And I don't need to tie a single fly.

 

Just a quick apology for my somewhat over the top reporting of yesterdays fishing. Those days just don't happen very often in fall fishing and perhaps I got a little carried away. I promise not to let it happen again.

Was up early this morning (6:15), it was just starting to get light but the deer knew I was back and were waiting to greet me outside the back porch. Kept an eye on the hummingbird feeder all morning but they're gone. There were two still at the feeder Friday which is the latest I've ever had them stay. Didn't see them Monday afternoon and today was the clincher.

Mowed half the lawn, worked on the blue bird boxes, (need to buy three 8 foot pieces of rebar as the old posts are shot). Tied half a dozen flies and at 2:30, despite the bright sun and north wind, I couldn't wait any longer. Made the usual PA side drive up river and found decent olives floating by the Buckingham launch site unmolested. Sat glassing the river (apparently the waxwings have followed the hummingbirds as I haven't seen them either this week), but saw nary a rise. With four trailers pointed out at Buckingham waiting for a shuttle to Long Eddy, I decided to see just what was going on that had that many boats going down river two days in a row. Put on the gear and gave it less than half an hour. There wasn't a rise either to my fly or to the olives on the water. Hope there was a spot down river where the floaters met fish.

Got back in the car and headed east once again. Went as far as East Branch where four cars were in the "Jaws" lot, turned left and headed up rte. 30. There were once again cars parked at every pulloff  up to Shehawken. Above Shehawken, nothing. FYI - I've seen good bugs and good fish rising to them in the upper UEB (think above Corbett) in the past couple of weeks. With the pools crowded, and no rising fish to be seen on empty pools, I reversed course and went over to the BK where there were neither anglers, bugs  or rising fish. It's now 5:30 and time to either fish or cut bait. Somewhat reluctantly, I decided to fish.

The fishing - If it gets any worse, I don't want to know. There were cadis, white flies, Cahill's, and pseudos' (both duns and spinners), none except the pseudo spinners in any quantity. Risers, next to none. Undeterred, I waded in and was promptly treated to two refusals. For the rest of the almost two hours I  looked in vain for rising fish. The catch of the day, (there were two), a jumping rainbow fingerling (about five inches long) and a hefty brown all of 8.5 inches long (measured).  

There will always be good days and not so good days. The trick is to learn to enjoy them both! I do. 

 

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