Schuylkill River - Yeah that was Awesome

Well add three more trips to the books. The river is low and clear, just the way I like it.  You have to be stealthy, but there is nothing like a large bass eating your fly, and watching it do so. A lot of the river is too low to float without dragging your boats, but if you are ok with that, or just want to wade, it is fishing awesome. I had an awesome guide trip on Friday with lots of bass and four musky looks, and one eat. Then Sunday, my dad and little sister came up and it was another great day, I was so excited to show my dad this river, and see him in is element of bass fishing. Then if that wasn't good enough, I repaid the favor of Andy rowing me down the J, and rowed him down the Schuylkill Monday. He was moved by the lack of fishing pressure and the shear number of fish in the river. I put Shane in the back of the boat and he did his best to keep up with Andy, it was a day of many smallmouth, lots of laughs, and some good fishing stories.

 

Fall on the West Branch

After a very successful movie night at the shop, I woke up to my alarm at 3 am, in a semi zombie state, I went outside and hooked the boat up. Jack, Casey, and I were headed for the west branch with 6wts, sinking lines, and boat boxes full of streamers. Jack had asked me about 2 months ago if we could go strip streamers on the WB in the fall, umm yeah! So we checked the gauges and it looked perfect. I 100% forgot to look at the wind, opps 10 to 15 mph with gusts up to 40, I rowed my ass off. But we managed 2 fish on streamers, and 2 nymphing the fast water. Cold beer, deer sausage, and brats for a hot lunch, and home made monkey bread for dessert. A short story but some awesome pictures to go with, enjoy!

Fishing Report - Late September

Well, its been a while since I wrote a Tully report, the Schuylkill took the front seat throughout the summer. So here we go, Casey and Kyle went out Friday morning, it was a tough morning of nymphing, only a couple fish landed. They covered a decent amount of water, zebra midges, lighting bugs, and BWO nymphs, were the ticket.

I went out Sunday evening to find a nice selection of bugs flying around. White Flies, BWOs, tiny sulphurs, Caddis, and Cream midges. I only had a short time to fish, that was all I needed. I took fish on size 20 CDC BWO patterns. The water is low and clear, so light tippet is a must have.

Tully Nymph selection for the fall

Tully Dry Fly Selection for the fall

Schuylkill on the other hand, well I try to keep everyone up to date weekly. Last weeks rain storm brought levels up for about 24 hours. Then it plummeted back down to, super low and clear. The fishing has been slow, but we have moved a few super nice fish despite the levels. So pray for a couple more storms and the bass will be on. Water temps are dropping, mid day to evening is the best time to get out, with the cooler temps the bass are putting their feed bags on, getting ready for the winter. Zuddler minnows in olive still prove to be my favorite fly of the season, and last season, and the season before that, pattern hmm, I think not.

Another Two Awesome Days

Everything went as planned, thats what I said to myself as I pulled the boat out after the last 2 trips down the river. Great Clients, awesome fish, and perfect water. Matt Grove, a repeat client, and long time TCO customer, had an awesome morning on the river Tuesday. We had smallies on all morning, with a couple solid fish. The double deceiver became Matt's favorite fly, almost every fish regardless of size ate it. On top of that, we had a sick musky follow right to the boat, Ill take it! Way to go Matt!

"0% Chance of rain until 1:00 pm yesterday", thats what I said to myself at 8am, when the rain came down in buckets for 3 hours. Lee another repeat client, and his friend Ralph put their rain coats on and both smiled saying "well beats sitting in the office", I had to smile. It was a slow start with the rain, but poppers kept the action going, until the rain stopped. It was like a light switch, rain stopped, fish started, the conditions were perfect, clear water, zero sun, and zero wind. Lee, had the first smallie, it was only about 6 inches, but it was a smallie, then Ralph took over the show. The olive zuddler minnow, couldn't be stopped, small fish, big fish, and really Big fish, they all ate it. Ralph was the first to get into a monster, 17.5 inches on the rod. Then we were rowing through some fast water, I was trying not to hit rocks, as Lee says "got one", I look up to see the line flying past the boat, once I got out of the fast water, I dropped the anchor, stood up, damn another awesome one! We had fish the rest of the day, lost a couple other big ones, and landed a few other nice ones. Awesome day Lee, and Ralph!