From The Stream

FROM THE STREAM........................................................................................... BOB EVANS

May, June 2010

It's been a while since I updated you. I had been fishing frequently until late June when other activities reduced my to ZERO. Now in early July, when I'm ready to challenge the Trico Hatch, the shower has been turned off and the heat turned up. As I write this, we're approximately 5 inch behind in rainfall. Let's just hope the fish make it through this week of 90 degree weather until the rain starts again.

Now let's talk about successful fishing. I've been returning to the Tunkhannock Creek behind the College with good reason... That Rainbow is still there! The best outing I had in May was on a rainy evening. The stream was UP but clear and very fishable. Also cooler than the previous trip. For some reason that stream seems to warm up faster than Bowmans. Guess what fly I started with. NO, Not the Wooly Bugger... The White Moulting Hendrickson Nymph. No logic to it except that these fish seem to love this fly. Hooked fish almost from the first cast.. .Rainbows from 10 to 14 inches. Then one take was vicious and I though I'd hooked my favorite Rainbow again, so I applied the pressure, all that a 31b leader will allow, and wakled him downstream. No it wasn't him.. .JUST an 18 inch Brown. Later in the evening, my friend said hello with about a 3 foot leap just 20 feet below me. Nice to know he's still around.

On Memorial Day I joined Gary on the Brodhead and found it exactly as he had described it from previous trips. Lots of big fish, very active in the cool water but very, VERY picky !!! Landed some smaller ones, missed most and brought to net a very nice pair of children's sneakers which happened to float down to me from the area the kids were using to cool off. Amazingly, the swimming and splashing seemed to have little affect on the trout. If you're looking for a stream that remains cool in this weather, I suggest the Brodhead.

The Holiday week was now over. My son and his wife were in from MN, so my fishing was curtailed. Now in the second week of June, I returned to the Tunkhannock behind the college. All the students GONE! A few Summer Camp and Classes still there, but my van was nearly the only one parked by the stream. Buy the way, all year I think I've seen only 2 other fishermen that weren't with me hi the numerous tunes I've fished there. Started with beadhead nymphs with some success.. .Ther were NO signs of a hatch until nearly 8pm when I saw one , that's right, ONE Hendrichson hatch. As it was getting dark, I decided to put on a Hendrickson to finish the night, Caught a few as I worked my way down to where MY FRIEND hung out and when I was in good casting position, I placed the Hendrickson in his area and the fly disappeared in a small circle. I set the hook, had the fish, but it didn't act like HIM. Barely a tug until he decided to put on a show and stripped line to the end of the pool.. .BEFORE I COULD WALK HTM DOWN and get him under control. Sure enough I saw the line make a BIG loop and realized he was headed for the tree!! He wrapped me up and snapped the 2 Ib leader and left me to cross the stream to retrieve what was left. HE MADE AN IDIOT OF ME !

Unfortunately, that wasn't the worst thing to happen to me. When I crossed back over the bridge, the GATE WAS LOCKED !.' I realized I'd have to wade downstream, in the dark, to the bench and then follow the path to the parking lot. Surprise, surprise .. .They hadn't cleared the path all season, so I had to push my way through about 20 feet of 6 foot high growth to escape. Later I talked to a Security person and he was kind enough to tell me how to avoid that next time.

Pray for Rain.

FROM THE STREAM.......................................................................................... BOB EVANS

April 2010

Hello fishermen and fisherwomen. Here's a report on pre-season and the first week of the open season in our region of the state. I broke out my fishing gear in the first week of March right after'I hand delivered my taxes to the CPA. I had already transferred the Fall Selection of flies such as Hoppers, Beatles, Streamers, etc. from my patches to their appointed locations in the appropriate containers. Now it was time for the bead-head Caddis, White Wooly Bugger, Egg patterns(White and Orange), White Hendrickson (Moulting Nymph, Montana Nymph and an Elk-hair Caddis (Dry) brown body.. Tunkhannock Creek behind Keystone College which is Artificial Lure Only and Catch and Release year round expect for June 15 to Labor Day is always stocked in late February. I believe it has something to do with the Environmental Studies at the college. A student I talked to inMarch said they had already shocked the stream in certain places to count the fish and to check then- health . March 8^th was my first trip and even though the water was high, cold and discolored, my large White Wooly Bugger found the jaw of a very strong 14 inch Rainbow who had already learned how to use the currect to his advantage. Put up a great fight and swam away quickly when released. Weekly trips thereafter were less rewarding even though the water was dropping and clearing. Then came that Snow-Rain event which kept me away from the stream for a few days, but even after 2 days of no rain, when I drove up hi the middle of the following week, I noticed that Bowmans was running high and muddy. Ever the optimist, I told myself Tunkhannock Creek flows from the opposite direction .   Maybe I'll get lucky. NO WAY ! I took one look at the stream and returned home. When I revisited the stream the next week, it was much lower and relatively clear. I started with a bead-head nymph and landed a chunky 10 inch Brookie. Fished it hard but without any more luck. Then I returned to the top of the run and switched to the white Hendrickson nymph.   After only about five casts I felt the tapof a fish and then the weight of a good fish which was a Rainbow that promptly took to the air and threw the hook. It was the same experience I'd had last pre-season with a fish about the same size. Keep that in mind!! Now you may ask, "Why I was so dedicated to that stream?" Frankly, I was hoping to be there when the THOUSANDS of Caddis that covered the bottom of Tunkhannock Creek started to hatch. So far no luck prior to Opening Day.

But Opening Day found me at Bowmans Creek mainly because of the Cheeseburgers that were waiting in the parking area. This day I decided to go to my favorite section of the Fly Area and that's the deeper upper end near the hatchery. I was the ONLY one there. No signs of fish either ! After pounding that strech for over 3 hours, I retreated to the Cliff Pool near the hatchery pond. I shared this large pool with a father and young son who were fishing the upper section that is "Open Water". Shortly after I got there (about 11:30am) some fish started to rise . Surprisingly the father and son started to catch fish at the same time. I put on the Elk-Hair Caddis, because I'd seen many empty cases on dry ground when I was downstream . Sure enough that's what they wanted, but I missed the first 6 fish I rose. Finally I hooked one (a chunky Brookie) and brought him to net only to discover why I'd missed so many of his friends. This fish was SOOO full of food there was no room hi his mouth for the fly... I'd hooked him on the outside of the lower rip.   While I was removing the hook, the food was falling out of his mouth. In my 5Q-f years of fishing I've only seen this a few tunes.   This is a good sign for Bowmans Creek and the fish in it.. Now it's Wednesday, April 21^st, and the weatherman says it's going to be the best day of the week. So where was I ?   Back at Tunkhannock Creek with visions of Caddis dancing everywhere. Arrived and dressed by 10:30am and the Caddis were hatching. By the time I crossed the bridge and entered the stream, they were numerous (keep you mouth shut numerous) but there weren't many rises . Covered the few risers I saw without luck until I had one rise within a poles length of me. I flipped the line upstream hoping to find the correct feeding lane, buy I was two to three feet too far. So when the line had passed him., I stripped in most of my line and flipped the remainder upstream again. PERFECT !!    He took it, and as he headed for the nearby tree branches, I clamped down on the line and started walking him downstream. Realizing the tree was out of reach, he charged downstream and finished the reel stripping run with a spectacular leap. The line held, and after what seemed like forever I brought the beautiful 41b Rainbow to net.   Needed the pliers to remove the hook, took some photos and turned him loose. The next few minutes were difficult fishing, because to only risers were behind a rock in an eddy and on the other side of the tree limb. Fished above, below and over the tree limb but couldn't attain a good drift, so I went upstream. NO ACTION AT ALL !! After nearly an hour, I returned to the previous stretch . Fish still rising behind that rock and NO, IT CAN'T BE !  A fish rising where I'd caught that Rainbow !

Made only a few casts when the fish rose and took the Caddis. Again I had to clamp down on the line and walk him away from the tree. This time though he jumped once and then did a cartwheel which is probably when the hook left his jaw and hooked again below his tail. When I realized he was foul-hooked, I grabbed the line and brought him in as fast as possible. Of course, when I reached the 3 pound leader, it only took one surge and the leader snapped and he was gone leader, fly and all.

Now remember that fish a few weeks ago that I hooked on the white Hendrickson nymph . Same place, same fish YOU THINK? Three cracks at a fish that big ! I wonder how many times I'll catch him.