Dry fly fishing in October??

[krayfish2]

Thanks for all the replies! So while I'm with my daughter for a few days (she's at Lehigh Valley), it looks like I'll do some research on the Little Lehigh and maybe a few of the others that were named. And thanks for the restaurant suggestions, very helpful, and I do enjoy IPA's so will certainly be stopping at Shangy that was recommended.

Connecticut does have front plates. Littering is bad karma. And I've never had my stomach pumped😉

It seems like the consensus is to hit the Delaware system on my drive home. Did a very quick search and many options as well....West Branch, East Branch, Main, Upper, Beaverkill, etc. A little overwhelmed. Any thoughts would be appreciated and I'll start reading up on the Delaware. Assuming there are campgrounds and/or cheap motels for fly fisherpeople.

Would be great if there are still some tricos around early October. I just had a great morning today on the Farmington fishing size 24 Needhami on 6.5X tippet. I find it super rewarding to not just catch, but land an 18 inch trout on such small tackle. Thanks again everyone, much appreciated!!

Find water and cast. If you go to 6.5x tippet on the Catskill rivers, you should land about 7-10% of what you hook. 4-5x all day

 

[JohnPowers]

ISOs on the Delaware main and on your way there a stop at the MARTIN GUITAR factory and Museum in Bethlehem. Sweet little guitar for less than a grand, not a D-28 like mine, but unlike a fly rod it won’t be obsolete in a year.

 

[Chaz]

One year when fishing in October while I kept a record of numbers caught I doubled the number of fish caught for the year during October. I fished a lot that year, went from 500 caught to 1000 caught. So yes fishing is good in October, but be aware that trout , brookies in particular are beginning spawning activities during October. If you see spawning activity move on.
As for hatches there are BWO's nearly every day, there are caddis but they are spotty, always midges and small crane flies. There are still slate drakes on some streams during October, particularly Pine Creek in NC PA. but now many other mayflies.

 

[dryflyguy]

3 hatches I usually come across in October:

BWO's
Slate drakes
Caddis - usually #16 gray
I have hit October caddis on a few occasions, but that's been kinda rare.

Terrestrials still work at that time of year too

 

[mikephl]

Hi,
In the Allentown area, streams include the Little Lehigh, Saucon, Cedar, and some others. Here is a map of AP trout streams to identify other streams and special regs areas in the state: https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/v...DbI8ryYM4&ll=40.85337581547979,-77.682781&z=8

For your trip back, you can go north on the PA turnpike to Hickory Run State Park (camping). Many streams are in the region, including Mud Run, Hickory Run, and some others within the park, plus the Lehigh River.

If you head west 2-1/2 hours, you'll be in the State College area. Bald Eagle State Park is near I-80 provides camping, plus access to some of PA's best trout streams, all within 30 min drive: Spring Creek, Penn's Creek, Fishing Creek, Bald Eagle Creek, and more.

Good luck and good luck to your daughter on her rotation.

 

[The_Sasquatch]

big yellow or orange stimies all day long. Fall is my favorite time for dries.

 

[Swattie87]

big yellow or orange stimies all day long. Fall is my favorite time for dries.

I don’t know what it is (pre-spawn gorging?), but once the weather starts to get out of the typical Summer hazy/hot/humid pattern, mid-September I’d say most years, I seem like I can start to get away with stuff with dries more than during the Spring and Summer. Sloppy drifts, big attractor patterns in low clear water, etc, seem to still catch fish in the Fall. My favorite time to be out too.