STRIPERS IN JERSEY AND DELAWARE

DEC. 17, 2011

Rick and I joined Spirit River's Andrew Niethe in Jersey on Monday hoping to hit Sandy Hook, "the hook". Much to our chagrin, the "hook" was closed for dredging, which we couldn't understand, but fished south off the beaches in the National Seashore Park. Birds were working, but too far for our casts. Tides were perfect, water was clean and baitfish were there. Stripers were blowing up under the birds and we waited, in hopes they would move into casting range. With 1 half-hearted sweep and 1 solid move, fish came in briefly. All lines were in the water at the right time, but only 1 fish to hand for Rick, and it was a dandy! 30+" and chunked, easily 12+ lbs.. Great job, Rick!!! Soft winds and moderate air temps made for a comfortable day of casting our 2-handed rods. Solid reports of fish off the DE Coast, but not too close to shore. They're there, we all just need to put in the time. It's a late run, and should go on for a few more weeks. Get out and fish!!!

SMALL STRIPERS AND HICKORY SHAD @ DE BEACHES

Dec. 2, 2010

This past Sunday, Rick, Bill and myself headed south to the DE Beaches for some fly fishing in the salt. Wind was supposed to be down, but cooler weather. After a good report from Lee Powers from the day before, we "bee-lined" it for Indian River Inlet. With the tide about to turn, we started @ the Pipes @ Burton's Island. With guide wires on both sides of the causeway, I told the guys I'd be the 1st to catch/lose my fly on the wire, which came true soon enough. Rick followed suit and between the 2 of us lost a couple flies each. NOT a good start to the day!? After a fishless hour we reloaded and headed to the north jetty for the falling tide. Few anglers were about, which made me a bit nervous, but to the jetty we went. About 1/2 way out I dropped in, fishing the infamous "Pumpkin Clouser", 3 strips and I was tight, YEH! 2 minutes later it jumped; NUTS, hickory Shad, but still OK. 3 more casts and the same thing, and again and again. These fish were in the 2 lb. class, not much pull on a 9 wt. 2-hander, but tight is tight! Rick ventured out to the end of the jetty and hooked a nice striper, but the hook pulled right under the rod tip, GREAT job Rick on the hook-up! The "Bona Fide Beach Cast" reappeared, and my backcast released over the opposite side of the jetty, by mistake, so I just turned around and fished the other side like I meant it. NOT;))) @ dusk we headed into the back to Bubblegum Beach to fish under the lights. Bill starts hooking fish right away; pretty fish, but small, in the 9-12 inch range.  We all did some "pruning" of the grass behind us on the HIGH bank, a tough cast if you've never fished here and even if you have!? It becomes pretty hilarious when you see your fly turning over with a "tumbleweed" attached; fish don't seem to want any extra "salad" on the fly!?? After a couple hours into the dark the hickories started busting silversides on the surface consistently, and they entertained us for a while. Bigger fish were breaking under the lights too far for us to reach, so we packed it in. Fun day! Get out and fish! -Terry  

THE SALT HAS NOT BEEN FORGIVING TO ME!!!

Nov. 27, 2010

With decent reports from Jersey and a MAJOR need to find striped bass, Rick and I headed to Island Beach State Park last Sunday. Winds were to be reasonable, but in our face. Many boats were in close to the beach, but fewer beach buggies than we expected, NOT good!? Tide was ebbing, so we kept with our intermediate lines and unweighted flies to start. Surf was down, but rougher than we'd anticipated inside the 1st break. The beach was haggered from the previous weekend's storm, with NEW breaks in the sand bars, looking BETTER now! Each of us thought we saw a few boils, and there were some baitfish in close, probably silversides and BIG ones. We fished through the remainder of the outgoing tide and well into the incoming. NOTHIN"!? As the tide started rippin', our "drift" became WAY challenging. With both of us switching to sinking flies, just to slow the drift down if possible, still no strikes. Switching to SINKING lines might have been the CALL!? The "Bona Fide Beach Cast" came into play; releasing your back-cast, by mistake, onto dry sand behind us. By the way, I have never caught anything with my fly on dry sand!?! Laughs and raised hands over these botched casts gave us a little comic relief;) By dark, the wind was picking up, air temps were dropping, and the wash became unmanageable. A fun day, yet still no fish. We WILL get back out there SOON, ready to do battle!!! Get out and fish! -Terry 

GREAT DAY TROUTING!

Nov. 18, 2010

With high winds churning up the water on the beaches, it was time to head to PA for some trout fishing. Rick and I headed west on Sunday looking for some wild fish. Muddy Creek and its tribs produce decent numbers of wild fish, small but feisty! With low/clear conditions, we armed ourselves with 3 wts. hoping for some rising fish. Water temped @ 41, which wasn't what we were looking for!? NOW, with plan B already in place, the hunt was on for some water that had decent sun exposure. This river fishes well in and outside the Special Regs area, yet once it gets cold it stays cold and fish tend to sulk. After Rick got 1 take in the 1st spot, time went by without a strike for either of us. Midges started hovering on the stream-bank, but wouldn't go to the water, NOT GOOD!? With both of us nymphing our usual "small stuff", and me donating flies per usual to the streambed, we split up to explore and find fish. A couple guys had fished through us, but gave up early, so I found tracks in all the likely spots. I got tight 3 times with my micro-caddis larva, but came up empty, UGH!? Around 2:00, I settled into a spot that had water 3+ ft. deep. After several adjustments to my system, my indicator lurched and I was tight to a 9" native brown, beautiful colors and bright spots. Of course the camera was back in the Jeep, nice move!? Over the course of an hour I hooked several trout, 1 to 16+ inches and probably a holdover, along with a few chub. The day was getting better. Time to cover some water...any spot that had at least 2 1/2 to 3 feet of depth was my target. Over about 1 to 1 1/2 miles I was able to cherry-pick a few more wild trout, in some of the most unlikely places. Oddly enough they were taking my lead fly, which was a #16 Beadhead PT, very non-descript. AND, even stranger that I never needed to lighten the 4X tippet that it was attached to; the dropper had 6X and wasn't seeing near the action which made "0" sense. I finished the day with (2) Beadhead PT's on, which fish alternated eating. It must have been the drift!? As I hiked back trying to beat sunset, I found Rick stalking some "risers" on the flat near the car. He stuck a bunch of fish on Midge adults, # 22-#24, and was having a blast. The first thing we both said was HOW different it was making the adjustment from throwing 10 wts. in the salt to 3 wts. pitching to trout. What a GREAT day!!! Get out and fish! -Terry

JERSEY SALT HEATING UP, DE STILL WAITING

Nov. 10, 2010

Rick Bender and I headed for Island Beach State Park to meet Craig and Chris Irvine on Sunday. As we scouted the beach @ #7, we were greeted by 6 ft. surf and 15-20 mph winds, NOT good!? Wind was from the north, so at least we'd have a shot with our 2-handed fly rods. The ebb tide was about to start, when Craig got tight and we figured we'd hit it RIGHT. Within a few minutes Craig landed 4-5 small flounder and Chris was hooked to a decent striper. Waves were breaking out further now and we had shots at decent presentations. None of us were seeing many baitfish, but plenty of birds were on the prowl. Chris proceeded to land another striper, a bigger one. Slow retrieves seemed to be the ticket, and once both Rick and I figured that out, flounder started eating our 1/2 & 1/2's and Clousers. Just before Craig and Chris left, I held up a decent 18+ inch flounder, which was thrilled when I sent him back into the wash. A Little later, Rick hauled in a decent 16-17 inch flounder, 1st on his NEW Ross Reach 2-handed 8 wt.. Wind got cooler and the waves moved in closer, shortening our day. All and all a fun day and well spent with good friends!!! Get out and fish!!! -Terry

PLENTY OF BAITFISH @ DE BEACHES

Nov. 4, 2010

Bill O'Connor and I headed south for the incoming tide @ Cape Henlopen State Park on Sunday. Winds were supposed to be UP, but we wanted to see what shape the beaches are in and hopefully find some feeding stripers and blues. After getting sandwiches at a very COOL deli near the public beach, we scouted Canary creek, which was @ dead low tide and nothing was happening. Then off to the park to fish Herring Point. A few surfers were out, but the tide had just turned and their waves weren't happening, so we had the place to ourselves. Some peanut bunker were busting well within reach of our 2-handed casts. Bill saw a couple fish boil, but I saw nothing and we caught nothing. Water was clean inside but there was a slick of dirty water out in the distance. It was a beautiful day on the water and we keep putting in our miles believing stripers and blues will get here soon. Meanwhile, back in Jersey, decent reports of stripers in the wash @ IBSP came in on Monday. Location, location location, YIKES!?! Must keep fishing;) -Terry

ISLAND BEACH STATE PARK ON BUT WE MISSED IT!?

Oct. 26, 2010

Rick, Bill and Bill's wife Jackie and I headed to Jersey hoping to find some fish on Sunday. Reports were strong from the previous week, so we were optimistic. Wind blew from the south which put our casts of our left shoulders for the entire day. Surf was up but manageable, but baitfish were minimal, or at least from what we could see. Jackie, our only left-hander, had the bonus day for once, with the wind on her right shoulder. The beach cleared by dusk and we threw in the towel early into the dark. The sunset  was gorgeous and it was fun to be out. We definitely got our casting practice in;) Maybe should have gone trout fishing!?? get out and fish! -Terry

FALL WEATHER, WHAT TO DO, TROUTING OR SALTWATER?

Oct. 14, 2010

Many trout streams have received healthy fall stockings and water temps and levels have rallied; sounds inviting!? Striped Bass are breaking in Montauk, NY, according to Fairfield Jeff, and headed down the coast; sounds just as inviting!? Salmon runs are winding down on the Salmon River, but still plenty of fish in, with steelhead and browns in the mix; very inviting too!? The Brandywine main-stem is still fishing, even with 61 degree water temp; worth a look here too. TOO many choices, and ALL of them appealing to me.

For those staying closer to home, the West branch of the Octararo, Pickering, Ridley and East Br. of the Brandywine took decent amounts of fish in the recent stockings. Early spring tactics will work for the 1st couple weeks, with Beadhead nymphs and Beadhead Buggers working well. After that, it'll be time to resort to #18 and smaller nymphs and back to the hatches. rains are back and temps are still chilling more each night, and it seems like we're having a "true" fall season. Micro-caddis, midge and Blue Winged Olives (on cloudy days) will be your ticket. The smallie fishing in the Brandywine should hold through the month, but tactics will change depending on our weather. Right now fishing the trenches with darker flies (Buggers, Crayfish patterns and Sculpin imitations) with SLOW retrieves being  your best bet. As much as there are all always exceptions, cooler water spells slower presentations for me. Check out the SALT and FRESH WATER reports for more details. Good Fishing! -Terry

MARTHA'S VINEYARD FALSE ALBACORE TRIP REPORT

SEPT. 29, 2010

Report to follow later today. Fresh and Salt reports are up, scroll down...

On Sept 17th, Rick Bender, Bill O'Connor and myself headed north to New England in search of False Albacore and Bonita from the beach. Martha's Vineyard was our target locale, our usual annual fall trip. After a fairly uneventful drive to the ferry and ferry ride to the island, we were armed to the teeth for these pelagics. After making the initial grocery run, it was time to unpack gear and prep for Sat. fishing. With great expectations of seeing a ton of fish, flies tied and gear stoked, we were confronted by the one thing I dread when on a fishing trip, NO FISH!? We'd heard of a few albies and bonita caught blind casting from shore, along with a few caught from boats, but there were very few fish cruising the island. By the 2nd day we burned some fuel and scouted some night spots for night striper fishing figuring we'd be re-routing to Plan B. Craig Irvine joined us on Sat. via plane and Kirk rolled in early in the week to join in the search. Frustration was mounting, but made some new friends along the way; Gary, Larry and Ralph from the Cape and Rhode Island; Dan, who'd we met on previous trips from Boston; and Jeff from Fairfield, CT. We shared every bit of info hoping that someone would find a "slug of fish". Cell phones became "walkie talkies" with each call/text bringing anticipation for finding fish. Come Thurs., a nice burst came into the bowl @ Edgartown Light, and Rick got into'em GOOD; losing one to a hook-pull and another to a break-off. Bill had a decent hit that morning, but came up empty. We ALL figured that would be the start of our good fortune for the rest of the week. WELL, not to happen. The wind continued to harass us and all we could muster was snapper blues, and ALL you wanted, but other than an 18 incher landed by Rick, they were ALL under 12", UGH!? NOT quite the PULL on our 10 wts. that we were looking for. Sometimes trips happen like this one, and when fish just aren't there, the search JUST continues. That's why we call it "fishing" and not "catching". Guess we should have been there yesterday, tomorrow or any other time;) Keep Fishing!!! -Terry

WATER TEMPS DROPPING, SMALLIE BITE KICKING OFF THEN ON!?

Sept. 10, 2010

With some cooler nights and windier days, water temps in the Brandywine have plummeted into the low to mid seventies. This SPIKE can change the "bite" very fast! I was on the Lower Brandywine Sun. eve, and the fishing was not nearly as good as it was just a few days prior; also hit the PA side of the Brandywine Mon. eve and it was JUST as slow!? The only change was that the water temps had dropped nearly 5 degrees; fish had moved OFF the banks and into the trenches, more in the middle of the river at both locations. When some midges got active on Wed. eve at the end of my guide trip, some panfish became active and took flies readily, but more subtle takes than usual. Slower hook-sets were the ticket when this happened. The AM water temped @ 71, but it rose to 74/75 by the afternoon. Bob Gentry and I had a great day, even though we searched long and far for smallies. We fished from Lenape Picnic Park downstream past the Brandywine River Museum, before finishing up @ Breck's Mill, in DE. During the heat of the day, some caddis and midges, along with some damsel and dragon flies, were getting on the water, but we saw NO surface action. It AMAZES me that the "Brandywine-Bite" will turn on/off so fast when the fall season gets going!? BUT, it's not over, just be patient and search for fish in the trenches and deeps, when water temps start to drop. Terrestrials will still be in play on the surface, but crayfish, buggers and Clousers will be the Mainstay for the fall season when fishing for Smallies on the Brandywine!!! Get out and fish!!! -Terry

THE BRANDYWINE'S STILL FISHING GREAT!!! Sept. 2, 2010

I fished Sun. and Mon. evenings on the Lower Brandywine, and the water temp had dropped to 78F, but with the last couple days being stifling hot, it may be higher?! Cooler days are coming this weekend and we should get at least 2 nights down in the 50's with the days in the 70's, which should help. The surface action has not been nearly as good as subsurface for me lately, but some folks have come into the shop saying they're nailing fish on the PA side of the river with poppers and sliders. I have seen a smattering of "white flies" but none getting down on the water and any bugs I've seen on the water have gone unmolested. There have been a ton of SMALL inchworms, in a pale olive color, dangling from some of the tree limbs and I have seen a few "blow-ups" under these limbs, but nothing consistent. Sneaky Petes, Howell's Big and Nasties, Rubber Legged Buggers and Muddler Minnows have been the "Steady Eddies" of recent. Trout streams are cooling SLOWLY, so be CAUTIOUS when headed to your favorite trout streams; take the water temp 1st, and if it's BELOW 70 F, then give it a try. BUT, keep your trout in the water; AVOID taking them out of the water to avoid un-necessary stress on the fish. Get out and fish!!! -Terry  

WATER TEMPS COOLING, BUT TROUTING STILL ON HOLD, BASSING STILL SOLID!!! Aug, 21, 2010

The Brandywine River has been getting fished hard this summer, and most fly fishers haven't been disappointed!!! With minimal bug activity, the surface action has remained more spotty than sub-surface fishing. Looking for actively feeding fish has been my best weapon of late; fish "flashing" anywhere in the water column, usually means they're on the feed but not always. Whether using beadhead nymphs, buggers or streamers, they all will produce fish! Once again, varying your retrieve a TON will help with your success rate. There are still good numbers of damsel and dragon flies hovering over the Brandywine and the bass want them; rises to these insects are NOT delicate, but are NOT consistent either. When I see a couple explosive rises to these flies, I switch over to some version of a slider, usually a Sneaky Pete gets the call and works just fine.  The "softer water" is still holding more numbers of smallies; the slicks and flats with some sort of deeper drop-off  near by, are your best bets! Rick Bender and I fished Breck's Mill in the rain last Sunday, with marginal success, before heading downtown to the tidal section, which didn't do either of us that well either. BUT, it was good to get out and the smallies were active enough to give both of us a decent "pull". I DID get some spey casting practice in, which is always fun;))) Get out and fish!!! -Terry

SMALLIE FISHING STILL ON FIRE!!! Aug. 13, 2010

With some rain freshening up the river, the flows still haven't changed much, STILL low! BUT, from West Chester to downtown Wilmington, the Brandywine is fishing WELL!!! The bite has been sketchy at times, but when it turns on, numbers of smallies being caught are solid. Sunday, Rick Bender, Bill O'Connor and I fished  the Lower Brandywine and while Bill and I threw our Spey rods in the tidal section with minimal success, only a few panfish for each, Rick was blasting smallies upstream by the zoo. Muddler-style streamers have been the ticket for us, subsurface, while Sneaky Petes have been the staple on top. Changing presentations has been critical, with varied retrieves with pauses adding to our success. Crayfish Buggers and Bonefish Clousers have ALSO brought some nice fish to hand. Water temps dropped into the high seventies for a couple days, before the HEAT set back in, but with some cooler nights coming, I'm hoping that the "80 degree water temp days" are almost over!? After Bill left in the afternoon, Rick and I went upstream to the Mill Rd. access, only to find a "minnow fisherman", which usually sends us into "plan B". We waited him out and continued to fish upstream into the flats above the dam. I had switched over to my single-handed 6 wt. and a tandem rig with a slider above a beadhead nymph. Bass were moving into the shallows readying for the evening bite, which spelled good things for us! BIG sunnies and decent smallies alternated between the slider and dropper for me, while Rick kept steady with his Muddler'ish fly. Fish still don't seem to be acting leader-shy, but longer leaders have helped us, because when the fly line gets into their view, they spook, especially in the skinny water. Get out and fish!!! -Terry

SMALLIES AND CARP ON!!! Aug. 3, 2010

The rains didn't effect the water levels, but temps have dropped a little, 78 degrees on the Brandywine. With a few warmer days on the horizon, warming trends are possible. The carp have been very finicky, and fishing smaller flies (#10-14 swimming nymphs) on 4X tippet has been the trick to getting them to eat; keeping them hooked up is another story. Finding where these elusive targets congregate can be the biggest challenge with a couple spots in the Lower Brandywine, along with a few spots in PA, being your best bets. Stealthy approaches with light lines and "clear tips" are both HUGE, with our current low, clear, warm water conditions. Fewer casts, to avoid spooking them, and waiting for "tails to go up", gives the opportunity for the "money cast"!!! Smallies have been turning on then off worse than a light switch; figuring out whether they're looking up, or not, is crucial when deciding whether to throw poppers/sliders or crayfish/baitfish imitations. Sunday afternoon, the switch happened SO fast and I felt lucky to pick it up when I did. Rick Bender accompanied me for a nice afternoon, armed with his favorite 6 wt., while I experimented with one of the latest Ross Spey Rods, a 13' 7 wt. With this year being the "Damsel and Dragon" year of all time, the Damsel Slider finished my day strong!!! Sneaky Petes have also done their job bringing soft, suttle takes, along with some EXPLOSIVE blasts on this fly. Every part of the Brandywine is fishing well right now; patience has been my biggest weapon, waiting for "the bite" to turn on. Get out and fish! Pictures to follow. -Terry

RAINS FRESHENED UP STREAMS, BUT HEATWAVE STILL ON!!!

July 16, 2010

Water temps dropped 5-10 degrees with our recent rains, but with the current HOT trend, temps are rising as this is being written. Trout streams are still TOO warm, unless you head to one of the LIMESTONERS in PA. Please refrain from trout fishing if/when water temps reach above 70 F, as the dissolved oxygen levels become dangerously LOW, putting these "coldwater species" into stress. BUT, there are PLENTY of "warmwater species" to throw flies to. Most ponds are BOILING right now, but the largemouth bass and monster sunnies are very greedy during the last few hours of sunlight, falling to poppers and buggers. Bellevue State Park and Carousel Farms both have ponds that are fishing well on both ends of our days. Neighborhood ponds and corporate impoundments are ALSO fishing well, along with the golf course ponds. The Brandywine has seen some "hot/cold" days, with some days fishing hot and other days not. Beadhead nymphs and smaller buggers are working well in the early mornings, with poppers, sliders and terrestrials doing the job in the evenings. ANYTHING with rubber legs is my motto on this river! Damsel and dragon flies are all over the river, and most days will find smallies splashing @ them, but with little success. I've been chasing CARP for the last few weeks, and my success-rate is still WEAK! My sources are telling me that I need to pitch the San Juan Worm to carp for success; just tied up a bunch and put them in the carp box.  I'll send the update in the next report! Get out and fish!!! Terry

TROUT STREAMS ARE COOKING, LITERALLY!!!

July 6, 2010

Unless you are headed to one of the limestoners or tailwaters, with confirmed water temps below 70, PLEASE give our trout a rest till water levels increase and temps drop!  Trout are coldwater species and struggle in water temps that hold @ 70 or above with any consistency. Hooking trout in our current conditions STRESSES them and landing fish will take the chance of killing them. Warm water species, such as large and smallmouth bass, panfish of all varieties, perch and carp are good targets for this time of year. I haven't seen water temps at this level in many years, this early in the year! I spent Sunday afternoon chasing carp in the Lower Brandywine, and even though they weren't very "bitey", I had plenty of targets;) Tim Oneill and Rick Bender were with me and they caught some smallies and panfish, while I threw to the carp specifically; Tim actually got a GOOD take and missed him, GOOD FOR YOU TIM! The park was busy and I enjoyed watching all the city folks enjoying themselves and their families. It IS going to be an interesting rest of the summer unless we get some rain and cooler weather!? Start doing your raindance(s)! Keep getting out and fish for the warm water species!!! -Terry

EARLY SUMMER CONDITIONS, SMALLIE TIME!!!

June 29, 2010

The last 2 weeks I've been scouting old and new locales for smallmouth bass fishing. This is one of my favorite fly rod species, just SO strong pound for pound! With water temps climbing steadily, the Brandywine Mainstem is hovering @ 80, while the Schuillkill temped @ 87 this past Sunday, WOW!? Rick, Bill and I hiked and casted our tails off, ALL afternoon and into the evening, with only 3 fish hooked/landed. Crayfish were EVERYWHERE, in ALL sizes from 1/2 inch to 2 1/2 inches. I was having a "remedial casting day" with my spey rod, but even so, fish weren't moving. Monday evening I headed to the tidal section of the Brandywine, and found the same result(s); fish weren't moving and got a couple swirls/boils on a popper and 2 takes on the slider, but still NO fish to hand. A little rain brought the levels up just a bit and seemed to freshen up the river. This watershed is fishing much better from Brandywine Creek State Park upstream to West Chester. With a slight break in the heat over the next few days, the smallies should get very active both early and late. Small Clouser Minnows and Sneaky Petes should be the ticket, along with some crayfish imitations. Get out and fish! -Terry

MUDDY CREEK ENCORE, LOW WARM WATER!!!

June 17, 2010

73 degrees in the mainstem, with 64 degrees in the feeder creeks, with WAY low water levels! I knew that fish would be stressed if we weren't EXTREMELY careful with them. Normally I don't like to target trout when water temps are consistently 70 or above. With sulphurs all but done, I still opted to fish "dry and dropper" with my favorite combo of a Sulphur Emerger at the lead and an unweighted Flasback Pheasant Tail Nymph trailing. Within the 1st 5 minutes, I had gotten 2 takes on the nymph and 5 refusals to the dry, but NO fish landed. Scarcely a few bugs in the air and on the water, I started searching for something in the film. Damsels and dragons were hovering around, and only saw one fish come all the way out of the water after one. A few spent Blue Quill and sulphur spinners drifted by, but not enough to get fish on them. Tim O'Neill was fishing just upstream of me, along with river-keeper Jan Pickle, and they were having the same result; we all agreed that fish were spitting flies faster than our hook-sets. Swimmers came and we moved upstream hoping for better results, but NOT to happen. Rick Bender and Lee Powers rejoined us after their jaunt WAY upstream where they'd picked up some fish on caddis nymphs. 2 small squalls came through to freshen up the creek and cool us off. The evening rise wasn't much better, but more spinners drifted past both Tim and I which gave us more targets with fish becoming more active. A few more fish were landed, with the "upfly" getting most of the attention, my Sulphur Emerger; one native brownie that was 13+" made my day! With water temps staying TOO warm, and NO substantial changes in the weather for the near future, it appears it's time for Smallmouth fishing. Fresh reports from the Brandywine to follow. Get out and fish! -Terry

Photos by Rick Bender

LOWER WATER FLOWS, MORE TECHNICAL FISHING

JUNE 10, 2010

After yesterday's rain, most creeks added to their much needed low water levels. We still need MUCH more rain! With sulphurs waning and caddis hatches becoming more and more sporadic, "summer tactics" are in play. Rick Bender accompanied me to Muddy Creek in York County this past Sunday, to hopefully hit the last of the sulphur hatch. Much to our chagrin, water temps and levels had plummeted, 65 degrees and LOW. Fish were spooky and clinging to the bottom and any structure where they could find shade and cooler water. Nymphs were VERY active as I found plenty of "clinger" nymphs, some olive caddis larva and some tiny mayfly nymphs, possibly Blue Quill nymphs as we saw some duns airborn. We didn't see a hatchery fish all day, but caught some streambred fish, along with a TON of fallfish/chubs. The evening rise was a little disappointing as we saw minimal fish working. Fishing "dry and dropper" was the KEY to the day, with 5X and 6X to the dry, with 6X and 7X to the dropper. Smaller Pheasant Tail nymphs, Caddis Larva/Pupa and Midge Larva/Pupa are ALL on the top of my list for the dropper. Wade gently and stalk appropriately, as STEALTH will be your BIGGEST weapon in "low flow" situations!!! -Terry

STILL SOME AMERICAN SHAD IN THE BRANDYWINE

May 27, 2010

As of the 26th, water temps have warmed to a steamy 70 degrees, which tells me the warm water species, smallies, largemouths, panfish and carp are in their spawns. I saw many American shad move up yesterday, but they weren't very bitey; my client for the day was Beau Beasley, well known author from Virginia. Beau landed his first American shad ever, which brought BIG smiles to our faces. While he was digging out his camera, of course the fish squirmed out of my already wet hands, OOPS!? With water temps hitting so high, the spawn may hurry a little, but it's tough to tell!? The smallies are into their spawn now, so PLEASE refrain from casting onto any gravel bars and avoid casting to "paired up" fish; there are plenty of fish in the trenches and we need another HUGE spawn again this year. As always, it's time to get out and fish!!! -Terry

SHAD MOVING OUT, BLUEFISH IN, STRIPERS COMING

May15, '10

As quick as they came in the hickories have moved out, but there's still a few American Shad moving up in the Lower Brandywine. I fished below Conowingo Dam last Sunday on the Susquahanna with Rick Bender and Bill O'Connor, looking for American Shad, and caught my first 2 stripers of the spring, albeit 5" and 8". The "micro-striper run";)))Water was turbid, which definitely didn't help. Picked up 1 American Shad that evening on the Lower Brandywine, which saved my day!!!

Trout fishing has been decent with some dry fly action to be had. I guided Bill and Matt Klimer on the E. Br. of the Brandywine and Pickering creeks. The afternoon started out with both getting into fish with nymph rigs, before moving to caddis dries. I knew that the bugs I saw were definitely a #16, but I always try a size bigger; the fish laughed at that, but when re-rigged with #16's they ate well. Great job Jim and Matt! Sulphers are coming, so be on the look-out!

Bluefish have been running the beaches in Jersey over the past week or so, with Sandy Hook being as consistent as any location. There have been some stripers in the mix too. Having both intermediate and full sinking lines  is crucial, as some nights these fish have gone deep. Clousers and deceivers  3"-5" have been doing as well as any. We're just coming off the "striper moon", so fishing the stronger tides in low-light conditions can be clutch too!

WARMER WEATHER, WARMING WATER, YEH!!! May 1, 2010

With water temps moving into the upper 50's to 60, the hickories @ Deer Creek are getting on the bite more. Time and location are still critical, as the "early/late" time-table is HUGE! I don't like the idea of stepping into a line of fly fishers, but with this stream, that's where the shad are holding so there's not much choice!? Mark Hamm was in the shop this morning and said that he gave the others a wide birth @ the Stafford Rd. bridge, and he began catching hickories consistently on non-weighted "S Flies" with a floating line and NO splitshot. Great job, Mark!!! I have been fishing the Lower Brandywine almost every night this week, with minimal success @ dusk; many shad "tapping" the fly, but NO solid takes. The water temped @ 55 consistently, and that usually happens when the water is TOO cool. Rick Bender and Lee Powers have taken some hickories sporadically, while standing on the dam, while I have been plying water with my spey rod from the side. The bite should turn on EVERYWHERE, with a few very warm days upon us now. Get out and chase these beauties!!! -Terry

SHAD REPORTS STILL SPOTTY April 28, 2010

Warm weather is coming, but the recent cold snap has kept water temps cold and both American and Hickory Shad fishing has been slow. There's a ton of fish in both the Brandywine and Deer Creeks, but they aren't being very bitey at all. I got out 3 eves last week, including this past sat., and got many taps, but nothing hooked up. Stay tuned, as with the warming trend later this week, the shad should be "kickin' it" on both watersheds!!!

1ST AMERICAN SHAD IN THE BRANDYWINE FOR 2010 April 21, 2010

It was a beautiful day on the 19th when I met Rick Bender downtown Wilmington, looking for hickory shad in the Brandywine. He was on the dam casting when I arrived, so I started rigging up when I hear him yelling up to me that he got hooked up to something BIG. After hustling down to the dam, he had started working his way over to me saying, " American, it's an American!" After landing this DANDY fish and getting some pictures, Rick sent it back on its way to continue its spawning run. I hustled back to the Jeep to get my gear, and by the time I returned Rick had hooked another one. After getting bumped several times by fish I continued to ply the seams below Dam #1. Within short order I was hooked up to my 1st American Shad of 2010 and it was "off to the races"! Tim Reed had just gotten to the dam when I was headed to our "designated fish landing spot"; Tim stepped down off the dam and landed this fresh fish for me. The fish slipped out of both of our hands a couple times before the tippet finally gave way, which was actually very funny;) The tide slipped away from us and the bite shut down. The water temped @ 55, so it IS warming which should bring more American Shad into the mix!!! Tight Lines! NOTE: parking on the Brandywine Zoo side is NOT recommended as 2 of the 4 vehicles parked there got broken into. UNLESS you park closer to the zoo, not at the end of the dirt road, per the Ranger's suggestion.

Deer Creek update: Water flows are still good, but the water temps are still hovering in the low 50's, so the hickory shad fishing has been HOT/COLD. Crowds have been there both in the morning and evening, and I DO mean crowds. Sinking leaders and sink-tip lines have been helping with cooler water temps, but I would have both sink and float options when going.

COLD FRONT, COLDER WATER April 15, 2010

After seeing some water temps creeping into the 60's in some of our watersheds, it has plummeted 10+ degrees over the last week. This hasn't disturbed the trout fishing as much as it has DEFINITELY slowed the shad fishing. I temped the Lower Brandywine yesterday afternoon, 1:00, @ 52 F. Guided the tidal water for hickory and gizzard shad from mid morning to mid afternoon. Saw plenty of shad in the river, but they were NOT very bitey AT ALL. I had Justin Williams with me, from the Wilmington News Journal, on his first shad outing. The morning brought many flashes and follows at the fly, but the afternoon shut down completely. We fished both sides of the dam above Market St., but to no avail. It's challenging to see fish, and have them "off the bite"!? After using many presentations; swinging, dangling, stripping and dead-drifting, we worked all the seams reachable. Near the end of the outing, Justin's fly got hammered, and as he came tight the battle was on. At first glance, it appeared to be a hickory shad, but after a few minutes he landed a honkin' fallfish, over 14". We laughed and figured it was worth that one tangle with a "non-targeted species"! A warming trend is coming and hopefully this will bring water temps back toward 60 and get the shad runs cookin'!?

Deer Creek is having the same issue; water has chilled down and many fly fishers are hooking fewer fish than they were a week ago. Some hickories are still being caught, but very few fly rodders are boasting BIG numbers. I will be down this weekend and should have fresh info for those looking to get into "SHAD RUN 2010". Even the Susquahanna has NOT yielded many shad this spring so far. I have always felt that "Tax Day" starts "the run", so hopefully it will pick up over the next few days. Keep going, it'll bust open any day now!!! -Terry 

SHAD IN BUT NOT VERY "BITEY" April 6, 2010

Headed to Deer Creek with Rick Bender Sunday, after hearing from Ed Beacom that hickories were in the creek and folks were catching some. Showed just before dark and saw 2 fly fishers just above the Stafford Rd. bridge. Before walking downstream, I saw each of them hook up and land a fish each. This looked promising!? The creek is NOT as high as I expected, and Rick temped the water @ 62, which is HIGH for this time of year. Armed with floating lines, we started plying the water, as we could see some hickories doing their spawning dance. Many short strikes and VERY light taps on the fly, per usual for the earlier part of "the run". We each stuck a few fish, and only a few were landed; the upside was that there were "0" foul-hooks, which can be prevalent especially earlier in "the run". The numbers of shad in the creek are reasonable, but as of Sunday, I did not see as many as what we will see when "the run" peaks; this could turn-on any day with current water temps, but it may be another week. Last season we ran out of water early; the rains stopped and didn't return till mid-May, which brought low water and pushed fish back into the Susquahanna. Be ready with your 5 to 6 wt. rods and floating/sinktip lines, along with plenty of SHAD FLIES! They're in the creek and and "the bite" is coming! Terry

GIZZARD SHAD AND HICKORIES IN THE BRANDYWINE April 6, 2010

Fished Mon. eve downtown Wilmington, but just for an hour; had spotted some decent size shad earlier in the day, and wasn't sure what kind they were, standing up on the wall. After getting my waders on and getting in the river, visibility was good enough to see that there were some hickories trailing some gizzard shad tight to the dam. Armed with a 13'6" 7 wt., I began to ply the water with a weighted Jay's "s" Fly. Water temped @ 58, but fish weren't on the bite. Lee Powers was already there and Rick bender joined the crew. Lee picked up a couple panfish and Rick and I just "practiced our casting", as the fish just rested before attempting to jump the dam. Many made it over, which was WAY cool! High tide seems to be the best time to be chasing these fish on the Brandywine; I believe it's because they have an easier time running from the bay upstream. American Shad, along with more Hickories, should be arriving soon, as long as the water levels stay strong. The water is HIGH right now, so wading cautiously is HUGE!!! Terry  

Lee Powers June 8, 2010

Lee Powers June 6, 2010

HOLIDAY STOCKING DATE CHANGED

DEC. 18, 2011

The holiday stocking for the Middle Branch of the White Clay Creek has been pushed to Thurs. or Fri., Dec. 22nd or 23rd. This info was just received from the White Clay Fly Fishers and Ed Guthrie.

HOLIDAY TROUT STOCKING IN THE WHITE CLAY

DEC. 17, 2011

Thanks to all who contributed to the Holiday Trout Stocking for the Middle Branch of the White Clay Creek! Approx. 600-700 fish will be float stocked this coming week, Monday or Tuesday, weather permitting. Attractor nymphs and Wooly Buggers will be the ticket until these fish get on "naturals". Then, it will Midges thru the rest of the cold weather season. Fishing "low and slow" will draw most strikes, with the occasional rising fish on warm sunny afternoons. Tight Lines!!!

WINTER WEATHER, TROUT MOVING SLOW!

Dec. 2, 2010

"Banker's Hours" will be the best time to get out trouting! 11 Am to 3 PM, 12-4; these are the better times to trout fish now. When you get the warmest part of the day, creeks/rivers need to get a 1-3 degree increase to get fish moving. Sunny days will be the best when cold days and nights start mixing. Working your imitations slowly through deeper seams and tail-outs will be your ticket. Fishing a bigger/brighter fly above a small midge larva/pupa, is my best starting point, Once I find what fish are feeding on, then I will switch to similar flies, both SMALL! Get out and fish!

COLD NIGHTS AND WINDY CONDITIONS, TROUTING STILL GOOD!

Nov. 27, 2010

Winter rules!!! Low and slow will be the ticket from here on in, if the weather/river conditions don't improve. Nymphing, nymphing and MORE nymphing will be your best choice for now. Fishing a # 14-#16 Beadhead Prince above a #18-#22 Midge larva/pupa will be your best bet right now. If the usual BLACK dropper isn't working, try fishing the same pattern in RED or PINK. Pearl Mylar is also a good "body material" for subsurface midge fishing, when fishing the "minnie mighty's"! Smallest Copper Johns are also good choices, when plying the deeper runs and pools when trout aren't moving much with cold water temps.

The Brandywine has slowed with our current weather, BUT working darker flies in the deeper slots has brought a few smallies and fallfish to hand during the warmer parts of the day. Dead-drifting with occasional "twitches" can be a deadly tactic in coldwater conditions. Get out and fish!!! 

LOCAL TROUTING STILL GOOD, SMALLIE FISHING WANING

Nov. 18, 2010

Water temps are dropping and fish are schooling in deeper pools and drop-offs. Winter conditions are DEFINITELY in play with water temps in the 40's, and even with a slight push of rain, levels are still LOW! Nymphing and streamer fishing is the best method, with maybe a few rising fish during the warmer parts of the day. Black midges will be the ticket when fish are rising. "LOW and SLOW" is the way to go, when nymphing/streamer fishing. I prefer darker flies this time of year, but throwing the occasional Pink Serendipity, San Juan Worm or Midge Larva can sometimes save your day. Trout and smallmouth bass will become active during the warmest parts of our days. PLEASE keep fish in the water at ALL times; if you need a picture, take it with the fish in the water and/or in your net while in the water. Using a net, when water conditions are tough, can definitely HELP with healthy fish releases!!! Get out and fish!

WATER LEVELS LOW, BUT TROUTING STILL GOOD!

Nov. 10, 2010

With water levels dropping along with water temps, fish are gathering in the deeper pools and tailouts. Most of our local trout streams are still stoked with hatchery and holdover fish to all sizes. Subsurface fishing is the ticket, and if you enjoy nymphing, you're definitely in the game! Sucker spawn and egg patterns are still working over these "tank fish", but they will start eating naturals any day now. Midge larva/pupa, micro-caddis larva/pupa and small blue winged olive nymphs will be the standard. Attractors, such as San Juan Worms and Prince Nymphs, will still work. Going smaller will be a GOOD choice, when you're not getting bitten. 5X & 6X tippets will become the norm when pitching this smaller fare. Keeping a LOW PROFILE for stealth will be CLUTCH as winter conditions approach. Good fishing!!!!

RAINS HELPING WATER LEVELS, TEMPS DROPPING, TROUTING STILL ON!!!

Nov. 4, 2010

A nice push of rain today has helped raise water levels in our local trout streams. There are plenty of hatchery and holdover trout in ALL the special regs areas. Attractor nymphs, such as: egg patterns, sucker spawn, white and yellow wooly buggers, have been working well. Still waiting on our fall blue winged olives, and they WILL come! I would much rather work thru a hatch then throw attractor flies, but when the fishing is good using these flies, then I use them. Tight lines!

WATER LEVELS DROPPING, TROUTING STILL SOLID!

Oct. 26, 2010

Still many trout being taken on egg patterns and sucker spawn, along with buggers and assorted beadhead nymphs; attractor-time! Stomach pump samples have been minimal because these fresh hatchery fish aren't eating naturals yet. It's coming and our fall blue winged olives and midges will be the ticket. Size #18 and smaller will be good choices. Some rain is in the forecast, but it's unknown whether it will be enough to raise water levels!? Dry and dropper combos will stay on top if water levels don't increase. Until our first SOLID frost, hoppers, crickets and beetles will stay in the mix. Tight Lines!

MOST LOCAL TROUT STREAMS RESTOCKED FOR FALL

Oct. 19, 2010

It's early spring tactics for a couple weeks, with fresh hatchery fish in most Special Regs Areas in Southeastern PA, along with the mainstem of the White Clay in DE. Buggers and Beadheads are the way to go; give these fish something they can see, and don't hesitate to twitch and swing your nymphs at the end of your drift. Get it while you can, because once these fish start dialing into "naturals" then it'll be back to "hatch matching" for the most consistent results. 4X and 5X tippet will do the trick for now, then it'll be back to 6X and 7X as winter approaches. Brighter flies will sometimes trigger these fish into a frenzie, with charteuse Copper Johns and maybe a red or pink one too!? #12's & #14's will be the ticket, till they wise up. White, chartreuse and yellow Wooly Buggers can also be good choices in sizes #6-#10, as these fish may need to be "shaken" to get their attention. Creek levels are better than they have been, and water temps are in the 50's depending on where you're fishing. After wet-wading all summer and into the fall, it's DEFINITELY wader time with cooler water temps. There are still some crickets and beetles around, so make sure to have a few of those in your box. Get out and fish! -Terry

FALL TROUT STOCKINGS COMING IN OCTOBER

Sept. 29, 2010

With some rain and cooler nights, trout streams are chilling down to MUCH better temps and conditions! FINALLY, WHEW!?! Even though water levels remain low, trout are becoming more active in our local trout streams. Some Mico-Caddis are still lingering, and a #18 or #20 Elk Hair should do the trick. I prefer the CDC Caddis in the "soft and slick" water, as this pattern lays down VERY gently, with a Soft Hackle or LaFontaine Sparkle Pupa trailing about 18"-24" behind. 6X and 7X tippets will be the norm if water levels don't increase; I avoid 7X when possible for quicker release of fish, but sometimes it cannot be avoided. Blue Winged Olives have been sporadic, even on overcast and rainy days, but this should get better as the fall progresses. Size #18-#22 Sparkle Duns with similar size Flashback Pheasant Tail Nymphs trailing should work well when these diminutive mayflies make their appearance. Midges are the best bet on brighter days, with Larva and Pupa patterns in #20-#24 fished deep in the runs and tailouts. Skinny Nelsons, small Copper Johns and other sparsely tied nymphs will fill out a good assortment of "trout getters".

The Brandywine is still fishing, but as water temps fall, they will be holding in the deeper "slicks and glides". Slower and deeper presentations will be the ticket here, with Rubber Legged Buggers, Marabou Muddlers and Pig Pen Leeches being good choices. There are still some hoppers around, but the crickets are everywhere right now, so make sure to have a few in the box in sizes #8-#12. SPLAT them and twitch'em for some explosive takes. Ed Collier has been fishing (3) wet flies and swinging them "old school" style tied in darker colors; he's been getting double and triple hook-ups with this rig. GREAT job, Ed!!!

Tight Lines!!!

WATER TEMPS GETTING MUCH MORE TROUTY!!!

Sept. 10, 2010

Thanks to everyone who left the freestone streams be during our HOT summer. KUDOS to all of you!!! Water temps are in the 60's in most trout streams, locally, so targeting trout should be OK for now. PLEASE temp the water before trout fishing just to be sure. Some micro-caddis are showing in decent enough numbers to bring a few fish to the surface, and the midges should also fill in the mix. AGAIN, fishing with "dry and dropper" rigs will help ply our LOW waters! Some rain is in the future forcast, so just MAYBE, we'll actually get some rain to boost the flows!? Terrestrials should still be in the game, as the hoppers, on our most recently windy days, should get blown onto our trout streams. Crickets will also bring some success in the mornings and near dusk. "Splatting" them near undercut banks is usually the best bet, but fish these patterns "around the clock"; I've had some decent hook-ups right in the middle of riffles with these flies in the past. Smaller Copper Johns make the easiest droppers behind these patterns, in smaller sizes this time of year, #18-#22. Leaves are hitting the water in BIGGER numbers as our fall progresses, but even though they can be a nuisance it's the prettiest time of year to fly fish on your favorite trout stream!!! Tight Lines!

TROUT WATER STILL DICY!? Sept. 2, 2010

1st thing to do is to take a water temp before fishing your favorite trout stream. If the water temp is below 70 F, then give it a try, but stay away from the warmest parts of the day; the "early/late" game will be better for the trout!!! Terrestrials are the ticket, with Hoppers and Crickets being the ticket for now. Beetles and Ants will still bring some fish to the surface, and sinking them, as a last resort, will also add to your success. "Hopper and Dropper" is my favorite combo for this time of year, especially with our LOW water levels. Fish a beadhead nymph 18"-24" below your Hopper or Cricket and ply the water slowly and thoroughly. Fishing in a LOW profile will also give you an edge in the STEALTH direction. Fishing from 1 knee or on both knees will give you a stealthier approach! Hiding behind bushes and trees will also keep you out of the fish's view; LOW water conditions bring on different challenges, we all must adapt. Size 8 and 10 Hoppers and Crickets are working well, with size 16 and smaller Copper Johns the perfect mate for the dropper. Tight Lines!

LIMESTONE AND TAILWATER STREAMS STILL BEST BET FOR TROUTING!!!

Aug. 21, 2010

With a few nights dropping down into the 60's, freestone streams are seeing some relief from the heat, but too many are still showing 70+ degree water temps. Patience is HUGE in fishing in general, but please be patient and let these trout be until water temps drop into the 60's with some consistency!!! Terrestrials are still the best bet, with beetles and ants being the leaders, with grass hoppers and crickets pulling a close 2nd. Foam hoppers are my "favs", as they float higher and longer, and will support a "nymph dropper" ALL day! Last fall we had weeks of micro-caddis hatches, and it will get interesting to see if that happens again!? Make sure you have size #18 and smaller in caddis adults, pupa and larva, to be ready if this happens again, and I think it will. Midge fishing will pick up as the evening air temps drop consistently, and Griffith's Gnats and Disco Midges will bring good success!!! Tight Lines!

TROUTING STILL ON HOLD ON FREESTONE STREAMS

Aug. 13, 2010

The Tully and the Gunpowder, along with the limestone streams, are still fishing fairly well, even though water levels are very LOW! Tricos are still lingering on many of these streams, but the midge fishing should pick up as the month progresses. Terrestrials, such as hoppers, crickets and beetles/ants, are the ticket for the remainder of the summer and into the fall. PLEASE avoid fishing the freestone streams if water temps remain in the 70's!!! Even when fishing the "cool water" streams, it's BETTER to release trout without taking them out of the water; using a net to land fish as quickly as possible will also help with releasing these fish without taking them out of the water! Low, warm water means EXTREMELY LOW dissolved oxygen levels making it hard enough for these fish to survive. Be patient, the fall season is approaching and water levels will increase, hopefully, and with that water temps will drop. Bass and panfish fly rodding is a GREAT alternative;) Tight Lines!

TROUT FISHING STILL OK ON LIMESTONERS AND TAILWATERS

Aug. 3, 2010

The limestoners in Allentown are fishing as well as any at this point, with the Little lehigh, Monocacy and Bushkill showing some good hatches of MIDGES and leftover TRICOS. The Tully and Gunpowder are also fishing well over similar hatches. The water temps in our freestone streams are still TOO WARM to target trout; if you get 70+ degrees water temp, PLEASE be responsible and leave the trout be until water temps cool. You can't imagine how difficult it is for a fly shop owner to tell fly fishers NOT to chase trout if the water is TOO warm!!! There are plenty of limestone streams and tailwaters to trout fish, it takes a few more miles in the car, that's all. Terrestrials are also a good bet this time of year, with plenty of beetles, hoppers and ants everywhere, with crickets on the move. Fishing tandems with 2 dry flies, or "hopper/popper dropper", using a Copper John off the back, helps when searching water with minimal feeding activity. A #18 "Blonde Griffith's Gnat" with a Midge Pupa/Sunken Trico trailing 18-24 inches off the back is one of my favorite combos!!! Keep on fishin'! Tight Lines!

WARM WATER FISHING IS ON!!! July 20, 2010

The Brandywine has had plenty of interesting years, with changing water conditions and different insect hatches happening at different times. BUT, the fishing has been very good this month, and with some rain, the water has freshened up. A few more storms and the watershed should be back to a more normal scale, albeit still low. Water temped @ 82 on Sunday, as I wet-waded the water under the Route 95 Bridge in downtown Wilmington. The carp were active, but I only had a couple shots at tailing fish, which I misfired routinely!? I stepped down to 4X tippet, hoping to get some hook-ups, and when I FINALLY got a decent size carp to eat, the knot broke on my dropper. Not likely that  this fish was going to be landed on 4X tippet, but getting them to eat was the goal. The sunnies have been VERY active both on the surface and below, while the smallmouth bass have been finicky for me. Casting into the shadows and deeper structure with #2 to #4 weighted streamers has been my savior for smallies!!! Walking away from the "easy access" points has also added to the advantage, as these fish aren't seeing that many flies or "fisher folks". Fishing below "feeder creek" outflows, such as Pocopson Creek in PA, are good choices too, as potentially cooler water poors into the Brandywine from them. Juvenile baitfish will loiter @ these junctions, which will bring on the predators we seek. Vary your retrieves and presentations till you find the right "trigger" for the particular spot or day. Get out and fish! Tight Lines! 

BRANDYWINE'S RUNNING WARM, EARLY/LATE GAME IS ON!

July7, 2010

As we all know, water levels are dangerously low and temps continue to rise, 83 F as of Monday afternoon. YES, we need rain HUGE!!! BUT, the fishing remains good for warm-water species, as smallmouth bass and panfish are feeding well in the shadows and in low-light conditions near dawn and dusk. Sculpin and many other baitfish imitations are working well, along with Buggers and crayfish flies. Poppers and sliders are also doing well, but early and later have been the better times for these flies. With lower water levels, stealth is also a good weapon for these fish; just because they aren't trout, doesn't mean these fish aren't wary!!! Longer casts will help keep you out of the fish's view, and if you don't have that, then wading gently and slowly will get the job done. 6 wt. rods are my choice as they allow some "larger fly" possibilities when targeting bigger fish, but 3, 4 & 5 wts. will work as long as expectations of throwing larger flies and longer distances are lower. From West Chester to downtown Wilmington, there's a TON of water to fish on the Brandywine, and ALL sections are fishing as consistently as another. Alapocas, Mill Rd. and Bancroft Mills are 3 KEY locations that aren't seeing the fishing traffic that Smith's and Thompson's Bridges are at the moment. Stop by the shop for directions to these locations and for pattern selections! Tight Lines!

SMALLIE SPAWN WRAPPED UP AND FISH GETTING ON THE BITE!

June 29, 2010

With LOW water levels and higher water temps, these fish are spookier than I've seen for many years; it seems more like late August conditions than late June!? I tend to throw patterns tied much more sparse when this happens, while using erratic retrieves and presentations. Earth-tone flies usually do better for me when fishing subsurface, with tans, olives and browns being my color choices. "Young of the year" baitfish of ALL species are what I am trying to imitate right now. Dawn and dusk may see some predators in the shallows, but for most of the days the gamefish are in the trenches, but lurking on the edges of drop-offs, shadows and weed-beds. Throwing 2 flies usually keeps me MORE in the game, offering 2 choices to these fish. STEALTH can be your BIGGEST weapon, so wade softly and slowly and make sure to cast 1st into any piece of water before moving/wading into it. Tight Lines!

BRANDYWINE SMALLIES ON THEIR SPAWN June 10, 2010

With the American Shad moving out, still a few to be seen/caught by the way, smallmouth bass are starting their spawn. Carp were still active as of Monday, but their spawn should be petering out. The rain helped water levels and dropped the temps back to 70'ish, so fishing is good right now. Aquatic insect activity has been sporadic, but when bugs are on the water, fish are active; not SO important to "match the hatch" here, so pitching small poppers, sliders and beetles/ants, should do the trick. PLEASE stay OFF the gravel bars and leave "paired-up" fish alone, so the spawn doesn't get interrupted. When bug activity is minimal, fishing baitfish imitations, such as: Clouser Deep Minnows, Wooly Buggers, Crayfish and Leech patterns, will bring success. Tight Lines!

SULPHURS ARE COOKIN'! May27, 2010

Many of our local trout streams have this incredible hatch and it's one of my favs! Using Pheasant Tail Nymphs for the Sulphur nymph, Sparkle Duns and various other Dun patterns, Schmitt's Dry Emergers and Spent Spinners are all good choices from mid morning to dark. The evening spinner falls can be sporadic, but trout will be looking for them 1 hour before dusk and 1 hour into the dark. Scout your water in daylight, then return near dusk ready for this AWESOME stage of this hatch. East Br. of the Brandywine, West Br. of the Octararo and Pickering Creeks are all good choices during Sulphur Time! Water levels have dropped, but with some rain in the forecast, hopefully we all won't be crowding the prime water!? Unless you're with close friends, remember to give other fly fishers a wide birth during this hatch. Tight lines!

PS. There are still plenty of Caddis out there, so bring your Caddis box with when chasing the Sulphur hatch! 

CADDIS ON, SULPHURS COMIN'! May 15, 2010

The caddis I have been seeing have been smaller than usual for this time of year, so a #16 seems to be working better than #12' and #14's. The East Branch of the Brandywine has had steady trout feeding on caddis pupa and adult caddis in the afternoons. Using a LaFontaine's Sparkle Pupa is a great choice when you see bulging rise-forms. I find that trimming the hackle off the underside of a an Elk Hair Caddis also helps once these fish get educated from seeing so many flies. Taking a Larva pattern and marking the top of the abdomen with a permanent marker can also help when these fish get too smart for their own good;)

Sulphurs are emerging sporadically now, but I haven't seen enough for fish to get on them. BUT, I won't go to any stream without carrying a box full of Pheasant Tail nymphs, Flashbacks and Sparkle Duns. This hatch can be one of our best of the spring, with the evening spinner fall being my favorite as the fishing can be electric!!! Be on the look-out! Tight Lines!

FRESH RAINS, HIGHER WATER, GOOD TROUTING April 28, 2010

Just a quick report for local trouters. Water temps have remained in the low 50's in many streams/creeks, but the fishing has been solid! With a nice push of water from our most recent rains, most of my fishing has been nymphing, but have seen a few more rising fish, typically to midges and caddis. Sulphur time is approaching, and the warming trend should bring some more fish to the surface. Beadheads and softhackles have both worked for me. Some are still getting many fish on streamers, not my preferred tactic, but as long as fish are eating them, fish'em! Tight Lines!

A FEW MORE RISING TROUT April 21, 2010

Rick Bender and Tim O'Neill joined me for a day on Muddy Creek in York County on Sunday. Weather was holding, but a little chilly with a breeze. We started in the upper stretch of the Fly Fishing Zone. Caddis were all over the place as the afternoon came upon us, along with a medium sized mayfly, about a # 16, that we never got a sample of to identify. With a few sporadic rises, we all spent much of the day nymphing, in anticipation of some risers late in the day. Rick picked a few up on caddis dries earlier, along with a few on his dropper caddis pupa. Tim and I stuck with our nymph rigs, with Prince Nymphs and Flashback PT's picking up most of our fish. These fish did NOT come easy and many casts per fish was the call. We all caught some "stream-bred fish", which is always cool, along with some hatchery fish. The skies bounced from threatening dark clouds to sun breaking through by the end of the day. We relocated to the lower reaches of the creek hoping for some rising fish. We were NOT disappointed as sporadic rises to midges and caddis got us scrambling to re-rig our leaders for some dry fly action. This section of the stream has more "natural browns" in it, but they tend to be smaller. BUT, catching trout on dries surely takes care of the "big fish craving"! Everyone hooked nice browns on dry flies, along with a NICE fish by Tim, 14+". A fun day was had by all; nice job Rick and Tim!!! -Terry

NOT MANY RISING TROUT, BUT FISHING'S BEEN SOLID! April 15, 2010

For those that just enjoy nymphing, the trout fishing has been fantastic! Water levels are maintaining, along with cool water temps too. Beadhead flies have been the "go to" for most, with #12-#16's fished on 4X and 5X tippet getting it done. With all the different caddis I have seen in the air and on the water, I would think fish would be rising much more!? Most of my "bug samples" have been all over the charts, with "clinger" nymphs and smaller mayfly nymphs being more prevalent than caddis larva, which seems strange with all the caddis adults around!? Princes, Hares Ears, Copper Johns, Pheasant Tails and Squirrel Nymphs, just to mention a few, have been working in the White Clay, W. Br. of the Octararo, Ridley, E. Br. Brandywine and Pickering. Dead drifting under an indicator or "tight-lining" both work; water's a little high for fishing "dry and dropper", but that will work too. Tight lines!

WATER LEVELS DROPPING AND CLEARING March 31, 2010

With Southeastern PA and Delaware opening trout season this Sat., many of our local streams have been stocked to the gills. With so many hatchery fish in our waters, the holdovers and streambred fish are hunkering down. Attractor patterns, such as Wooly Buggers and Green Weenies will be standard fare, along with assorted Beadhead Nymphs. Dead-drifting both nymphs and streamers is my preferred presentation, but swinging and stripping all of the above can work well too. Whether you're fishing the Middle Branch, East Branch or Mainstem of the White Clay, Ridley, West Branch of the Octararo, Pickering or Eat Branch of the Brandywine creeks, BIGGER flies tied to stouter tippets(3X & 4X) would be my 1st choices. My preferences for streamers are OLD SCHOOL "bucktail style" streamers, such as: Black Nosed Dace, Mickey Finn, Black Ghost, along with Marabou Muddlers. These are CLUTCH choices. Many stocked trout seem to chase baitfish for a while before keying in on aquatic insects. Start in the tail-outs and work your way up through the riffles; upstream presentations work equally as well as downstream tactics and keeps the rythm of the nymph fishers. There's plenty of water to fish, so give your fellow fly fishers a WIDE BIRTH! Tight Lines!

SPRING RUN-OFF HEALTHY TROUT STREAMS March 23, 2010

It has been some time since I've seen a SOLID run-off from winter snows, and most of our local trout streams are flowing high. With high water conditions, the fish don't seem to be paying much attention to the stoneflies, caddis and midges that are riding the surface. BUT, trout seem to be moving on baitfish, so streamers are hooking many fish. Gray Ghosts, Mickey Finns, Black Nosed Dace, and Clouser Minnows, along with many others are good choices during this early season time. Of course Wooly Buggers work great most of the time, but I like "Bucktail-Style Streamers" to imitate chubs and other forage fish. Swinging these patterns, along with stripping and twitching them, are a few good presentations. Weighted flies work best during higher water, so adding "lead free" weight, coneheads / beadheads and/or dumbbell eyes are good choices. "Lead Free" split shot is another alternative, either right above the knot to the fly, or 4-12 inches above, depending how deep and/or "busy" the water you're fishing. "Strip and Pause" is another one of my favorites.  Fish tend to spread out with more water in our streams, so covering a LOT of water will reap great benefits! Tight Lines!

HIGH WATER TOUGH WADING March 14, 2010

With rains still haunting our streams and creeks, water levels are HIGH and muddy, obviously, but fishing from the banks as the water starts to clear will be a good choice. Fish will be looking for clean water to breath easier, so drifting nymphs and streamers tight to the banks will bring some success. I typically fish darker patterns during these periods, feeling that fish will pick up a darker silhouette faster. Beadhead, conehead and lead-eye patterns are my 1st choices. Staying out of the water also helps me work on my stealthy approach; even hatchery fish get SPOOKED! My old knees DON'T like the low profile that I often use; fishing down on one or both knees back from the stream-bank. BUT, it is necessary and boosts my success rate.

Yellow and white perch are running now in many tidal creeks, which means that the herring and hickory shad should follow. Water temps will tell the story, so with water temps still in the 40's in many of these watersheds, it is still early! As the water(s) warm into the 50's, the migratory runs will turn on quickly. Be ready as April approaches. Tight Lines!

STONEFLIES, MIDGES AND BWO'S! March 9, 2010

Some watersheds are showing more Early Black & Brown Stoneflies than others, but when the wind calms down, they're starting to get on the water and fish are beginning to look for them! Water temps are creeping into the 40's in the freestoners and trying to push toward 50 in the limestoners; ALL GOOD! The dry fly fanatics will be happier, because the adult version of this aquatic insect is the most crucial to fly fishers. Black bodied caddis imitations along with many others can be solid for this hatch. Most local streams have taken early stockings, so the usual attractors, such as Buggers and Green Weenies and assorted beadhead nymphs will work well too! Stop by the shop for pattern selections.

STRIPERS IN JERSEY AND DELAWARE

DEC. 17, 2011

There are still plenty of rockfish in Jersey and they have finally made it to Delaware. The trick is to be there when they get close enough to reach from the beach, as they have been staying just outside of casting range. Cape Henlopen State Park has had a few moments of fish being right on the beaches, but the boaters are getting better shots. Indian River Inlet has been fishing well at night, but winds have made it challenging. Silversides have been the baitfish around, so fishing epoxy patterns/Surf Candies and Clouser Deep Minnows will be good choices. Tight Lines!

SMALL STRIPERS AND HICKORIES ON SILVERSIDES

Dec. 2, 2010

There are plenty of silversides in the 1.5-3 inch class @ Indian River Inlet, and some decent stripers are being caught, but NOT by me;) As I mentioned earlier, we got into some very small fish on Sunday, and Lee Powers hit some better fish on Saturday. The "night fish" could be the better ticket right now!? After our most recent rains the beaches will take some time to clean up; dirty water and stripers typically don't mix. High winds and BIG surf will also keep the ocean side dirty, so pick your times/spots. Peanut bunker have been seen slightly offshore and I haven't seen them inside, so slender silverside style patterns will be your best bet. Try tying some BRIGHT versions of your favs: orange over yellow, pink over chartreuse, black over orange. Keep the same sihouette of the current baitfish, just JAZZ your flies up a bit and see if that does/doesn't trigger some strikes. I have been changing colors vs. adding more flash. Just another way of looking at the remainder of the fall run;) Get out and fish!!!

A FEW FISH BEING CAUGHT ON THE INSIDE IN DELAWARE

Nov. 27, 2010

After a decent start for the fall run in Jersey, the Delaware Beaches haven't had consistent fishing this fall! There are plenty of baitfish out there, peanut bunker and silversides, but fish have remained offshore more times than not. Even though a few fish have been caught on the inside @ Indian River Inlet, most of them have been caught out of the boat. I have fished the SALT through the holidays and into the New Year in previous seasons, so don't give up on it yet! Sinking lines will prove beneficial if the WINDS keep up; easier casting and slowing your "drift" will be KEY!!! Get out and fish!

WIND, WIND AND MORE WIND!!!

Nov. 18, 2010

With recent windy conditions and rough surf, the saltside has slowed considerably! Finding "clean water" has been the challenge. Inside the inlets has been fair to some anglers, but still, few fish are being caught right now. Hopefully with many tides, the beaches will clean up and let the run continue. Keep going out!

DELAWAREANS WAITING FOR JERSEY STRIPERS!

Nov. 10, 2010

While all the action seems to still be in Jersey, most fly fishers in Delaware await patiently. Both stripers and bluefish are working up and down the Jersey Coast, with SAND EELS making appearances now, along with silversides and peanut bunker. High winds and BIG surf have hampered some "long-rodders", but those who throw 2-handers are getting out past the 1st break and sometimes the second break. "Dead-drifting" has always been tagged a freshwater tactic, but DON"T overlook this in the salt! With water temps dropping, these fish will sometimes be LESS eager to move to flies, so tumbling streamers along the bottom and in the wash, can be the trigger and "day saver"!!! Get out and fish!!!

THE RUN IS ON, JUST NEED TO FIND FISH!!!

Nov. 4, 2010

The 1st bursts of migrating fish are coming through; getting to the RIGHT beach is KEY! There are plenty of silversides, peanut bunker and a few mullet around, just need to get fish on'em. I have always felt that putting in my miles is the best way to find fish; "plan your fish, fish your plan!" Sticking to the tides that I've had success in specific areas tops my list. Always have a "plan B", but use it only when needed. If you're planning a "night fish", scout it out during daylight. If birds aren't working near the beach, I use the "cast and move" tactic, while trying to cover as much water as possible. Casting parallel to the beach along with perpendicular can also be good when fish are in close. Never step into water that you haven't cast into, as these fish will cruise the "washline". Sometimes going to a "bright-fly", ie. orange and yellow Clouser, can sometimes trigger rogue fish into feeding. Be creative and keep going out! Tight lines!

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

Oct. 26, 2010

WELL, I haven't hit the right spot yet, but fish have been caught within a few miles of where I've been fishing in Jersey. Plenty of blues and stripers are being caught in Central Jersey from the beaches. Mullet and silverside imitations have been the ticket, and rumors of larger sand eels being around, but I haven't seen those yet. Puting in my miles is all I can do for now, hoping I hit the right locale. Keep going out and you WILL hit it! Be ready to cast your brains out, until a wave of fish pushes up on the beach. Tight Lines! 

1ST BURSTS OF FALL RUN STRIPERS IN JERSEY

Oct. 19, 2010

Got the report Sat. eve around 9:30, saying stripers to 20 lbs. were busting the beaches in Island Beach State Park. Stowed my trout gear that was set to fish Muddy Creek on Sunday, and rallied my salt gear for the jaunt east. Rick bender and I headed east hoping to find fish, and looking to work the afternoon and into the evening. After scouting much of the park, we saw NO fish being caught and no fish breaking, but some birds were working and hope was in the air. Armed with our 2-handed fly rods, we hit the beach @ #7. Bait was all over the place in close, with silversides and mullet being the major. Plenty of folks were running the beaches with 4-wheel drives, waiting and wondering; they always stop to watch the fly fishers, thinking that maybe we know something more than they do, which isn't even close as these conventional folks are GOOD too. We share info' and locale, and one can only hope that someone finds fish. WELL, not to happen on this day, but it was a gorgeous day and we got in some critical casting practice. The flies looked good in the water, even though no fish ate'em;))) The fall run IS coming, so be ready!!! Tight Lines! -Terry