Branching out

[tmohler]

Hello all, I just started seriously fly fishing this past April. I've done okay and learned a lot. I live in Denver PA, and I've decided that I want to focus more on catching wild fish. With that in mind, there are at least 3 semi-local streams I'd like to fish this year: Big Spring, the Little Lehigh, and Hay Creek. In looking at the weather forecast, this coming Saturday should be nice enough to warrant a trip out on the water somewhere. However, I was thinking that the water temps of the LL and Hay creek probably wouldn't have the fish being very active, while Big Spring fish would be more active, and there shouldn't be many other anglers out. Thoughts, concerns, questions, and guidance on where I should go this weekend and how I should go about my goal of fishing them in general would all be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[afishinado]

tmohler wrote:
Hello all, I just started seriously fly fishing this past April. I've done okay and learned a lot. I live in Denver PA, and I've decided that I want to focus more on catching wild fish. With that in mind, there are at least 3 semi-local streams I'd like to fish this year: Big Spring, the Little Lehigh, and Hay Creek. In looking at the weather forecast, this coming Saturday should be nice enough to warrant a trip out on the water somewhere. However, I was thinking that the water temps of the LL and Hay creek probably wouldn't have the fish being very active, while Big Spring fish would be more active, and there shouldn't be many other anglers out. Thoughts, concerns, questions, and guidance on where I should go this weekend and how I should go about my goal of fishing them in general would all be appreciated. Thanks.

I'm very familiar with all three streams. Of the three > Big Spring, Hay and the Little Lehigh, I would guess Big Spring would fish the best since it is a spring creek and the water would likely be warmer. But part of your statement "Big Spring fish would be more active, and there shouldn't be many other anglers out" is only half right...I would expect a lot of FFers to be fishing there this weekend for all the same reasons why you chose it.

Anyway, Hay Creek is closest to you, I believe. I would give that a shot since it is closest and not as heavily fished as BS or the LL. But, where ever you choose to fish...have a good time!

 

[tmohler]

Thanks for the info. It makes sense I suppose that other people want to get out fishing and would go to Big Spring. Is it worthwhile fishing outside of the special regs area? I'm willing to explore, but Id rather not spend my saturday fishing water that doesn't have fish in it. And Hay creek is the closest to me, only about 25 mins away vs LL being an hour and BS being an hour and a half. How would I fish Hay Creek right now? I'm thinking either using stick on indicator with two small nymphs, or dry dropper. Thanks.

 

[Mike]

Even closer is Cacoosing Creek, Berks County, which has a Class A section and a Class B section below it, after which the wild trout population badly tails off. Given its proximity, you might want to take an afternoon when you have time and pay a few landowners a visit to see if you can get permission to fish at some future date. Otherwise, there is a small pubic park that is a short distance upstream from Rt 422. I have not been in the park for a long time so I don't know what the habitat is like.

 

[salvelinusfontinalis]

I'm not entirely sure that advice is good.

Posting the location of a private class a water, then telling the angler to ask permission on a public forum is in bad form IMO.
I'm fine with sharing public locations but your advice could leave landowners in that watershed angry as they may get a lot of Knocks in the coming weeks

 

[sandfly]

LL is a spring creek too

 

[Mike]

Thus the mention of the park.

 

[outsider]

I have no issue with Mike's response. Ask the question, get the answer. I grew up fishing the Cacoosing Creek, along with several other Berks County streams. I see no harm in asking a landowner permission, regardless of the origin of discovery of the stream.

 

[salvelinusfontinalis]

My advice is big spring out of the ones you posted.
Once it gets busy then head to the letort.

The orgin had nothing to do with what I posted. I would just hate to see them get bombarded with people and then deny access to everyone.

 

[Mike]

Some Berks alternatives that are class A, class A equivalents, or still worth fishing in certain sections are Angelica, Spring, and Wyomissing Cks,,as well as Laurel Rn.