This has been a good year for trout up in my corner of the state. Of course, that's with the understanding that "good" is a relative thing. NW Pa. wild trout fishing is kind of like a bathtub full of 80 degree water. Enough to get the job done, but a bit shy of memorable. There are exceptions but that's the general run of it. All in all, the high flows have allowed it to be a slightly above average year for both stocked and wild trout in the places I fish.
My smallmouth streams are just now falling into shape and the forecast for this week is mainly dry, which is welcome. This has been the fishing I've missed due to the weather. I'll probably go three days this week, mostly because I can. It's good to be retired, even if it is the matinee for what comes next, incapacitation followed by 6 strong young men carrying you bodily to Church whether you feel like you need to go or not..
My saving grace this year and one of the main reasons I retired back here to southern Erie County (other than family) has been the largemouth (and panfish for that matter..) fishing in the small lakes up here in Pennsylvania's Glacial Pothole Wonderland. It's been pretty good. I was out this morning in the inflatable yak and picked up about two dozen bass between 10 and 16 inches. Poppers early, then Hud's Bushwhackers stripped along the weed lines and then, once the sun got high, conehead Estaz worm flies fished on a sink tip.
I'm ready for creek bass fishing, but all in all, I can't complain.
