellow Breeches Creek and Old Town Run

Last year I fly fished the Yellow Breeches for the first time. The spot was recommended by a Maryland fly fisherman who attends my fiancee's church. I instantly loved it. While the numerous trout, catch and release restrictions, and beautiful town are all lovely, it is the cold, clear spring water that won me over. Ever since I first fished Penns Creek, I've been fascinated by limestone spring streams. And although I understand the geology responsible for their existence, I am still taken aback by their consistent temperature and their unique color.

The area around Boiling Springs is especially interesting. The Yellow Breeches Creek receives cold water from Old Town Run, a spring-fed tributary that delivers icy 50 degree water to the main river. In addition, this network of catch-and-release waterways is supported by the Yellow Breeches Anglers & Conservation Association. All of this combines to form a superior trout fishery that stays productive year-round.

On my way back from Ohio, I exited off of the Pennsylvania Turnpike and drove to Boiling Springs. I started at the Old Town Run. Throwing inch-worm patterns under the trees enticed a few looks, but not many hits. A few more fish seemed interested in an ant pattern, but, again, none took. Finally, I switched to a san juan worm. The fish went crazy. I took three in the Run, and three in the Yellow Breeches before losing the fly. I caught six trout in the 90 minutes I spent on the water: three browns, two rainbows, and one brook (all were likely stocked, although the brookie was a beautiful fish).


Image #1 - Old Town Run and Yellow Breeches Confluence
Image #2 - Rainbow trout from the Run
Image #3 - Looking upstream


Overall Total: 110

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)
Swift River - 6 (3 Stocked Rainbow, 2 Stocked Brown, 1 Stocked 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)
Rockaway Creek - 4 (4 Wild Brown)
Bushkill Creek - 3 (2 Stocked Rainbow, 1 Stocked Brown)
Clear Fork of the Mohican River - 3 (3 Stocked Brown Trout)
Fishing Creek - 3 (3 Wild Brown)
Lost Cove Creek - 3 (2 Wild Rainbow, 1 Wild Brook)
Old Town Run - 3 (2 Stocked Brown, 1 Stocked Rainbow)
Yellow Breeches Creek - 3 (1 Stocked Brook, 1 Stocked Brown, 1 Stocked Rainbow)
Brodhead Creek - 2 (1 Stocked Brown, 1 Wild Brown)
Hickory Run - 2 (2 Wild Brook)
Little Brook - 2 (2 Wild Brook)
Roaring Run - 2 (2 Wild Brook)
Big Gunpowder Falls River - 1 (1 Wild Brown)
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)
Schooley's Mountain Brook - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
Trout Brook - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
White Deer Creek - 1 (1 Stocked Brook)


Species Breakdown:

Brook Trout - 44
Wild - 38
Stocked - 6

Brown Trout - 37
Wild - 23
Stocked - 14

Rainbow Trout - 29
Stocked - 23
Wild - 6


Wild Trout - 67
Stocked Trout - 43


Trout 15+ Inches: 10


Fly Breakdown:
Olive Wooly Bugger, size 14 - 23 (22 Wild Brook, 1 Wild Brown)
Bead-head Pheasant Tail Nymph, size 14 - 10 (8 Stocked Rainbow, 2 Stocked Brown)
Green Weenie, size 12 - 6 (3 Stocked Rainbow, 2 Stocked Brown, 1 Stocked Brook)
San Juan Worm, size 12 - 6 (3 Stocked Brown, 2 Stocked Rainbow, 1 Stocked Brook)
Tan Caddis, size 14 - 5 (5 Wild Brown)
Green Weenie, size 14 - 4 (2 Stocked Brown, 2 Wild Rainbow)
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)
Bead-head Green Weenie, size 14 - 1 (1 Stocked Brook)
Bead-head Hare's Ear Nymph, size 14 - 1 (1 Stocked Rainbow)
Brown Wooly Bugger, size 14 - 1 (1 Wild Brown)
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)
Light Cahill, size 16 - 1 (1 Wild Brown)
Scud, size 16 - 1 (1 Wild Rainbow)
Sulphur dun, size 14 - 1 (1 Wild Brown)
Wet Ant, size 14 - 1 (1 Stocked Brown)


Angling Breakdown:

Fly Fishing Rod - 81 (26 Wild Brook, 18 Stocked Rainbow, 15 Wild Brown, 12 Stocked Brown, 6 Wild Rainbow, 4 Stocked Brook)
Spinning Rod - 29 (12 Wild Brook, 8 Wild Brown, 5 Stocked Rainbow, 2 Stocked Brook, 2 Stocked Brown)


State Breakdown:
New Jersey - 48
Pennsylvania - 41
North Carolina - 9
Massachusetts - 6
Ohio - 3
Virginia - 2
Maryland - 1

Fly Fishing Ohio's Clear Fork of the Mohican River

The state of Ohio has only two major trout-rich watersheds. Some of you may be familiar with the Mad River, a well-regarded tailwater stream located in the center-west of the state. I, however, chose to fish the Clear Fork of the Mohican River during my time out in the land of the Buckeyes. My family relocated to Ohio a few years ago, leaving the rolling mountains of eastern Pennsylvania for the flat farmland of south-central Ohio. Luckily, the Clear Fork maintains a decent trout fishery. So I took advantage of the proximity, and drove the 8o miles with my sister Jenna.

Jenna and I spent a considerable amount of time searching for a spot not overrun with people. These visitors weren't fishermen, however. Instead, they were tourists from Cleveland and Columbus (Mohican State Park sits conveniently between the two cities). In almost every river pool, children splashed and dogs swam. Because the river is overrun with campgrounds, canoes, tubes, and kayaks drifted by at a constant pace. Eventually, we ended up at a stretch of the river dotted with tall sycamore trees and teasel flowers. At this spot, a tributary stream dumped cool water into the main river. Situated at the confluence of the tributary was a small whirlpool. It took a few minutes, but I noticed a number of trout feeding in this pool. I drifted them some inch worms and wet ants. Three stocked browns pounced on the terrestrials. Two of them were around 15 inches. Solid fish. These Ohio fish brought my yearly state total up to 7.

Both my sister and I forgot our digital cameras. We had to use my BlackBerry, but I think the images Jenna took came out relatively well.

Image #1 - Clear Fork of the Mohican River
Image #2 - Nice brown trout

Overall Total: 104

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)
Swift River - 6 (3 Stocked Rainbow, 2 Stocked Brown, 1 Stocked 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)
Rockaway Creek - 4 (4 Wild Brown)
Bushkill Creek - 3 (2 Stocked Rainbow, 1 Stocked Brown)
Clear Fork of the Mohican River - 3 (3 Stocked Brown Trout)
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)
Hickory Run - 2 (2 Wild Brook)
Little Brook - 2 (2 Wild Brook)
Roaring Run - 2 (2 Wild Brook)
Big Gunpowder Falls River - 1 (1 Wild Brown)
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)
Schooley's Mountain Brook - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
Trout Brook - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
White Deer Creek - 1 (1 Stocked Brook)


Species Breakdown:

Brook Trout - 43
Wild - 38
Stocked - 5

Brown Trout - 34
Wild - 23
Stocked - 11

Rainbow Trout - 27
Stocked - 21
Wild - 6


Wild Trout - 67
Stocked Trout - 37


Trout 15+ Inches: 10


Fly Breakdown:
Olive Wooly Bugger, size 14 - 23 (22 Wild Brook, 1 Wild Brown)
Bead-head Pheasant Tail Nymph, size 14 - 10 (8 Stocked Rainbow, 2 Stocked Brown)
Green Weenie, size 12 - 6 (3 Stocked Rainbow, 2 Stocked Brown, 1 Stocked Brook)
Tan Caddis, size 14 - 5 (5 Wild Brown)
Green Weenie, size 14 - 4 (2 Stocked Brown, 2 Wild Rainbow)
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)
Bead-head Green Weenie, size 14 - 1 (1 Stocked Brook)
Bead-head Hare's Ear Nymph, size 14 - 1 (1 Stocked Rainbow)
Brown Wooly Bugger, size 14 - 1 (1 Wild Brown)
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)
Light Cahill, size 16 - 1 (1 Wild Brown)
Scud, size 16 - 1 (1 Wild Rainbow)
Sulphur dun, size 14 - 1 (1 Wild Brown)
Wet Ant, size 14 - 1 (1 Stockes Brown)


Angling Breakdown:

Fly Fishing Rod - 75 (26 Wild Brook, 16 Stocked Rainbow, 15 Wild Brown, 9 Stocked Brown, 6 Wild Rainbow, 3 Stocked Brook)
Spinning Rod - 29 (12 Wild Brook, 8 Wild Brown, 5 Stocked Rainbow, 2 Stocked Brook, 2 Stocked Brown)


State Breakdown:
New Jersey - 48
Pennsylvania - 35
North Carolina - 9
Massachusetts - 6
Ohio - 3
Virginia - 2
Maryland - 1

Fly Fishing Maryland's Big Gunpowder Falls

I spent the July 4th weekend in Washington DC. Jackie and I watched the fireworks over the nation's capitol with her family. On my way down from Jersey, I stopped at Maryland's Gunpowder Falls. Receiving consistent cold water deposits from the beautiful Prettyboy Reservoir, the Gunpowder maintains a decent wild brown trout population. I had fished there two years ago, catching nothing. This time my luck was slightly better: I caught one wild brown trout on a size 16 light cahill dry fly.

As I've mentioned in previous posts, I am not enamored with tailwater fisheries. Nevertheless, the Gunpowder is a nice place to spend a few hours. The towering pine trees, sandstone outcroppings, and ample wildlife create a pleasant fishing atmosphere. In addition, any stream that fosters a resident wild trout population only a few miles from the densely-populated northeast metropolitan corridor should be treasured. Furthermore, it will be one of the closest wild trout streams to where I'll be relocating in the coming months.

It should be noted that I caught one wild brook trout on a wooly bugger in Schooley's Mountain Brook. I stopped briefly on my way to visit family in Hackettstown. It was nice to add another two streams and one state to the list.

Image #1 - Gunpowder Falls
Image #2 - Wild brown from Gunpowder Falls
Image #3 - Schooley's Mountain Brook


Overall Total: 101

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)
Swift River - 6 (3 Stocked Rainbow, 2 Stocked Brown, 1 Stocked 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)
Rockaway Creek - 4 (4 Wild Brown)
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)
Hickory Run - 2 (2 Wild Brook)
Little Brook - 2 (2 Wild Brook)
Roaring Run - 2 (2 Wild Brook)
Big Gunpowder Falls River - 1 (1 Wild Brown)
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)
Schooley's Mountain Brook - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
Trout Brook - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
White Deer Creek - 1 (1 Stocked Brook)


Species Breakdown:

Brook Trout - 43
Wild - 38
Stocked - 5

Brown Trout - 31
Wild - 23
Stocked - 8

Rainbow Trout - 27
Stocked - 21
Wild - 6


Wild Trout - 67
Stocked Trout - 34


Trout 15+ Inches: 8


Fly Breakdown:
Olive Wooly Bugger, size 14 - 23 (22 Wild Brook, 1 Wild Brown)
Bead-head Pheasant Tail Nymph, size 14 - 10 (8 Stocked Rainbow, 2 Stocked Brown)
Green Weenie, size 12 - 6 (3 Stocked Rainbow, 2 Stocked Brown, 1 Stocked Brook)
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)
Brown Wooly Bugger, size 14 - 1 (1 Wild Brown)
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)
Light Cahill, size 16 - 1 (1 Wild Brown)
Scud, size 16 - 1 (1 Wild Rainbow)
Sulphur dun, size 14 - 1 (1 Wild Brown)


Angling Breakdown:

Fly Fishing Rod - 72 (26 Wild Brook, 16 Stocked Rainbow, 15 Wild Brown, 6 Wild Rainbow, 6 Stocked Brown, 3 Stocked Brook)
Spinning Rod - 29 (12 Wild Brook, 8 Wild Brown, 5 Stocked Rainbow, 2 Stocked Brook, 2 Stocked Brown)


State Breakdown:
New Jersey - 48
Pennsylvania - 35
North Carolina - 9
Massachusetts - 6
Virginia - 2
Maryland - 1

Fly Fishing New Jersey's Rockaway Creek, Hickory Run, and Little Brook

Last Monday I decided I needed to catch a few wild trout after hooking into all those stocked Massachusetts fish. The Rockaway brown I caught earlier in the year was perhaps the most beautiful fish I've landed in a long time. A reprise seemed appropriate, so I drove north. The river, however, is somewhat tricky to fly fish. Indeed, its big boulders create deep, short holes that prohibit great presentation. These spots also provide trout with ample hiding space. In addition, the Rockaway's clear water enables fish to detect predators (including me) with relative ease. I've had success standing on top of the river's large mid-stream rocks. This allows me to penetrate the aforementioned holes without invading the trout lies. In the end, I caught three more wild brown trout (one on a brown bead-head wooly bugger, one on an olive wooly bugger, and one on a lure).

After my time at Rockaway, I headed to Hickory Run. As I've mentioned in previous posts, Hickory Run is a tributary of the South Branch of the Raritan River. You can access this small wild brook trout fishery by parking near/along Route 513 near Califon. I would, however, advise any enterprising anglers to wait until some of the riparian vegetation will begin to disappear this fall as the stream was overgrown and practically impenetrable. Nevertheless, I caught one wild brook trout on the wooly bugger. After catching that small trout, I followed the stream to its confluence with the South Branch. I then noticed a nearby stream that emptied into the Raritan. I walked over and fished it. Although the streamside conditions were extremely tight, I caught two wild brook trout on a Panther Martin spinner. I later found out that the run is called Little Brook. Feeling content with six wild New Jersey trout, I drove back home and prepared for a busy work week.


Image #1 - Wild brown from the Rockaway
Image #2 - Milkweed in bloom
Image #3 - Overgrown Little Brook

Overall Total: 99

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)
Swift River - 6 (3 Stocked Rainbow, 2 Stocked Brown, 1 Stocked 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)
Rockaway Creek - 4 (4 Wild Brown)
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)
Hickory Run - 2 (2 Wild Brook)
Little Brook - 2 (2 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)
Trout Brook - 1 (1 Wild Brook)
White Deer Creek - 1 (1 Stocked Brook)


Species Breakdown:

Brook Trout - 42
Wild - 37
Stocked - 5

Brown Trout - 30
Wild - 22
Stocked - 8

Rainbow Trout - 27
Stocked - 21
Wild - 6


Wild Trout - 65
Stocked Trout - 34


Trout 15+ Inches: 8


Fly Breakdown:
Olive Wooly Bugger, size 14 - 22 (21 Wild Brook, 1 Wild Brown)
Bead-head Pheasant Tail Nymph, size 14 - 10 (8 Stocked Rainbow, 2 Stocked Brown)
Green Weenie, size 12 - 6 (3 Stocked Rainbow, 2 Stocked Brown, 1 Stocked Brook)
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)
Brown Wooly Bugger, size 14 - 1 (1 Wild Brown)
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 - 70 (25 Wild Brook, 16 Stocked Rainbow, 14 Wild Brown, 6 Wild Rainbow, 6 Stocked Brown, 3 Stocked Brook)
Spinning Rod - 29 (12 Wild Brook, 8 Wild Brown, 5 Stocked Rainbow, 2 Stocked Brook, 2 Stocked Brown)


State Breakdown:
New Jersey - 47
Pennsylvania - 35
North Carolina - 9
Massachusetts - 6
Virginia - 2

Fly Fishing Massachusetts' Swift River

Jackie and I headed up to New England this past weekend. A friend from NYU was getting married in south-central Massachusetts, so I took the opportunity to fish the Swift River. The Swift is a cold tailwater stream that receives the cool discharge from the Quabbin Reservoir. Surrounding the flat, clear river are towering pine trees, grassy fields, wild turkey, and pretty wildflowers. If any of the fly fishermen who read this blog are Bostonians, chances are they've fished the Swift.

To be truthful, I have a love/hate relationship with tailwater streams. On one hand, I can't stand them; indeed, I dislike their freezing cold waters, their unnatural environments, their often non-fertile insect activity, their flatness, and their large size. I prefer my rivers to be undammed and naturally-reproductive; small and fertile; temperate and cascading. The tailwater streams I know are none of the above. On the other hand, though, I recognize that tailwaters provide fly fishing where it would not normally exist (the Swift would be a smallmouth river if not for the Quabbin). They also offer unique challenges, while their (mostly) consistent temperatures render them fishable year round.

My first day at the Swift followed a lengthy car ride from central Jersey. A cold tailwater seemed like a welcome change after hours of traffic and no air conditioning. As soon as we got there, however, the skies opened up. I toughed it out, not knowing if I would be able to return. I was surprised to see trout rise in the pouring rain and I quickly tied on a size 20 cream midge to match the microscopic hatch. Sure enough, a trout went for my fly. It missed. As it turned downstream and chased after my imitation, I caught a fleeting glimpse of its rainbow body. It, however, missed again. Defeated, I left the Swift soaked and shivering.

Lucky for me, I got to return on Sunday. With the wedding a rousing success (congratulations again to Katie and Marc!), another try at one of Massachusetts' most well-known trout streams seemed appropriate. This time, Jackie and I parked next to the reservoir and walked downstream. We thus followed one of two discharges and found ourselves at the river's famous Y Pool. Lurking in this deep, clear, and cold pool were a number of large trout. I landed six, all on an inch worm pattern. Four of the six were 15 inches or longer. In addition, I lost at least a 20 inch brook trout (7x tippet for the clear water ended any chance of catching that behemoth). Three were rainbows, two were browns, and one was a brook. I assume all were stocked. It was a beautiful day, but we needed to get back to Jersey. So after catching my sixth trout, Jackie and I walked back to the car, drove back over the George Washington Bridge, and collapsed after a long weekend.

Image #1 - Mist rising off the Swift
Image #2 - Beautiful rainbow trout
Image #3 - Catching a fish in the Y Pool
Image #4 - Pulling in a nice brown trout
(All photos taken by Jackie)

Overall Total: 93

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)
Swift River - 6 (3 Stocked Rainbow, 2 Stocked Brown, 1 Stocked 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 - 39
Wild - 34
Stocked - 5

Brown Trout - 27
Wild - 19
Stocked - 8

Rainbow Trout - 27
Stocked - 21
Wild - 6


Wild Trout - 59
Stocked Trout - 34


Trout 15+ Inches: 8


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)
Green Weenie, size 12 - 6 (3 Stocked Rainbow, 2 Stocked Brown, 1 Stocked Brook)
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 - 67 (24 Wild Brook, 16 Stocked Rainbow, 12 Wild Brown, 6 Wild Rainbow, 6 Stocked Brown, 3 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
Massachusetts - 6
Virginia - 2

Five Tips for Fly Fishing the Brodhead Creek in the Summer

I recently sent an email out to a reader who had requested information about summer fishing on the Brodhead. Once I read the email, I realized I had a nice post embedded in it. So here you go, five tips to catching trout in one of the Poconos most well-known trout streams during the summertime.

1. Fish the northern most limit of the public waters. This area can be found in Analomink. It's relatively easy to get to. If you're coming from Jersey, you'll go through the Delaware Water Gap. Take the Marshalls Creek exit, (309) and make an immediate left onto PA 447. Continue to follow signs for 447, as the road turns a few times, and you'll be in Analomink 10 minutes after getting off Interstate 80. Or just Google Maps it. A bit of local knowledge: you can park in the bar parking lot (next to Rose's deli), by where Cherry Road meets 447. You can walk behind the bar and you'll notice that the river is narrower, faster, and more braided. This spot isn't fished as hard, possesses some wild trout, and likely holds some leftover stocked fish from the spring.

2. Use bead-headed nymphs and keep them all the way on the river bottom. You'll hit rocks, but you'll also hit some fish.

3. Stonefly, stonefly, stonefly. Pick up some bead-head stonefly nypmhs and float them in the fastest water you can find. At the end of a dead drift, swing the stonefly back and forth through the current before starting a new cast. This allows fish an extra chance to take the fly in fast water.

4. Forget dry flies. As some of you may have noticed, there hasn't been much insect activity at the Brodhead lately; therefore, you might as well forego dries unless you see something hatching.

5. Terrestrials. Most people forget about these. Trout in the Poconos go crazy for ants, inch-worms, crickets, beetles, and other terrestrials in the summer time. These types of patterns work really well in slower, flat stretches of the river. They are also deadly if you can actually see the trout. If you spot a fish, try floating an inch worm to it, and then gently pull the fly back and forth in front of its face. Chances are, the trout will nail the imitation.

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