I've Had It.

 

Spent from six-thirty until seven this evening sitting on the back porch with my P. M. watching the  spikehorn buck eating apples. Why? There's just no place where I can fish under present conditions, that I want to fish. Jim N's kind words, (or was he reflecting on my lack of intelligence), said it best. The water coming out of Cannonsville is chocolate milk. Visibility is less than a foot at Deposit, and with a 1,100cfs release, it is dangerous wading the WB. Yes, there were lots of bugs and rising fish at the game lands Wednesday night and it was fun, but that was at a water level 350cfs lower than today, and even then I couldn't see the trip rocks. The good news, if any, is that the release will probably drop by almost the same amount as it rose on Saturday night, if Wallenpaupack is going to generate on Monday. We are in a drought, rivers everywhere are approaching all time lows, tribs everywhere are bone dry, and those who want to fish are on the Delaware.

Where to fish? There are very few appealing choices, the river above barking dog is void of boats and anglers, a few boats put in at barking dog and will float to Balls Eddy, that stretch also had next to no  wade anglers. There were three cars at upper game lands and six at lower game lands, (only God knows why), below Balls Eddy the river narrows and is dangerous for wade fishermen at this level. That leaves the BR and apparently everyone knows it. All parking lots, (junction, Stockport, and Buckingham) were filled with more cars than pickups with trailers. There were even three fishermen in the Lordville riff where I have dutifully fished once a week since September first. For the record, the three fishermen exceeded the number of fish, (two), I've seen rise there all month.

The fishing - Probably isn't as bad as I'm making it sound, if you are in a boat. There are bugs hatching on the BR, isos, Cahills, Hebes, small olives, and of course you may luck into an ant flight. I have caught fish on the BR, but I have not seen rising fish. Jim N. spent a day and a half there, walked a long way looking for rising fish, caught a 19 inch rainbow, and left after our meeting. There is a lot of pressure on the BR and I'm not sure it's justified by what I've seen and heard. Would appreciate anyone who has been on the river telling of their experience.

The outlook - We need a substantial amount of rain. Anglers need to be able to spread out. I have said before, fall fishing is good as long as nobody else is there. At present there is far too much pressure on too small an area. If you have any flexibility, wait for the rain. If you have to come now, bring your golf clubs.  

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