Early Morning Production

New York Weekend Tour



Trout Bum New York Tour

This past weekend Joe and I added one more bumming moment to the books. We decided to head north to float the West Branch of the Delaware on Sunday; then drive up to our Altmar Steelhead camp for a day on the river chasing Kings, Steelhead, and maybe a Brown.

Reading the reports and checking the water levels all week we both knew what we were in for on the D, muddy high water. This meant no more 5wts with 6x tippet, it was time to bring out the 6wts with sinking lines and over sized streamers. Needless to say it was tough fishing; after pounding the banks all day we managed to move a few fish with 2 very nice browns to the boat.

After floating all day we had the boat on the trailer and were headed further north yet. We woke up a little late but still managed to find a few nice stretches of river to work. It wasn't long before Joe had is first fresh king to the net, I managed to hook a couple early but nothing to the net. After all day fishing we managed a few really nice Kings and one honking Brown.

We took the video camera and tripod along, so look for a new edit in the next couple day!!!

Hot Patterns: Sucker Spawn (all colors), Thumpin Jack Flash Stone (Fl. Chart.) Nuke Egg (all colors)

Featured Fly - The Helmet

Here is a really cool and easy pattern that I came up with using the new Sculpin Helmets by the guys that brought you the Fish Skulls. This pattern is tied on a tube, however it can also be tied on a regular hook as well. It works very well for smallmouth as well as steelhead. The Helmets really give this fly a true form look. Enjoy...

The Helmet

The Sculpin Helmet in brown

The Sculpin Helmet in Olive

Early Mornings on the Tully

Joe and I have made early morning floats the norm all summer. We were floating the Schuylkill River almost every week since late May. Floating the Tully has also been a regular thing when the water is high. Well its high again and we floated, unlike most days we added a video camera and a tripod to the list of gear. Here is another short edit from yesterday morning...

Early Morning Production

High Water Guide Day

Yesterday I had the pleasure of rowing Bob and his son Jack down the Tully. Bob and Jack are new to the sport and high water was not going to stop us. After about and hour of instruction we were headed down the river.

With high water and muddy conditions we knew it was going to be tough. Bob was tight to a nice rainbow about 15 minutes into the float. Next thing I know Jack is yelling with excitement as he rolled yet another nice rainbow. We floated from the dam down to the Paper Mill, only seeing one other angler the whole time. We managed a few more fish and had a good bit of fun while doing so.

The water is still a bit high but the water temps have come down to the low 60s and fish are loving the cooler temps.


Here are a few from the float:

High water patterns: San Juan Worm (red & pink), Sugar Daddy, Red Zebra Midge

State College 9-30-11

Friday I had the pleasure of working with the TCO family in State College. Naturally I had to take my fly rod along with me. Before work I hit Spring Creek; the water was a bit off color but at a perfect level. The weather was a little on the chilly side so the bite was slow. I managed a couple before heading into work.

After work Trever met me at the shop and we headed out again. He was fishing a nymph rig and I had my streamer of choice on, the Zuddler Minnow. We both had a couple fish right off the the bat; I kept fishing the streamer all night with no lack of action. Trever decided to switch over and walked up Spring Creek pounding opposite banks till dark.

Here are a couple pictures from the trip, Enjoy.

Blurry... Trever working the far bank

This guy hit like a freight train

Hot Patterns: Olive Zuddler Minnow, Black Wooly Bugger, San Juan Worm, Small Pheasant Tail

Early Morning Float

Joe and I decided with the Tully flows over 500cfs to take the boat out. We took along a video camera. Check it out....

Early Morning Float