What the hell is this??

This is a Nubbin Post.  When the road was  The Delaware and Hudson Canal the barges on the canal were towed by mule. The tow ropes were wrapped around these posts. The stone is not local. When you're passing by one on the tow path stop and have a look. You can still see the grooves made by the ropes over  hundred years ago.

The Partys' Over

It's been a long time since I've posted because I been stoned. No not that kind of stoned, well maybe. I've been Kidney stoned and thus painkiller stoned. What a drag. and it happened while I was fishing in the Lackawaxen. Boy what a drag. Not only for the misery and pain but I missed all the spring hatches.

      The spring season is over. How do I know. PPL is back to all day power generation. With the tubes starting around 7, there should still be some early morning fishing. The little yellow stones and newspaper caddis have produced big for me during June in the past. Get on the stream around 6 or earlier. When the sun hit the pool, go home.

    Just a little complaining. Last Thursday evening I made the 45 min run to the Lacky and when I hit Rowland corner I was floored. The tubes were running full bore. This was after I checked the site earlier and had called the 800 number the previous day to confirm that they weren't supposed to be running. I wasn't alone there were 20 to 30 guys and ladies watching the water with as much disappointment as mine. Thanks PPL. Heres another good citizen award.   ..|.,

A Beautiful Day on the Lackawaxen River. Where's all the fisherman?

On Saturday I took a few hours and went over to the the Lackawaxen River. I was a little apprehensive about the mobs of 'Monster Derby' folks but when I got there it was just a typical early season Saturday. A few guys in the regular spots. A mix of spinning and fly gear. A light easterly breeze. I went to one of my early season spots and found the the Jolly Green Giant had already been there. I wondered if he had caught a Monster Trout. I bounced the bottom for about twenty minutes without any luck. I moved down stream to a bigger pool and found a few fish snapping at emergers. There was a nice if not extraordinary caddis hatch. I haven't witnessed a hatch like this for several years. At times it was like being in a snow storm. The caddis was about a size 14 with a apple green body and medium gray wing. I got one good rise from a dry. I had little luck with sparkle pupa patterns or small green wooly buggas. I notice a few black stones landing on me so I tried a couple of good imitations. No luck. It was turning out to be one of those 'what are they eating?' days, I tied on a rather odd sparse stone pattern and had no luck with about 30 casts. As I retrieved it a a fairly fast pace to change patterns - Bang - I hooked a very pretty 9" brown. That turned out to be the only taker. Oh well it's early yet.

PPL is giving us a break this week and not scheduling any power runs. That and the weather forecast bode well for for those lucky enough to fish during the week. I can't get on the stream 'til Friday so leave a few Monster Trout for me.

Pretty good charts

The charts show that we can expect a pretty normal opening day. Water at or just above 50°. High water wadable only by the stout of heart. Streamers, nymphs, live bait and spinners will probably do best. Rain is forcast for the weekend but they're wrong a lot of the time. Good Luck.

If you want to follow these charts during the season go to my site, www.lackawaxenriver.com and follow the USGS button in the upper right.

Lots of water and a new swinging bridge

I took a drive up the Lacawaxen on the Tow Path this weekend. It seemed like a million years had passed since last summer. There was a lot of water coming down and the snow is almost all melted. The lake is pretty full as is is Prompton Reservoir. The tow path is in good shape with a few bad potholes and no new winter damage. There is a new swinging bridge. 

Last week we took a drive up the West Branch of the the Lackawaxen River. This apparently isn't stocked but there has to be a few  brookies and smallies in there. A really nice ride to do off season or when the tubes are blasting. I'd like to drift a few craw-dads up there. Anyway it won't be long now. 3 weeks, thats all. I can't wait.

Winter Fishing

I've received a couple of emails about winter fishing on the Lackawaxen. I don't recommend it. Not because the fishing isn't good. I wouldn't know. But the wading or more to the point getting to the water is so difficult and even dangerous. The water should be a good temperature coming from the bottom of the lake and all. It's just that there's just too much of it. I haven't been around a lot this winter but when I have been the water has been high. Real High. Also a lot of shore ice. To me trout fishing should be a pleasure and not a chore so I'll wait until April, even late in April, to start my fishing in the Lackawaxen.

There have been several times when Zane Gray Pool has a lot of Gulls and a few Eagles. A good omen for this season's fishing.

It's that time of year again

Taking inventory of flies. Studying journals from 10 years ago. Tagging pages in the 2008 editions of the multitude of Fly Fishing catalogs. Planning trips to pools yet unknown. Pools packed with wild Rainbows, enormous Steelhead and tasty little Brookies.
It's the same every year. Exuberant expectations most surely followed by the realities of yard and field work, overtime, nasty spring colds, 100 year floods, car inspections and Turkeys.
The most lovely month of May is oh so short. Only 4 weekends. Only 2 weeks of PPL time out.
But ya gotta dream. All alone in Millers Pool. Sun setting over Mollys. That early morning hatch of paper grey caddis in the Swimming Hole. What are those fish rising for.

Fewer Eagles, Opening Day Changes, Green waters

Last week I talked with Charlie Bright at his shop at Rt 590 on the Tow Path. He said there were fewer Eagles this past winter. Comfirming what I had seen. Only a few birds early in the winter.
One thing that Charlie was concerned with was the new staggered season opening. I think only time will tell on both eagles and opening days.
I am concerned with the color of the rivers. Both the Lackawaxen and the Deleaware are greener than past years. The Lackawaxen has quite a bit of green mossy crap around the edges. This has been growing every year since the first flooding year a few years ago. There are far fewer early bugs around. Usually there's alot of small black and brownish stones around. I've seen only a few and they are real small. Probably normal.