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

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.

CROAKERS ARE COMING!!! July 21, 2010

Some of the "head boats" are pulling in many croaker now which tells us that they will be on the beach(s) any time now. A few have been caught by the SFAoD club members on the flats in Lewes, on small Clousers and Deceivers. These fish are a smaller version of  Red Drum, and can be a BLAST to catch on 6, 7 and 8 wt. fly rods! They will bust baitfish on the surface, but typically stay closer to the bottom, so weighted flies are HUGE. Sometimes they will drive baitfish parallel to the beaches, 1-3 ft. from dry sand; these fish are tough to get to eat flies too! Crab and shrimp flies will work well here, along with many bonefish flies such as Gotchas and Crazy Charlies. During the day I will use an "intermediate line", while at night I prefer a "floater". If you're fishing at the inlet(s), having a 200-350 grain sinking line can save your day or night! Roosevelt and Indian River Inlets will be BUSY both days and nights, but there's plenty of water to fish, so "recon" is helpful especially during the day. OUTGOING tides work best for me in the inlets and at their mouths, while INCOMING tides do it for me on the beaches. FULL and NEW moons will drive stronger tides, so basing your fishing adventures around those dates can help if you're flexible. If not, just get out and fish when you can! Tight lines!

WITH SUMMER ARRIVING EARLY, THE NIGHT GIG IS BETTER!

July 7, 2010

For those who haven't fly fished at night, this can be a challenging experience at first, but is actually FUN!!! I DO recommend scouting the location(s) you plan for your night-fish, during the day, so to plan your "put-ins" and "escape routes", and doing this with the tides in mind. Tide charts are located in the "Links" part of this website, and I USE them! Getting disoriented in the dark is VERY common, but as long as you are fishing with a BUDDY, then it usually works out just fine. Use shore lights, dock lights and even a compass to help; a HEADLAMP is a MUST for this type of fishing too and bring a "hand-held light" for back-up. Striped bass are "bright light shy", so when retying flies and leaders, always point the light away from the area you're fishing. Dark flies, such as BLACK, PURPLE, RED and ORANGE are good choices to tie your favorite patterns. Adjusting your presentations is also KEY; slow retrieves with pauses are both good choices, and vary your cadence often until you find one that works. I tend to carry FLOATING LINES for much of my night fishing, hoping to find some "popping bass" that push their forage to the surface before feeding. BUT, for every location, there will be a different application so keep your intermediate and sinking lines close. Flies that push water, such as "deerhair headed flies" and "woolheaded flies" are also good choices, as the VIBRATIONS they make in the water can sometimes be the trigger and draw strikes. Both Jersey and Delaware are fishing fair at night, so get out and give it a try! Tight Lines!

FLOUNDER ABOUND IN DELAWARE!

June 29, 2010

With a few small bluefish around still, most anglers are targeting flounder with small weighted flies @ the Cape Henlopen State Park flats. Nights are fishing better than days, and the LOW TIDE to the 1st part of the incoming tide seems to be more consistent.  Beach bathers are taking much of the "prime beach spots" during the day, and the boat traffic in the inlets makes for BIG challenges to the "land-based" fly rodders. BUT, between the Fishing Pier and Cape Shores Pier, there's plenty of space with several sand bars and troughs for fish to stage. #4 and #6 Clouser Minnows and Bonefish flies are good choices, but don't hesitate to go LARGER if the bite is slow; flounder can get VERY aggressive when they're  on the bite! The BIGGER fish will also have some HONKIN' teeth, so be careful when removing hooks and releasing them. Croakers should be arriving soon, the way the water temps are rising. Most everything is EARLY this year, so get out and enjoy some time fly fishing the salt! Tight Lines!

STRIPERS STILL IN NORTHERN JERSEY, SPOTTY IN DELAWARE

June 10, 2010

Raritan Bay has been on fire for the last week or two, but the beaches have been very spotty in both Jersey and Delaware. Night fishing has been more productive, with a TON of Silversides in many areas. 2-3" flies on intermediate fly lines are the ticket, with Clouser Deep Minnows, Small Deceivers and sparsely tied Surf Candies being SOLID choices. Incoming tides on the outside beaches have typically worked better for me, while the outgoing tides both on the insides and mouths of the inlets as well. There is a rumor out there that one more slug of fish is moving out of the Chesapeake and should head north up our coast!? We can only hope that is true;))) Tight lines!

STRIPERS AND BLUES IN JERSEY AND DE May 27, 2010

I was at Sandy Hook, NJ, last Monday with Craig Irvine, longtime fly fishing friend. Plenty of silversides were there, but fish were not while we were. We caught as many Sea Robins as we wanted, non-targeted species, along with one good flounder by Craig. Of course stripers were there the day before and the day before that, but we bailed @ dark with only 1 striper caught and NOT by us. DE has seen some nice stripers caught @ Indian River Inlet, but it has been mostly @ night. Larger Bunker patterns have been the standard, but there are more silversides around too. The Saltwater Fly Anglers of Delaware club has been catching some flounder and some short stripers on the Cape Henlopen Flats near the Fishing Pier. I have NOT heard of one Weakfish being caught lately, which seems odd!? Dust off your 8, 9 or 10 wt. fly rods and chase some of these great gamefish in the salt! Tight Lines!

FIRST WAVE OF STRIPERS @ INDIAN RIVER INLET   May15, 2010

First decent wave of stripers @ IRI started showing in the last 2 days, with more fish than have been seen in some time. Fly guys have been getting some fish, while the spin guys have been covering more water, hence picking up more fish. Both the North and South jetties have been seeing action, both during the day and night. Larger bunker patterns, 6"-8", will work, but with the winds of late, smaller weighted flies may be the norm. Be careful as the jetties can be treacherous especially in the dark!!! Tight Lines! 

BLUES AND STRIPERS STARTING TO SHOW April 28, 2010

Some blues and stripers have been landed on fly off the DE beaches and @ Indian River Inlet. Not many, but it's trying to get started. Lee Powers sent a picture of a nice 33+" striper caught near IRI. Nice Job, Lee! A few of the saltwater club members have been working over Cape Henlopen State park and catching a few smaller bluefish. Baitfish should be moving in force soon enough and that should get our gamefish heading our way. Warmer weather should bring warmer water, lets hope!? More action has been happening up @ Sandy Hook, NJ, with some bigger blues and some schoolie stripers being caught. Standard Clouser Minnows and lefty's deceivers have taken many of the fish so far, on Intermediate fly lines. Tight Lines!

WATER'S WARMING SLOWLY, A FEW MORE STRIPERS LANDED

April 21, 2010

It is still early for striped bass, but it is coming, anytime now. A few schooly stripers were landed over the weekend inside @ Indian River Inlet by Burton's Island on smaller Lefty's Deceivers. As the water warms, the baitfish will start to move out of the back bays and stripers will follow. Bluefish usually start the action off our beaches and they haven't arrived yet. Mother's Day has always been a good starting point for the Blues for me! Gear up, the Saltside will be "cookin'" soon! Tight Lines!

STRIPER FISHING STILL SLOW April 15, 2010

A few small schoolie stripers are showing inside Indian River Inlet, but they're not being very cooperative. Water temps are still in the 50's and the spawn is still going. No-one is more anxious to get down to the beaches and pitch flies to striped bass than I am. Scouting is important this time of year; finding where the new "cuts" are on the outside and inside is crucial right now. With all of our weather over the winter season, many of your/our favorite spots will have changed, at least a little. Between scouting and getting the kinks worked out of your/our casting strokes, it is always good to be prepared for the upcoming striper run! Tight Lines! 

FIRST STRIPER SIGHTINGS March 31, 2010

Back bays in both New Jersey and Delaware are reporting some good striper action, along with the Upper Chesapeake Bay/ Susquahanna Flats. This was happening before our most recent rains, so with some dirty water out there, it has slowed for the moment. These fish are HUNGRY, after a LONG winter that they/we aren't used to, so getting flies in front of these fish is the MOST CRUCIAL part of your presentations right now. Water temps are still COOL, so using sinking lines and/or weighted flies is a must! Slower retrieves and dead-drifting will also reap bigger and better rewards. With much of this water more accessible via watercraft, than wading, it makes for more challenging fishing without a boat or kayak. After the spawn, the beach/jetty/sod-bank fishing should pick up. Basic bunker(1/0-4/0) and silverside(4-1/0) imitations will be good fly choices along with Mushmouths, one of my favs! Birds should be getting active on bait-balls, and they'll be pushing them up on the beaches and sod-banks soon enough. Fluorocarbon leaders and tippets, from 12 lb. to 20 lb., will be right on target. Hopefully the winds will calm down and the water cleans up soon!? From Sandy Hook, New Jersey, to Indian River Inlet, in Delaware, there should be some "FAST AND FURIOUS" fishing in the salt this spring!!! Tight Lines!

RUMORS OF HERRING SIGHTINGS March 23, 2010

I am not much for rumors, but that some are going around, might bode well for the start of the striper runs. I personally haven't seen any in the Brandywine, yet, but I'm sure they will be coming in for their spawn soon enough. Striped bass will forage BIGTIME on their way to their spawning grounds, and typically ambush their prey as they, the herring, "drop-back" post spawn. Having Herring imitations ready is CRUCIAL for spring stripers! 3"-12" "spread" flies work well in these situations; Mega Mushies and Super Mushies work well, along with Flash-Tail Whistlers and Flash-Tail Clousers and 1/2 and 1/2's. JUMBO bucktails are great for these larger patterns. When tying these BEASTS, there's one MAJOR thing to remember, "you're going to need to be able to cast them too!" I know I've tied some AMAZING Herring flies, that just did NOT cast very well. SO, size and silhouette are the most important features for me, and SPARSE makes them cast a bit easier. Water temps are still COLD and SLOW presentations are my first choice, but fish them with what gives you the most confidence!!! Tight Lines!

RAIN, WIND AND FLOOD WARNINGS March 14, 2010

My striper gear is ready, but patience is the best tactic for now. With our current weather, water temps will warm up a little slower as the final snow melts. Practicing my cast(s), checking my knots, restocking my fly boxes and sharpening hooks is taking all my time. If you're fishing Delaware, make sure your fishing license is updated and it is MANDATORY that everyone gets a FIN #; the FIN # is FREE and can be gotten online or over the phone, and it's FREE. Did I mention that it is FREE!?? Tickets are being given, license without the FIN #, so I recommend that everyone get one. The Fin # MUST be renewed each year. Stop by the shop with any questions about gear maintenance, knots, locations to fish and/or hook sharpening methods. Tight Lines!

FIN # Phone #: Division of Fish and Wildlife (800) 432-9228. The recording may give you another phone # to call; you will need to answer a few general questions as part of a survey, but it takes only a few minutes. Your license has a line on the bottom for you to write it in; keep a copy of your license and FIN # just in case the original gets lost.

COLD WATER STILL! March 9, 2010

A few stripers are being caught at Indian River, and there are rumors of fish moving on the outside off the beaches, but the water temps are WAY too low for now. With warming trends, the water will warm up soon. The Upper Chesapeake will start off slow with the "catch and release" fishing on the Flats, but if we stay unseasonably warm over the next few weeks, it may rally up sooner than previous years. 10 wts. and BIG herring imitations would be my 1st choices for targeting these pre-spawn stripers, along with using sinking lines for the deeper edges. I always carry a floating line and poppers/sliders for the skinnier water, but those fish can be TOUGH! Spring is on the brink, so get geared up and be ready for the spring striper runs!

S